2025 WLA Keynotes & Events
Thursday, April 10

Meet & Greet Reception | 7:00–9:00 PM
Take a short walk to the Washington State History Museum for our conference kick-off celebration! While enjoying light snacks and a no-host bar, you'll have the opportunity to grow your WLA community while connecting with stories of Washington's past.
Whether you want to feel like a kid again at the state's largest permanent model railroad layout, experience life in a Salish Plank House, or dig into the early labor movements and major industries that shaped the state, you'll find plenty of interest in the museum's robust collection of artifacts and interactive exhibitions.
Friday, April 11

Welcome Breakfast & Keynote | 8:30–9:45 AM
Stay tuned for the announcement of our kick-off keynote!

Building Bridges Lunch | 1:00–2:00 PM
Our "Building Bridges" Lunch is designed to facilitate deeper conversations and allow you to forge more meaningful, lasting connections. You’ll be encouraged to branch out from your circles to sit with strangers who have shared interests, job roles, or challenges—but they won’t be strangers for long! You'll pick a table topic and refer to the guiding questions to get the conversation flowing. Whether you came to conference with colleagues or solo, you’ll leave this lunch with stronger ties to your WLA community.
WLA Book Bash | 4:00-5:30 PM
Have you spent your adult life chasing that rush of a school book fair? Treat yourself (and your shelf!) to this celebration of local authors at WLA's first Book Bash. You'll enjoy pop-up readings and book talks, signings, and appetizers while chatting with authors from Washington and the greater PNW.
Saturday, April 12

Author Breakfast with Peggy Janicki | 8:00–9:45 AM
Join WLA’s School Library Division and Children and Young Adult Services (CAYAS) Section for our annual Author Breakfast with special guest Peggy Janicki!
Peggy Janicki is an award-winning Dakelh teacher from the Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation. She holds a master of education in Indigenous knowledges/Indigenous pedagogies from the University of British Columbia. Peggy has worked for decades to reveal the hidden stories and histories of Indigenous Peoples, as featured in UBC’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) "Reconciliation through Indigenous Education." When her mother shared a secret story that changed all their lives and highlighted the impacts of colonization, Peggy also became a storyteller. She lives in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
Peggy is the author of the 2025 WLA Towner Award Nominee, The Secret Pocket, which tells the true story of how Indigenous girls at a Canadian residential school sewed secret pockets into their dresses to hide food and survive.

WLA Awards Lunch | 12:00–2:15 PM
Help us celebrate the people who make the Washington library community so special! All attendees are invited to celebrate the innovations and accomplishments of our 2025 WLA Merit Award winners.

Closing Session with Shamichael Hallman | 3:00–4:00 PM
In our closing, all-attendee session, we will all come back together for a conversation with Shamichael Hallman about what it really looks like to foster bridge-building in our libraries and communities.
Shamichael Hallman is a civic innovator, author, and thought leader dedicated to strengthening communities through libraries, public engagement, and faith-based initiatives. As Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity at the Urban Libraries Council, he advocates for public libraries as vital civic infrastructure. His book, Meet Me at the Library, explores how libraries foster democracy and bridge-building.
A sought-after speaker, Shamichael has presented at top universities and library associations, with his insights featured by Sightline Institute, America Trends Podcast, and Jefferson Public Radio. He also convened the 2024 Civic Health Virtual Summit for Public Libraries to advance conversations on libraries’ civic roles.
He is the co-creator of the Bridge-Building Resource Hub, a national initiative hosted by WebJunction that equips libraries with tools to foster community connections. The initiative recently secured a second round of funding to expand its impact and continue its work.
Previously, Shamichael championed the multi-million-dollar renovation of the historic Cossitt Library in Memphis, contributing to Memphis Public Libraries earning the 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Science. Holding a master’s in nonprofit leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and a Harvard Loeb Fellowship, he continues to innovate at the intersection of community, faith, and democracy.
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