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Board members and staff report conference takeaways; library to pilot Amazon Mylar jacket and EDI ordering
Summary
Board members who attended PLA and ULA described networking, censorship sessions and vendor demonstrations. Director Josh Johnson said the system will pilot Amazon's Mylar jacket program and test EDI ordering to improve branch-level logistics.
Board members and staff who attended the Public Library Association (PLA) and Utah Library Association (ULA) conferences summarized takeaways for the Davis County Library Board on June 11, emphasizing networking, legal-session content about censorship and sessions on staff burnout and maker spaces.
Erin Becker said attending gave board members a broader perspective on what other library systems are doing and highlighted discussions about censorship and funding alternatives. "I would say it's really valuable to kinda understand what other library systems are doing throughout the country," Becker said, describing sessions on legal implications and community partnerships.
Rosemary Taylor and other staff described sessions on AI, maker spaces and staff well-being. Taylor said the conferences offered practical vendor contacts and program examples staff can adapt locally.
Johnson reported operational tech pilots arising from conference contacts: Davis County Library is serving as a test site for Amazon's Mylar jacket program to extend the life of heavily used materials, and staff are testing electronic data interchange (EDI) ordering that will route acquisitions directly to the correct branch. Johnson said those changes should reduce staff handling time and improve logistics.
The board discussed membership and conference-cost policy: Johnson recommended paying association dues selectively (for staff who require professional certification) while continuing to fund conference attendance on a case-by-case basis.
The board requested follow-up documentation summarizing pilot timelines and potential cost/effort savings from the Mylar jacket and EDI pilots.
