Join us for WAPL 2025
Oshkosh Marriott Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center
April 30 - May 2, 2025
Are you excited to move your public library’s services forward? If so, you’re invited to join us at the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) Annual Conference in Oshkosh, WI from April 30 - May 2, 2025! This year’s conference theme is–you guessed it–Forward. This is not just the Wisconsin State Motto, but a call to action. When we come together to learn from the creativity, innovation, and resourcefulness of our peers, we leave inspired to make the changes we want to see in our own communities.
And we promise you: there is no shortage of inspiring programs at this year’s conference! In addition to a well-rounded slate of engaging breakout sessions that run the gamut from creating AI usage policies to providing top-notch reading recommendations for Horror fanatics, we are welcoming several phenomenal keynote speakers.
Registration is now open for this fantastic learning opportunity! We look forward to welcoming you and learning how you want to move your library forward.
Questions? Please contact the WLA office at [email protected]
Registration
Early bird registration rates are available through April 4, 2025. Registration closes April 16, 2025. No refunds after April 16, 2025. We are unable to offer onsite registration.
New! Learn Together and Save
Register five (5) or more attendees that are not members of the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) from the same individual library and save 20 percent off your total non-member registration rate. Learn more.
Click here to view registration rates.
Need to make the case to attend? Here's a sample email to share with your supervisor. WAPL 2025 Sample Supervisor Email
Event Policies & Code of Conduct
Event Policies
Code of Conduct
Program Schedule
We're pleased to offer 36 breakout sessions on a variety of contemporary topics led by your peers, plus a variety of special events. (Schedule is subject to change.)
Keynote Speakers
Loida Garcia-Febo, International Library Consultant
Opening Keynote: Navigating Change with Strength: Tools for Managing Anxiety and Uncertainty in Libraries
Garcia-Febo will bring information to equip librarians with a set of actionable, time-tested strategies for navigating periods of high anxiety and maintaining mental wellness in the workplace. Participants will learn how to foster emotional resilience, maintain a sense of control, and develop a mindset of adaptability. Through exploring simple yet powerful tools, attendees will discover ways to manage their emotions, build strong support systems, and stay focused on their purpose, even in the midst of uncertainty.
This session, led by Loida Garcia-Febo, offers practical takeaways for anyone looking to stay grounded and thrive in an ever-changing landscape. SPEAKER BIO
Marcia Bjornerud, Professor of Geosciences and Environmental Studies, Lawrence University
Thursday Luncheon Keynote: Reading the World Around Us: Rocks as Libraries
Rocks don’t have a good reputation for being communicative, but to geologists they are richly illustrated texts – Earth’s own account of its long history. Like libraries, rocks provide access to otherwise inaccessible worlds. Both allow us to travel through time, expanding our imaginations, deepening our empathy for other ways of living, and helping us see ourselves in proper perspective.
This session will be followed by a book sale/signing with the author. SPEAKER BIO
Friday Morning Keynote: Native American Cultural Awareness of Wisconsin Tribal Communities
Jeanne Wolfe, Director, Ben Guthrie - Lac Du Flambeau Public Library along with other tribal library representatives, offer a panel presentation on their tribal communities. They will educate others on their treaties, employment, library services, technology status, and future goals of their Tribes. They will share dates of the annual Pow Wows to attend to appreciate the culture. Some display boards will be available to view.
Tomas Lipinski, Librarian Lawyer, Professor
Friday Luncheon/Closing Keynote: Legal Information Q & A with Librarian Lawyer, Professor Tomas A. Lipinski
Long established public institutions such as public libraries are facing unprecedented queries into everyday practices such as collection development, program offerings, access issues, patron privacy and information liability from making so-called dangerous content available to its patrons, both online and on the physical shelf. This lunch session will offer the opportunity for a lively give and take, question and answer format. SPEAKER BIO
Conference App
 We have chosen the Results @ Hand app for our conference technology needs. Registered attendees will be able to download the Results @ Hand app or access the app from their smartphone, tablet, or PC web browser.
The app will feature our entire conference agenda, speaker handouts, venue maps, community message boards, sponsor information, and tools to interact with other attendees. Conference attendees will receive additional instructions about how to download the conference app via email a few weeks before the event.
Hotel Information
The conference hotel is the Oshkosh Marriott Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center, 1 North Main Street, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, 54901. The WAPL Conference rate is $106.99 USD per night plus taxes and fees*. Hotel room rates based on single or double occupancy. A $10 per night fee will be assessed for any additional occupants. The cut-off date for the conference rate is April 11, 2025.
To make a room reservation at the Oshkosh Marriott Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center:
- Click Here to make your room reservation online; or
- Call: 1-855-230-1900.
*There is a $3.00 nightly municipal facility use fee, in addition to a 10% occupancy tax and a 5% state sales tax.
Special Events
Opening Celebration Buffet
Wednesday, April 30 | 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
South Breakouts
Catch up with your colleagues, make new friends, and create new connections in a relaxed setting. Enjoy a buffet and cash bar. Pre-registration is required.
WLA Foundation Button-Making Station
Wednesday, April 30- Friday, May 2
Hours and location will be available at registration
Add some flair to your conference experience! Stop by the WLA Foundation-sponsored Button-Making Station and unleash your creativity. Decorate a custom button that celebrates this year’s conference theme, “Forward”, and proudly wear it on your name badge lanyard. It's the perfect way to add a bit of flair while showing how you're moving libraries forward. Don’t miss out—come make a button and learn how the WLA Foundation helps take your member experience to the next level!
At The Movies with Librarians: Foreward vs. Forward
Thursday, May 1 | 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Leander Choate Room
A conference tradition! Our panel will discuss books being made into movies slated for release in 2025. After enjoying exciting trailers, panelists will analyze how well (or poorly) these books may translate to the screen. Panelists will also rate films previewed at previous conferences. Join us for this popular event!
Networking Reception at the Oshkosh Public Library
Thursday, May 1 | 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.
106 Washington Avenue, Oshkosh, WI
$20.00 per person; pre-registration is required.
Join us at the beautiful, historic Oshkosh Public Library. Spend the evening in the library's famous Dome enjoying delicious food offerings while socializing with your colleagues.
Located in the heart of downtown Oshkosh, the library was built in 1900 and designed by famed architect Wiliam Waters. It is one of the most iconic and photogenic buildings in Oshkosh. Don’t forget to say hello to the bronze lions Sawyer and Harris, the beloved Guardians of the Library!
The library is about a 7-minute walk from the conference center. Attendees are encouraged to carpool; transportation will not be provided. Free parking is available.
Tour the transformed Appleton Public Library!
Friday, May 2 | 2:30 p.m.
Appleton Public Library, 200 N. Appleton Street, Appleton, WI 54911
Free; pre-registration is required.
Join us for a special tour of the newly transformed Appleton Public Library! After opening in February 2025, this project marks the culmination of 17 years of planning, multiple (failed) proposals, and three years of operating from two (!) temporary locations. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and built by the Boldt Company, the unrecognizable renovation reimagines APL as a dynamic hub for the community.
Sponsorship Opportunities
We anticipate two hundred attendees representing a mix of decision-makers including directors, assistant directors, librarians, and library staff working across a wide range of areas including programming, youth services, outreach, reference, and more. Your support for this conference at any level will receive the attention of library professionals and a direct link to those with purchasing power.
Don’t see the opportunity you’re looking for? Contact WLA Executive Director Laura Sauser at [email protected] to discuss additional options.
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