LLNJ TechFest 2025

10:00am-11:30am
4 Table Talks (20 minutes/Talk)

Accessible Listening: Turning the page on audiobook tech from the NJSL Talking Book and Braille Center

• Join TBBC for a hands-on look at the latest innovations in audiobook technology for individuals with visual or print disabilities. Featured technology will include the My Talking Books skill for the Amazon Alexa; the new wi-fi and Bluetooth enabled audiobook player from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS); and the latest software from NLS that allows audiobooks to be played on windows-based computers
• Presenters:
  Elizabeth Burns is the Associate Director of the New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center in Trenton. She holds an MLIS from Rutgers. Liz has worked at TBBC for over 16 years.
  Jen Apgar is the Youth Services Librarian at the Talking Book and Braille Center. She earned her MILS from San Jose State University and has worked at TBBC for over 16 years.
  Liz Kelly is the Adult Services Librarian at the Talking Book and Braille Center. She earned her MLIS from the University of Alabama and her undergraduate degree from Rutgers. Liz K. has worked for TBBC for over 6 years.

Best Practices For Cyber Security

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework can be overwhelming and difficult to implement. But in breaking it down into smaller steps and sections, you can secure your environment while setting goals every step of the way.
• Presenter: Sam Michael, Information Technology Supervisor, East Brunswick Public Library

Integrating Music and Art in STEAM

• Presenter: Andrew Eason, Plainfield Public Library

Tools to Support Information Literacy: AI and Beyond

• A presentation on various tools employed in the instruction of Information Literacy, encompassing both artificial intelligence and traditional methods. This presentation will include an overview of various teaching resources that are available, both with and without a subscription, along with their fundamental applications. Additionally, the presenter will address the existing Information Literacy standards set forth by the New Jersey Department of Education and their relevance across different curricula.
• Presenter: Ms. Lindsey Hintelmann is a certified school library media specialist (SLMS) at the Woodbridge Academy Magnet School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, where she has served for 18 years. Two years ago, Ms. Hintelmann took the initiative to establish an Information Literacy course for freshmen at her institution. Prior to her current role, she was the SLMS at Clifton School #9 for two years and worked as a history teacher at Long Branch High School for two years. Ms. Hintelmann holds a Bachelor's degree in History with a Minor in American Studies from Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, a Master of Education from Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, and a Master's degree in Educational Media Specialty from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.

12:30pm-2:00pm
4 Table Talks (20 minutes/Talk)

No Cheat Code Required: Bringing Creative Gamification to the Library

• Gamification enhances the learning experience, and the opportunities to introduce it in your library span from the simple to the complex. This presentation will explore the “why”s of gamification and will offer a variety of resources for librarians to consider in their own gamification goals. We will also give a demonstration of the video game we are working on for our library’s New Student Orientation event in the Fall.
• Presenters:
  Caitlin Connelly, Collection Services and Electronic Resources Librarian, Georgian Court University’s SMJC Library.
  Adele Conway, Systems, Metadata, and Emerging Technology Librarian, Georgian Court University’s SMJC Library.
  Christine Stevenson, Outreach & User Engagement Librarian, Georgian Court University’s SMJC Library.

Livestreaming/Video Production In The Library

• Presenter: Mike Huston, Ocean Township Intermediate School Library

Smart Queries, Smarter Results: Mastering the Art of Prompting AI

• In a world where AI can answer almost anything, the real secret to using it well is asking the right questions. This talk is about how to get the best results from AI by learning how to create good prompts. You will see how asking the right questions can turn simple answers into creative and useful ideas. The session will cover practical techniques for generating accurate data, brainstorming innovative ideas, and avoiding common pitfalls. By the end, you will learn how to make your AI queries smarter and get better results.
• Presenter: Mei Ling Lo works as the Science Research Librarian at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She helps researchers find the right sources for their projects and teaches them how to conduct comprehensive literature reviews. Mei Ling has also created and led workshops to teach students and professors about AI tools for research, showing them how to use these new technologies in a responsible way. She is also passionate about helping researchers use citation metrics to build their profiles as authors and show how their work makes an impact. In today’s fast-changing world of information, Mei Ling advocates for embracing advanced technologies to avoid mishaps and ensure research integrity.

Web Accessibility with Userway: Less Talk, More Action

• A hands-on, practical experience putting you into the shoes of your users who require a little extra help. Don't turn off your phones for this presentation; be sure they are charged and ready!
• Presenter: Kevin Handeli, Web Services and Systems Specialist at University Libraries, has worked at Montclair State University for 2 years working in website content management, systems administration, communications, and social media marketing. He previously worked as a Web Developer in private industry building brand new websites and making websites accessible.

2:00pm-3:15pm
Keynote Presentation
Generative AI and Libraries: Claiming Our Place in the Center of a Shared Future

In this keynote, Chris Rosser will explore how libraries can serve as centers of gravity in the rapidly evolving Age of Intelligence. Drawing from his forthcoming book co-authored with Michael Hanegan, Rosser presents a compelling vision of libraries not as passive responders to technological change, but as active shapers of how AI develops and impacts our communities. The presentation will introduce the concept of "gravitational agency"—libraries' unique capacity to influence AI integration at personal, institutional, and ecosystem levels. Libraries can harness their traditional strengths in information organization, ethical stewardship, and community connection to become essential guides in AI literacy and implementation. Join us to explore how libraries across our ecosystem can claim the center in this unprecedented moment—leveraging our wisdom, experience, and ethics to ensure that the golden age of human learning made possible by generative AI serves the flourishing of all.

About the presenter: Chris Rosser (he/him, MDiv, MLIS) is First Year and Transfer Experience Librarian at Oklahoma State University, a position he has held since February 2024. From 2009 to 2024, Chris served as an instructional and Theological Librarian. His librarianship centers around instruction in information, media, and AI literacies; his interests include pedagogy, instructional design, and innovative approaches to learning, like gamification and desire-driven learning. His forthcoming book with colleague Michael Hanegan, Generative AI and Libraries: Claiming Our Place in the Center of a Shared Future, will be released in Summer 2025 (ALA Editions). Chris's work has been featured at annual conferences and in other venues by the American Library Association (ALA), Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), Oklahoma Library Association (OLA), American Theological Librarian Association (Atla), Oklahoma Association of College and Research Librarians (OK-ACRL), Transformative Learning Conference (TLC), and the Community of Oklahoma Instruction Librarians (COIL). He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma.