The New Mexico State Library has announced a series of free professional development opportunities for library staff and managers throughout September 2025. These offerings include live webinars, virtual conferences, pre-recorded trainings, and new tutorials on the NMSL Professional Development Niche Academy Learning Platform.
Among the highlights is the return of "Open Books, Open Minds 2025," a virtual event co-produced by School Library Journal, Library Journal, and The Horn Book. This day-long conference will bring together authors, educators, librarians, and literacy experts to discuss strategies for fostering engaged reading environments. Registration information is available at https://www.slj.com/section/events?eventtype=virtualEvents.
Another featured event is the "Learning Tech Showcase" from Training Industry on September 10. Attendees will see demonstrations of artificial intelligence tools designed to enhance learning experiences and improve performance through data-driven insights. More details can be found at https://trainingindustry.com/webinar/.
A wide range of topics are covered in the monthly calendar, including accessibility resources from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (https://www.fdlp.gov/events), sessions on assistive technology from PACER Center (https://www.pacer.org/workshops/), and grant-seeking strategies presented by organizations such as TechSoup (https://events.techsoup.org/techsoup-events-and-webinars/) and CharityHowTo (https://www.charityhowto.com/nonprofit-live-webinars).
Additional webinars focus on collection development, digital resources, fundraising tactics, management skills, school library programs, technology applications like E-rate (https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL), and training best practices. Several events explore the impact of artificial intelligence in libraries and education settings.
Pre-recorded sessions are also available through platforms such as SirsiDynix (https://www.sirsidynix.com/events/), Programming Librarian (https://programminglibrarian.org/learn/preparing-program-challenges-your-public-library), and EveryLibrary Institute (https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/reachingacrosstheaisle).
The NMSL Professional Development Academy on Niche Academy continues to expand its offerings. In August 2025, new foundational training modules were added to support collection management skills for public library staff in New Mexico. Access to these tutorials is provided through a subscription managed by the New Mexico State Library; more information is available by contacting Ada Negraru at ada.negraru@dca.nm.gov.
This month’s “Read This Next!” selection focuses on emergency preparedness for libraries in recognition of National Preparedness Month. Julie Tadaro’s book "Emergency Preparedness for Libraries" provides guidance on disaster planning specific to library environments. Free eBook access is offered via New Mexico Reads at https://nmreads.boundless.baker-taylor.com/ng/view/library.
For those seeking additional resources in library science, newly acquired titles are listed through the New Mexico State Library’s LibGuides platform.
