Atla Annual 2026: Full Schedule

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8:30am MST

Time to Visit the SBL/AAR Exhibit Hall (In-Person Only)

Sunday November 22, 2026 8:30am - 11:00am MST

Exhibit Hall

Explore and attend the exhibits at The Annual Meetings hosted by SBL and AAR.

Sunday November 22, 2026 8:30am - 11:00am MST
Exhibit Hall Colorado Convention Center (700 14th St, Denver, CO 80202)

11:30am MST

Lunch On Your Own or Hosted Luncheons (In-Person Only)

Sunday November 22, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm MST

TBA

Enjoy lunch on your own or gather with other conference attendees to dine together. More details on hosted luncheons to be provided.

Sunday November 22, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm MST
TBA

12:45pm MST

Reflections on Representation: The Atla Board and the Power of Diversity

Sunday November 22, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm MST

Room TBA

In this panel presentation, members of the Atla Board of Directors, in celebration of Atla’s 80th anniversary, explore a few aspects of the diversity of Atla’s membership as represented in the board. While theological libraries and librarianship are the u

Speakers

Susan Ebertz

Emerita Associate Professor & Director for the Library, Wartburg Theological Seminary

Cindy Aalders

Library Director; Associate Professor of the History of Christianity, John Richard Allison Library; Regent College

Kate Wimer

Research & Instruction Librarian, Murdock Library; George Fox University

Leslie A. Engelson

Metadata Librarian, University Libraries, Murray State University

Sunday November 22, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Identity, Panel Presentation (75 minutes)

12:45pm MST

Mind the Gap: How Theological Librarians Help “Complete What is Lacking” in Students’ Education

Sunday November 22, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm MST

Room TBA

Given the diverse backgrounds, demographics, and educational foundations that our students bring to their pursuit of theological education, it is not surprising that many of them discover gaps between their knowledge and skills and faculty members’ expect

Speakers

David Schmersal

Access and Instruction Librarian, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Margaret J Tarpley

Adj. Instructor, Dept. of Surgery / Adj. Lecturer, Dept. of Medical Education, Vanderbilt University / University of Botswana

Brady Alan Beard

Dan Flores

Kathy Harty

Brittany S. Poku

Sunday November 22, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Information Literacy/Instruction/Reference, Panel Presentation (75 minutes)

12:45pm MST

Resources for working with Special Collections and Rare Books

Sunday November 22, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm MST

Room TBA

In this session several panelists working with special collections and rare books will present and discuss resources for rare books and manuscripts. Presentations will cover resources (including online resources) that can assist librarians to identify, de

Speakers

Armin Siedlecki

Head of Cataloging and Rare Book Cataloger, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University

Special Collections and Cataloging (especially Rare Book Cataloging) are my main areas of expertise. I am also interested in Hebrew language materials, biblical studies, history, and literature. I am currently serving on the Atla Board of Directors.

Brandon Wason

Head of Special Collections, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University

Carisse Berryhill

Professor Emerita, Abilene Christian University

Michelle Spomer

Sunday November 22, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Special Collections, Panel Presentation (75 minutes)

2:10pm MST

Acquisition Budgeting: Good Stewardship in Practice

Sunday November 22, 2026 2:10pm - 3:00pm MST

Room TBA

Acquisition Budgeting: Good Stewardship in Practice serves as Part 2 of the webinar presented in the spring. The session will begin with a brief overview of the earlier presentation, then continue with a more practical exploration of acquisitions budgetin

Speakers

Paul A. Tippey

Sunday November 22, 2026 2:10pm - 3:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Administration, Conversation Group (45 minutes) – In Person Only

2:10pm MST

When Journal Evaluations Fanned the Culture War Flames: CPLI and The Wanderer

Sunday November 22, 2026 2:10pm - 3:00pm MST

Room TBA

Evaluating periodicals for inclusion in database indexes is much like any library acquisitions decision. Is the periodical within scope and do we have the budget to index it? There is seldom scrutiny of such decisions, which are made often and by committe

Speakers

Barnaby Hughes

Metadata Editor, Atla

Sunday November 22, 2026 2:10pm - 3:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Identity, Listen and Learn (45 minutes)

2:10pm MST

Ministers Navigating Artificial Intelligence: Findings from an ongoing research Survey

Sunday November 22, 2026 2:10pm - 3:00pm MST

Room TBA

Ministers today are navigating the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, specifically Large Language Models (LLMs), into pastoral duties in real-time. This mixed-methods study provides descriptive data on a targeted use case, addressing how m

Speakers

Jonathan Noble

Research and Instruction Librarian, George Fox University

Sunday November 22, 2026 2:10pm - 3:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Technology/Technical Services, Listen and Learn (45 minutes)

3:10pm MST

Beyond the Book: Theological Librarianship Amidst Disinformation and Scholasticide

Sunday November 22, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm MST

Room TBA

Theological libraries, and librarians, are trusted repositories of knowledge, yet they are increasingly challenged by the rapid spread of religious misinformation and the deliberate destruction of educational infrastructure (scholasticide) globally. This

Speakers

Deanna "Dee" Roberts

Sunday November 22, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Identity, Listen and Learn (75 minutes)

3:10pm MST

Metaliteracy Is AI Literacy: Libraries Lead the Way

Sunday November 22, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm MST

Room TBA

The skills theological librarians have been teaching all along are exactly what learners need to thrive with AI. As introduced by Mackey and Jacobson, metaliteracy refers to the capacity to navigate, discover, and collaborate in digital environments. Its

Speakers

Michael Hanegan

Founder, Center for the Future of Learning and Work

Michael Hanegan is the Founder and Chief Research Officer of the Center for the Future of Learning and Work. He is an adjunct professor in AI and the Future of Learning and Work at Rose State College and the University of Central Oklahoma. He is the co-author of the forthcoming, ... Read More →

Chris Rosser

First Year and Transfer Experience Librarian, Oklahoma State University

Sunday November 22, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm MST
Room TBA Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202)

Information Literacy/Instruction/Reference, Listen and Learn (45 minutes)

3:10pm MST

Collaborating the Impossible: The Wesleyan-Holiness Digital Library and Its Role in Global Theological Education

Sunday November 22, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm MST

Room TBA

This session explores the development and growing impact of the Wesleyan-Holiness Digital Library (WHDL.org), a multilingual, open-access library designed to provide quality resources for pastors, students, and educators worldwide. Since its inception, WH

Speakers