‌AmigosNow

April 30, 2026

‌A Message from Amigos President and CEO Miguel Figueroa

The Amigos Member Conference (May 13, 2026) and our annual Member Business Meeting are fast-approaching. This year, I'm especially excited to share information about member libraries' engagement with our continuing education services, new library participants in our digital repository service, ongoing efforts to strengthen our courier and subscription services, partnerships with other associations and professional groups, and a list of changes and improvements that Amigos staff have implemented in direct response to member libraries' feedback and requests. Our Board of Directors will review their work, including a new strategic framework to guide us in the coming years and other exciting announcements. This is also an opportunity to reflect on the contributions and guidance of our Board of Directors and the many member libraries that have taken the time to meet with me directly or to share their feedback with Amigos staff.

Additional conference highlights include our opening keynote speaker, Edward Melton, Executive Director of Harris County Public Library; concurrent sessions in the afternoon featuring member libraries sharing how they thrive; and Cindy Thompson, Dean of the University of Missouri, Kansas City Libraries, with the closing keynote.

I hope we can continue to work together to grow our programs and services and build new opportunities. Please reach out at membership@amigos.org or email me directly at figueroa@amigos.org to talk more about how Amigos can partner with your library.

MEMBERSHIP & PEOPLE

‌Sign up for the Amigos Member Portal

Member libraries can now manage their Amigos membership through the Amigos Member Portal - a centralized, user-friendly space that provides easy access to important information.

By enrolling in the Member Portal, you’ll have greater visibility of your membership details and convenient access to valuable resources - all in one place.

Education & Events

‌Courses for New Librarians and Managers

Our upcoming Continuing Education schedule has classes of interest for those starting a new leadership role in the library or just getting started in the library profession.

‌Free to Members: Digital Accessibility Resources

As libraries continue to navigate their digital accessibility work, and with the news of the federal extension of the web accessibility compliance deadline to April 2027, our Free to Members page offers timely support with two targeted resources.

‌Amigos Online Learning - Free for Members

All courses on the Continuing Education Services schedule are free for Amigos members. Review the Schedule for the latest additions and updates:

Products & Partnerships

‌BioOne Offers a Free-to-Read Community Science Research Collection

In recognition of Earth Day 2026’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” a new BioOne Vista collection is available and free to read through May 15, 2026. The Community Science Research Collection showcases how participatory and citizen science are advancing research and public engagement worldwide.

‌Three New Research Modules from OUP

Oxford Research Encyclopedias has announced the addition of three new research modules. Perfect for refreshing knowledge or exploration beyond expertise, each article in the new modules can be accessed within the user-friendly Oxford Academic platform, which is designed and optimized to meet researchers' needs.

‌Policy Map Helps Make the Case for Public Libraries with Data

Public libraries continue to play a vital role in strengthening communities - and data is helping make that impact more visible than ever.

In a recent blog post, “Why Public Libraries Matter and How Data Helps Make Their Impact Visible,” PolicyMap explores how libraries are using neighborhood-level insights to better serve their communities.

‌Research Solutions Offers Alternative to CCC’s Get It Now

Amigos vendor partner Research Solutions recognizes that the news of CCC discontinuing its Get It Now service by June 30 needs to be addressed directly. For institutions that have relied on it for instant, 24/7 access to articles, the question of what comes next is a practical one, not a theoretical one