A Message from Amigos President & CEO Miguel Figueroa
“It’s working. Maybe not the exact way you thought it would. But it’s working.” At our meeting with the Amigos Board of Directors last week in Kansas City, I was reminded of the words of Dr. Brooke Sheldon, one of my earliest library mentors. First, it’s working. Our investment in free continuing education for member libraries is seeing results. Since our announcement at the Member Conference in May, we have been happy to welcome staff from over 250 member libraries into our Live Online learning sessions, almost double the number of institutions that participated in the past year. At the same time, we have adapted alongside the success of this investment. We have introduced new options to make it easier for library staff to access live meetings or session recordings. We have changed the ways that we engage with attendees to help make learners feel connected with instructors and each other. And we will continue to make changes – not the exact way we thought we would, but in ways that help us continue to serve our member libraries.
If you haven’t yet shared Amigos’ Continuing Education opportunities with your staff and colleagues, we hope you will. We look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming sessions. And we appreciate your continued engagement – please reach out to membership@amigos.org or email me directly at figueroa@amigos.org to talk about how Amigos can partner with your library.
MEMBERSHIP & PEOPLE
Are You Using All of Your Benefits?
Did you miss the recent session all about Amigos Member Benefits? You can still learn about them in the recording of Know & Go: Unlocking the Benefits of Membership in Amigos Library Services.
From benefits for staff, like workshops and conferences, to institutional benefits, including discounts on services and products, and events, this overview helps ensure libraries maximize the value of membership.
Submit Openings to the Amigos Job Bank for Increased Visibility
Attract qualified candidates to your library with the Amigos Job Bank. Connecting job openings with a nationwide pool of job seekers, the Job Bank helps ensure your library's opportunities receive the attention they deserve. Amigos Member libraries have free access to this highly visible recruitment platform. Take advantage of this easy-to-use service today and find the perfect addition to your team!
NISO Plus 2025 Global/Online Conference Discount Available
The NISO Plus 2025 Global/Online conference is coming up September 16–17, 2025, and Amigos members can take advantage of the extended early bird discount. Additionally, library students at Amigos member institutions receive a special student rate of $49.
Education & Events
Preview the Libraries Cultivating Community Conference Schedule
The schedule for the Libraries Cultivating Community conference on September 10th is now available. With presentations from both member libraries and the greater library community, attendees will learn about programs from academic and public libraries that position themselves at the center of human connection.
October In-Person Book Repair Training Available in Independence, Missouri
Learn to extend the life of your library’s hardcover collection with hands-on book repair training. Join preservation expert Rebecca Elder for a practical, in-person session designed to equip library staff with essential repair techniques like reattaching pages, mending paper, and tightening hinges. Attendees will leave with a set of basic book repair tools and are asked to bring their own deaccessioned library books for practice. Spaces are limited, so sign up today!
Time: October 22, 2025, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT
Location: Midwest Genealogy Center (3440 S. Lee's Summit Road, Independence, MO 64055)
Supply Fee: $75.00
Explore the Fall Continuing Education Schedule
With fall just around the corner, this is a great time to refresh skills and invest in professional growth and development. The Fall Continuing Education schedule offers a diverse selection of workshops, trainings, and conversations designed to support staff across all types of libraries.
Amigos Online Learning - Free for Members
All online courses on the Continuing Education Services schedule are free for Amigos members. Review the Schedule for the latest additions and updates:
Organization of American States Coming Soon to HeinOnline
Coming soon to HeinOnline, a new Amigos vendor partner, is the first-ever fully digitized and searchable collection of official publications, reports, and records from the Organization of American States. Users will be able to search and browse by series classification, author, title, and more, making it easier than ever to explore the institutional legacy of the Americas’ oldest regional organization.
Discover Open Journal Finder in Free Webinar
Amigos vendor partner ConsortiaManager invites members to a free September 24th webinar introducing Open Journal Finder, a new powerful discovery tool designed to simplify Open Access publishing for researchers, librarians, and institutions. Register to join this free webinar and learn how this tool can benefit your library and researchers.
Need Help Finding Qualified Candidates for Library Job Openings?
Amigos member libraries can post their openings for FREE! Postings remain in our job bank for thirty days and are shared to Amigos social media. Current Job Listings.
www.amigos.org
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Need Help Finding Qualified Candidates for Library Job Openings? 
