2026 ARSL Conference Keynotes & Events

Four days of incredible speakers, community connections, and countless memories.

The 2026 ARSL Conference is packed with keynote events, each paired with a plated meal (breakfast, lunch, or brunch) included in your registration. Details are rolling out as we get closer to September, so check back often for speaker announcements, schedule updates, and more.

Wednesday, September 16

Meet & Greet Reception | 7:00-9:00 PM

Thursday, September 17

Welcome Breakfast & Keynote | 8:00-9:30 AM

More info coming soon, stay tuned!

New Connections Lunch | 1:00–2:15 PM

Community doesn't happen by accident. It's built one conversation at a time. At this lunch, you'll be encouraged to branch out from your usual circles and sit with people who share your job role, interests, or challenges. They may be strangers when you sit down, but they won't be for long. Pick a table, use the guiding questions to get the conversation growing, and discover just how much common ground exists across our small and rural library community.

Whether you're arriving in Montgomery with colleagues or flying solo, you'll leave with new roots in the ARSL community and fresh ideas to bring back to your library.

Dine-Arounds | 5:30-7:00 PM | Offsite

Explore Montgomery's restaurant scene and grow your ARSL community with Dine-Arounds, one of our most popular conference traditions! Sign up for a Dine-Around at the Registration Desk or plan your own.

ARSL Trivia Night | 7:30–9:30 PM

What's the collective noun for a group of librarians having a great time? Join us at Trivia Night to flex your trivia knowledge, win the admiration of your colleagues, and support the ARSL Scholarship Fund! Teams are limited to 8 people. If you arrive solo or with a small group, we'll match you with a larger team. We'll play two games of three rounds each. Admission is by donation, with a suggested minimum of $10.

Friday, September 18

Breakfast & Keynote | 8:00–9:30 AM

We are honored to welcome Laurie Halse Anderson as a featured keynote speaker for the 2026 ARSL Annual Conference!

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author of many award-winning books, including the groundbreaking modern classic Speak — a National Book Award finalist translated into 35 languages. In 2023, she was named laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, given annually for outstanding contributions to children's and young adult literature. In 2009, she received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant and lasting impact on young adult literature.

A passionate advocate for intellectual freedom and diversity in publishing, Laurie has been honored by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English for her work championing the freedom to read. Mother of four, grandmother of dragons, and wife of one, she lives in Pennsylvania.

Join us Friday morning as Laurie sits down with a fellow rural librarian for a conversation about storytelling, access, and what it truly means to get the right book into the right reader's hands.

Thank you to Macmillan Publishers for sponsoring this session.

ARSL Awards Lunch | 1:00–2:30 PM

Help us celebrate the people who make the small and rural library community so special! All attendees are invited to celebrate the innovations and accomplishments of our 2026 ARSL Award winners, including the Solo Librarian of the Year, Equity Champion Award, Innovative Service Award, and Distinguished Service Award. We'll also recognize Library Journal's Best Small Library in America.

Meetups | 4:30–5:30 PM

Celebrate the talent of authors from Montgomery and beyond! Browse, discover, and meet your next favorite authors. Hear readings, pick up copies of their books, and get them signed. Our publisher partners are bringing some incredible voices to the conference floor, and you won't want to miss it.

(Full author lineup and reading schedule coming soon!)

Dine-Arounds | 5:30-7:00 PM | Offsite

Explore Montgomery's restaurant scene and grow your ARSL community with Dine-Arounds, one of our most popular conference traditions! Sign up for a Dine-Around at the Registration Desk or plan your own.

Saturday, September 19

Brunch & Keynote

More info coming soon, stay tuned!