Upcoming events

Switch to Calendar View

• Library Advocacy: Save the Library, Save the World

  • When
    10 Apr 2026
  •  
    2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    ZOOM

  Register

  The ACRL/NY Professional Development Committee invites you to the Spring 2026 Program on Library Advocacy

  Save the Library, Save the World

  Speaker: Emily Drabinski

  Emily Drabinski is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Queens College School of Information Studies, City University of New York. She served as 2023-24 President of the American Library Association during a time of unprecedented attacks on the right to read. Drabinski’s latest publication is Organize Your Library! (ALA Editions, 2026), a co-authored handbook for building the collective power of library workers. 

  WHEN: Friday, April 10, 2026, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

  WHERE: A Zoom link will be sent to the email address linked to your registration the day before the meeting.

  PROGRAM MODERATOR: Dr. Kanu A. Nagra, Chair of Professional Development Committee ACRL/NY 

  REGISTRATION: Please register here by April 8, 2026

  	https://acrlny.org/event-6588328

  Description: 

  The rise of the organized censorship movement has raised the stakes of library advocacy. Uncritical continue to push for increased budgets and additional staff, but now many of us also face existential threats in the form of systematic and accelerating disinvestment, uncritical technology adoption, restrictions on our professional agency and autonomy, and a lack of public understanding of the critical social infrastructure libraries provide. What we learn from these struggles can inform advocacy beyond our shelves as we work toward the world we deserve.

  This program is open to both ACRL/NY members and non-members

  If you are not an ACRL/NY member: please use the following link to join or renew your membership to ACRL/NY (http://acrlny.org/join-us/).

  All ACRL/NY events, programs, and discussion groups are guided by our Code of Conduct. For more information, please see http://acrlny.org/about2/code-of-conduct/

  If you have any questions then please contact Program Organizer- Dr. Kanu A. Nagra, Chair of Professional Development Committee of ACRL/NY.

  
  

  
  

  Show details
• Spring 2026 ACRL/NY User Experience Discussion Group- Introduction to WCAG 2.1 : Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and ADA Title II

  • When
    23 Apr 2026
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom meeting

  Register

  ACRL/NY User Experience Discussion Group

  Spring 2026 Meeting: Introduction to WCAG 2.1 : Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the ADA Title II

  Thurs, April 23, 2026 (1pm-2pm) via Zoom

  You will receive the Zoom link in the confirmation email.
  

  Our Spring 2026 virtual meeting will discuss the upcoming Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) which take effect April 24, 2026. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are internationally recognized technical standards designed to make web content accessible to people with disabilities. They are the technical standards used to fulfill the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II.
  

  Professor Ashley Dirzis, Health Sciences Librarian at the College of Staten Island, CUNY, will be our guest speaker for our meeting. She will discuss the importance of WCAG 2.1 level AA and how you can incorporate these best practices into your LibGuides, YouTube videos, and instructional materials. With the WCAG 2.1 Title II deadline approaching in April, librarians need clear, actionable steps to prepare their digital content for compliance. The presentation will begin by introducing the foundational concepts of WCAG as a framework for evaluating digital accessibility. Then, these core concepts will be applied to actionable steps librarians can take to ensure their web content is inclusive. Color contrast ratios, alt text, headings, and more will be discussed.  Finally, we explore how to craft effective Statements of Commitment to Accessibility that reflect library values and reduce institutional risk by documenting ongoing accessibility efforts. Attendees will leave with practical guidance to strengthen accessibility and inclusivity across their library’s digital presence. 

  We invite you to an informal meeting where we can talk about how to adapt and revise our current LibGuides, instructional videos, PDF files, and other digital assets so they adhere to the current standards and best practices of WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
  
  The spring 2026 meeting is open to ACRL/NY members only.
  
  We do encourage you to join ACRL/NY. 

  Please join online https://acrlny.org/join-us

  If you think you are a member, but are unsure of your membership status, please contact Werner Sbaschnik, ACRL/NY Membership Secretary, at acrlnymembership@gmail.com 

  All ACRL/NY events, programs, and discussion groups are guided by our Code of Conduct https://acrlny.org/code-of-conduct/, which we encourage you to review.
  
  Please reach out if you have any questions!
  
  Mark Aaron Polger and Joy Dunkley, co-chairs
  ACRL/NY User Experience Discussion Group
  https://acrlnyux.wordpress.com

  Show details
• ACRL/NY First Year Experience Spring Discussion Group Meeting – 5/22/26

  • When
    22 May 2026
  •  
    9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  Topic: Creating a Comprehensive AI Training Course for Community College Students

  (For ACRL/NY Members)

  • Date & Time: Friday, May 22, 2026 | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM via Zoom (link will be sent prior to the session)
    
  • Session Type: Panel Presentation (75 minutes) 
    
  • Target Audience: First Year Experience academic librarians, community college educators, instructional designers, and information literacy professionals

  Presenters:

  • Dr. Anthony Bishop, Librarian, Borough of Manhattan Community College
  • Prof. Jana Porter, Librarian, Bronx Community College

  
  

  Session Description: 

  As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly integrated into academic and professional environments, community college students need training to navigate AI technologies ethically and effectively.

  In this panel, Dr. Bishop and Prof. Porter will showcase two innovative approaches to AI literacy education:

  • A certified three-module workshop series for both in-person and online delivery (Dr. Bishop)
  • A self-paced online AI training course through Brightspace LMS (Prof. Porter)

  
  

  These complementary programs are designed to meet the unique needs of community college students, including first-generation college students, working adults, and individuals from underrepresented communities.

  Attendees will learn:

  • Practical strategies for implementing AI training programs
  • Assessment methods for AI literacy competencies
  • Scalable models for institutional adoption

  
  

  Don’t miss this opportunity to explore innovative AI literacy initiatives and gain actionable insights for your own library instruction programs!

  Co-facilitators: Carl R. Andrews, Bronx Community College and Derek Stadler, LaGuardia Community College

  Show details