The New Mexico State Library has announced a range of professional development opportunities for library staff and managers throughout November 2025. The offerings include live webinars, conferences, pre-recorded sessions, and new tutorials added to the NMSL Professional Development Niche Academy Learning Platform.
Among the featured events is LibraryCon Live! 2025, hosted by Library Journal and School Library Journal on November 6. This online conference will focus on genre fiction for adults and teens, with panels covering comics, graphic novels, horror, science fiction/fantasy, and more. Participants can network virtually and access resources in a digital exhibit hall. Registration details are available at https://www.libraryjournal.com/event/libraryconlive2025.
Another highlighted event is "Leader Talk: AI-Enhanced Learning Experiences" from Training Industry on November 13. The session will address how artificial intelligence is changing learning design and delivery within organizations. Experts will discuss strategies for leading future learning initiatives with AI integration. More information can be found at https://trainingindustry.com/webinar/artificial-intelligence/leader-talk-ai-enhanced-learning-experiences/.
Additional programs cover topics such as accessibility in libraries, advocacy strategies, data management planning, fundraising techniques, technology trends including artificial intelligence in education settings, volunteer engagement tools, legal issues like copyright questions (with ASERL), management skills development, outreach partnerships, programming ideas for children and teens, readers’ advisory services focused on Native American voices and debut authors, reference sources in academic research, school library support for reading fluency and dyslexia awareness, among others.
Pre-recorded webinars are also available through the NMSL’s Niche Academy platform. These include sessions on library advocacy fundamentals (https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/fundamentals), developing effective fundraising case statements (https://www.consultantsforlibraries.org/videos/how-to-build-a-library-case-for-support-that-inspires-action-part-i), and promoting neuroinclusive practices in librarianship (https://libraryaccessibility.org/events).
Newly added tutorials this month feature "CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries," accessible to New Mexico public library staff via the state’s subscription to Niche Academy (https://my.nicheacademy.com/nmstate-staff/course/8834). Additional presentations such as "More than a Chore: Why Library Plans & Policies are Important and How to Write Them" were recently delivered at the New Mexico Library Association conference.
To access these resources or request approval for certain tutorials on Niche Academy—which is free but requires an account—staff should contact Ada Negraru at ada.negraru@dca.nm.gov.
The monthly book recommendation is "Advocating Digital Citizenship: Resources for the Library and Classroom" by Carrie Rogers-Whitehead et al., published by Libraries Unlimited in 2022. The book expands digital citizenship beyond ethical technology use to include online health, civic engagement, media literacy, safety practices for both public and school libraries. It offers sample policies and programming ideas relevant to library services.
For those interested in further reading or collection development resources in library science fields, additional titles can be found through the New Mexico State Library’s LibGuides collection or accessed directly via the New Mexico Reads portal at https://nmreads.boundless.baker-taylor.com/ng/view/library.
