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2025 ULC Annual Leadership Forum
Leading with Advocacy: Championing Urban Libraries
October 22–24 | Cincinnati, OH
Hosted in partnership with the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library
Advocacy isn’t a department. It’s how libraries lead.
In today’s climate, public library leaders are called to do more than manage—they’re called to advocate. For their institutions. For their staff. For the future they’re building every day.
Whether you’re securing sustainable funding, fighting for fair e-book pricing, pushing for new positions, or championing your own leadership role—advocacy is everywhere.
The 2025 ULC Annual Leadership Forum is your space to recharge, connect, and build your library’s advocacy power from the inside out. Join library leaders from across North America as we explore how to lead through advocacy at every level—internally and externally, locally and nationally.
At the Forum, you’ll explore how to:
- Advocate for your library’s growth—from funding and staffing to visibility and influence
- Navigate civic and political spaces with clarity and confidence
- Elevate your voice on critical issues like digital access and public trust
- Use data and storytelling to shape decisions and strengthen your message
This is more than a conference.
This year’s ULC 2025 Annual Leadership Forum is a catalyst for every leader who has ever had to make the case for why libraries—and the people who power them—matter.
Advocacy belongs to all of us.
Agenda at a Glance
See the full agenda with session descriptions by visiting the Session Information webpage.
Programming will take place at The Westin Cincinnati. The below information is subject to change. Please check this page regularly for updates.Wednesday, October 22, 2025: | |
| Noon to 5:00 p.m. | Annual Leadership Forum Registration |
| 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. | Pre-Conference Workshop | Creating Youth Opportunities (open to all registrants) |
| 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. | ULC CEO Session | Advocating for Yourself - Compensation, Equity, and Leadership |
| 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. | ULC Annual Forum Welcome Reception* |
Thursday, October 23, 2025 | |
| 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. | Registration Desk Open |
| 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. | ULC Member Networking Breakfast* |
| 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. | Panel | The Politics of Influence: Advancing Library Priorities Through Advocacy |
| 11:00 a.m. to Noon | Panel | The Stories We're Not Telling (Yet): Reclaiming Library Impact Through Civic Narratives |
| Noon to 1:00 p.m. | Member Lunch* |
| 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. | Keynote Fireside Chat: Hon. Mitch Landrieu with Brooks Rainwater |
| 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. | Discussion & Activity |
| 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. | Panel | Stronger Together: Advocacy & Coalition Building for Urban Libraries — Ohio Perspectives with National Takeaways |
| 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. | Member Reception and Tour at the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library* |
Friday, October 24, 2025 | |
| 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. | ULC Member Networking Breakfast* |
| 9:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. | Welcome Back |
| 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. | Panel | Choosing the Library's Role: Four Strategic Paths |
| 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Keynote | Measuring What Matters: Tools for Understanding Social Impact |
| 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. | ULC's Impact and Value |
| 11:50 a.m. to Noon | Closing Reflections |
| Noon | Adjourn |
**All food and beverages are included in the registration costs.
Hosted in partnership with:
Sponsored by:
