2025 United for Libraries Virtual - Friends Day

Friends Day

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Participate in live Q&A sessions with presenters.
Network with colleagues across the country.
Enjoy microlearning sessions, Book Buzz videos featuring forthcoming titles, the keynote, and Virtual Gala Author Tea.
View on-demand sessions for one year after the live event.
Receive a certificate of attendance (for live participation or on-demand viewing).

Affordable registration rates include live attendance and on-demand access. Download a pricing chart and FAQ for full details on all registration options.

Friends Day Individual Single Day Registration

This course listing is for Friends Day individual single-day registration.

Includes live and/or on-demand access to Friends Day programs, Keynote, Virtual Gala Author Tea, Book Buzzes, and Microlearning Sessions
Each registration is for one person to attend and access on-demand.
Group viewing is not permitted with the purchase of individual registration.

Other Registration Options

Additional Single Day Individual Registration

Visit the link(s) below to purchase individual single day registration for:

Trustee/Board Member Day - Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Foundations/Fundraising Day - Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Individual Full Conference Registration

Individual full conference registration includes live and/or on-demand access to three days of programming.

Each registration is for one person to attend live and/or access on-demand.
Group viewing is not permitted with the purchase of individual registration.

Group Viewing Single Day or Multiple Day Registration

Group Viewing is available for single or multiple registration, and is only available by invoice request. Full details including pricing and discounts is available on the Group Viewing Invoice Request Form

Save with Member Discounts, Early Bird, and Multiple Seat Options

Member Discounts

United for Libraries personal members save 35% off the list price.
ALA personal members save 10% off the list price.

Multiple Seats

Purchase 3-6 seats - save an extra 30%
Purchase 7-12 seats - save an extra 35%
Purchase 13+ seats - save an extra 40% off

Early Bird

Save an extra $5 off per seat on Individual Single Day registration through July 11, 2025.
Discount applies on top off member discount and multiple seat purchase discount.

Friends Day Programs and Sessions

This course listing is for Individual Single Day registration for Friends Day and includes the programs listed below. To purchase additional single-day options or full conference registration, please visit the above link(s).

Keynote

Join on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 4:30 pm Eastern for the keynote with Austin Channing Brown, an author and speaker providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America. She is the New York Times bestselling author of I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, a Reese’s Book Club pick. Her work has been featured by outlets such as On Being, Chicago Tribune, and WNYC. Her new book, Full of Myself, releases in August 2025.

Book Buzzes

Learn about forthcoming titles from United's publishing partners, including great book club selections.

Microlearning

Each day will feature one or more microlearning sessions (15-20 minutes). More details coming soon.

Educational Sessions

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for program descriptions.

Community Connections: How to Build Relationships for Advocacy
Friends for Everyone: Inclusivity and Accessibility Best Practices
Get Strategic: Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Friends Group
Gnomes Need Homes: A Different Type of Silent Auction! (30-minute session)
Library Funding 101: Understanding How Things Get Paid
Lessons from a New Board President (30-minute session)

How to Purchase Individual Friends Day Registration

United for Libraries Personal Member

Click the "Register" button above or below.
Click "Login" in the upper right corner. Enter the login associated with your membership.
United for Libraries personal member pricing. Eligible discounts included in these prices:

Early Bird (March 31-July 11): $37.25
Regular Registration (On/After July 182): $42.25

Enter the sign up code you receive on the dashboard in the Sign Up Code box.
If you experience any problems registering, please email united@ala.org for assistance.

ALA Personal Member

Click the "Register" button above or below.
Click "Login" in the upper right corner. Enter the login associated with your ALA membership.
ALA member pricing. Eligible discounts included in these prices:

Early Bird (March 31-July 11): $53.50
Regular Registration (On/After July 12): $58.50

Enter the sign up code you receive on the dashboard in the Sign Up Code box.
If you experience any problems registering, please email united@ala.org for assistance.

Statewide FREE Registration Partners - MA, MI, NE, OR, SC, VA

Your state has purchased statewide registration making both live attendance and on-demand access FREE to all library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, Friends, and Foundations regardless of library type.
- Already enrolled in your statewide access course? Go the landing page of your statewide course and click the link for 2025 United for Libraries Virtual.
- Not enrolled in your statewide access course? Complete the alternate registration form.
If you experience any problems registering, please email united@ala.org for assistance.

