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Tamarack Federation Spring 2026 Retreat and Meeting Schedule
Friday, April 24th
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Breakout session (not online)
Everyone will start together for announcements in the community room.
Trustees will stay in the library's Community Room with a discussion facilitated by Tamarack Consultant Cara Orban. Directors will gather in the library's work room for an open discussion on topics of interest.
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. : Session - Policy Creation, Implementation, and Review – Cara Orban
Policy adoption and review is a responsibility of the library board, with the director and staff carrying out policy implementation and enforcement. In this session we will cover why policies are important, what makes a good policy development and review process, and best practices for implementation. For directors and trustees. Cara Orban is a Library Consultant at the Montana State Library.
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. : Lunch at the Library from Sweet Bliss (soups and wraps)
1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.: Discussion - Serving Aging Populations – Cara Orban
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. : Session - Responding to Library Policy Questions – Kris Goss
Your library has adopted, reviewed, and implemented effective policies. What happens when those policies are questioned or otherwise come under scrutiny? Building on Cara’s session on policy, this session will review best practices for handling and responding to library policy questions, concerns, or complaints to ensure consistent practice, compliance with the law, and reliable enforcement. Kris Goss is the Director of the Library Learning Hub at Helena College and an attorney with the firm of Jackson, Murdo and Grant in Helena. He earned a law degree at the University of Montana School of Law and an MLIS at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Due to scheduling conflicts, Kris will present this session live but remotely.
3:15 p.m.: Spring Business Meeting with Montana State Library Report
MSL Update includes
o Americorps (Ned Cooney)
o Cooperative Services Agreements (Sean Anderson)
o IT needs discussion
o Continuing Education/Certification program: upcoming changes
o Annual statistics reporting: upcoming changes
5:00 p.m. : Dinner at The Shoe
Saturday, April 25th
9 a.m.: Demonstration (not online) – The Polson Library will demonstrate the Lucynt Projector and talk about dementia services being offered to patrons.
9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.: Session – Social Media and Libraries: A Critical Perspective by Mark Wetherington, Library Director at Bitterroot Public Library in Hamilton.
11 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. : Session - Hello, Goodbye! Preparing for Staff's First and Last Day – Cara Orban
Staff turnover can create stress, extra work, and confusion. Planning ahead can help lighten the load. In this session we'll talk about how to create practical strategies for onboarding and succession planning to help set you and your library up for success. For directors and trustees.
12:00 p.m. : End of the Retreat!
Zoom Links:
For Friday:
Topic: Tamarack Federation Day One
Time: Apr 24, 2026 11:00 AM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/83905916201?pwd=z0tduzen1WljzSzbMljLhZhCwb1hrJ.1
Meeting ID: 839 0591 6201
Password: 485406
For Saturday:
Topic: Tamarack Federation Day Two
Time: Apr 25, 2026 09:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/89608281581?pwd=nvgtbnPkXbPQJ5up3k7sToFm1vMKzN.1
Meeting ID: 896 0828 1581
Password: 911673
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