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2025 ULC Annual Leadership Forum

October 22-24, 2025 | Cincinnati, Ohio

Register Now for the 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

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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.

Register now and join your ULC peers in Cincinnati!

Register Now!

Registration Information

  • Early Bird Rate - July 1 to August 4: $895
  • Standard Rate - August 5 to August 29: $995
  • Corporate Rate - July 1 to August 29:
    • Sponsor: $1,500
    • Non-Sponsor: $2,000
  • Non-member Rate - July 1 to August 29: $2,500

Registration Closes August 29. ULC will not process any refunds after September 5.

Hotel Information

Annual Forum programming will take place at The Westin Cincinnati. If you would like to book rooms with us, you can do so at the link below.

  • Room Rate: $159 + tax per night

The hotel will accept reservations until September 26, or until the room block is filled.

Book Your Hotel Room Now

Hosted in partnership with:

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Agenda at a Glance

    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:
    1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Annual Leadership Forum Registration
    1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pre-Conference Session | Creating Youth Opportunities (open to all registrants)
    3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ULC CEO Session (open to Library CEOs and Directors)
    5:00 p.m. to 6:00 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 Noon Forum Programming
    Noon to 1:00 p.m. Networking Lunch*
    1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Forum Programming
    5:00 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 Noon Forum Programming
    Noon Adjourn

    **All food and beverages are included in the registration costs.

    Session Details

    Wednesday, October 22 - Pre-Conference Sessions

    Pre-Conference Session | Creating Youth Opportunities
    1:00-4:00 p.m.

    Public libraries have a powerful role to play in addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing communities today: how to support young people ages 16 to 24 who are not in school or working, often referred to as opportunity youth. This pre-conference workshop will showcase how library systems across the country are building infrastructure, programs, and partnerships to empower these youth and advance their economic mobility.

    Through panel discussions, hands-on activities, and peer exchange, participants will learn how to design, evaluate, and advocate for library programs that engage opportunity youth in meaningful ways: from establishing dedicated staff roles to building community partnerships and using data to drive investment. The session will also spotlight successful approaches from ULC’s Creating Youth Opportunities (CYO) initiative, supported by Walmart.org, and will provide a space for attendees to begin developing their own action plans.

    This workshop is designed for library professionals at all levels who are ready to strengthen their advocacy skills and commit to transformative work with and for vulnerable youth populations. Whether you're a deputy library director, youth services manager, program developer, community engagement lead, or frontline staff, you’ll leave with practical strategies and a renewed sense of purpose in elevating the library’s role as an essential institution for youth empowerment.


    Pre-Conference Session | ULC CEO Session
    3:30-5:00 p.m.

    Join fellow ULC CEOs and Directors for a candid, forward-looking conversation on the challenges and opportunities shaping urban public libraries today. This session offers space for shared reflection, peer exchange, and strategic discourse among library leaders.