Statewide All Access Discounted Registration Partners - MD, MN, ND

Eligible discounts included in these prices:

Early Bird (March 31-July 11): $37.25
Regular Registration (On/After July 12): $42.25

Register, request coupon, or request invoice:
- If you are already registered in you state's training course, go to your dashboard and locate the coupon code on the landing page of your state training course. Enter that coupon code at checkout to receive the 35% off list price discount.
- To request an invoice, submit the 2025 United for Libraries Virtual Invoice Request Form.
If you experience any problems registering, please email united@ala.org for assistance

Statewide Training Discounted Registration Partners - CO, IL, NV

Eligible discounts included in these prices:
- Early Bird (March 31-July 11): $47.00
- Regular Registration (On/After July 12): $52.00
Register, request coupon, or request invoice:
- If you are already registered in you state's training course, go to your dashboard and locate the coupon code on the landing page of your state training course. Enter that coupon code at checkout to receive the 20% off list price discount.
- To request an invoice, submit the 2025 United for Libraries Virtual Invoice Request Form.
If you experience any problems registering, please email united@ala.org for assistance.

Non-Member

Click the "Register" button above or below.
Click "Login" in the upper right corner. If needed, create a free login.
Non-member pricing. Eligible discounts included in these prices:

Early Bird (March 31-July 11): $60.00
Regular Registration (On/After July 12): $65.00

Enter the sign up code you receive on the dashboard in the Sign Up Code box.
If you experience any problems registering, please email united@ala.org for assistance.

Program Descriptions

Friends of the Library Day: Thursday, July 31, 2025

Community Connections: How to Build Relationships for Advocacy

Erme Maula and Linda Colwell-Smith, Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia

Whether in a large city or small town, Friends groups need to build relationships with community members, local groups, and elected officials. The Free Library of Philadelphia is the 13th largest library in the U.S., but its 54 branches serve neighborhoods large and small. Learn how the Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia have built and leveraged relationships at the neighborhood, community, city, and state levels to effectively advocate for the library – and how they won a $30 million increase in the library budget. You’ll learn tips for working with elected officials and stakeholders, developing messaging, outreach, and more.

Get Strategic: Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Friends Group

Amanda Standerfer, Founder and Lead Consultant, Fast Forward Libraries

Every organization needs a road map that shares a common understanding of where the organization is heading. Often, it can feel overwhelming to engage in a strategic planning process to create that road map. This session will review a three-step process for creating a plan for Friends groups of all sizes. From engaging stakeholders in providing feedback to dreaming about the future to creating documents to manage plan implementation, we’ll talk about ways to design a strategic planning process that’s right for your group and how to ensure your plan is a living document that guides you down the road into the future.

Gnomes Need Homes: A Different Type of Silent Auction!

Sue Ann Miller, Ed. D., Friends of the Lakewood Ranch (LWR) Library

This presentation shares how to conduct a silent auction in the library to raise funds for a Friends organization. Learn how to involve library staff and community organizations. All materials and procedures for how to take bids and notify winners are included.

Lessons from a New Friends Board President

Mary Beth Cox, President, Friends of Chesterfield County Public Library

Learn key insights and lessons learned from a Friends Board President, including how to partner with the library system, how to have effective and efficient board meetings, the importance of asking for help, improving board recruitment and succession planning (have a playbook!), saying 'yes' to new ideas, showing appreciation, and more.

Friends for Everyone: Inclusivity and Accessibility Best Practices

Hillary Pearson, Accessibility Services Program Manager, ALA's Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS)

Friends are key library ambassadors to the community. Is your Friends group using inclusive and accessible practices in its materials, outreach, programming, and more? Learn basic accessibility information Friends of the Library need to know and how to ensure that those with disabilities can participate in Friends programs and access Friends materials. Find out tips and best practices for online and offline communications, programs, events, and more.

Library Funding 101: Understanding How Things Get Paid

Clare Membiela, Library Law Consultant, Library of Michigan; Lauren Trujillo, Executive Director, Santa Barbara Library Foundation

Whether city, county, or state funded, or an independent taxing authority, learning where library dollars come from and who and what gets paid is key for library trustees, staff, and the community. Learn all about library funding with public and private dollars and, more importantly, how trustees, Friends, and Foundations can talk about the library’s funding needs to constituents as a part of advocacy and funding requests.