The theme for the 5th National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color is: Gathering at the Waters: Uplift, Encourage, Empower.

How do you get yourself to go from here to there?

The commitment to attend a national conference can be a significant investment. For the 2026 conference in Spokane, Washington, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary by bringing together approximately 1,200 library professionals to address unprecedented challenges to our field. This makes it a great opportunity for meeting librarians and educators from across the country and networking with colleagues in an environment that truly reflects the communities we serve.

But is that enough to use my own time and money to travel when the reality is I’m doing this for my professional development and to be the most effective at my job? Here, the answer is no…but also yes, if I can be subsidized by my organization.

Here is a sample request based on the JCLC mission and data:

• Tally your potential costs. Include registration fees, travel to Spokane International Airport (just 10 minutes from downtown), and lodging at our contracted hotels, including The Davenport Grand, DoubleTree by Hilton, or the Ruby River Hotel.
• Study the preliminary program. JCLC 2026 will utilize the Whova platform, offering significantly more engagement opportunities and access to session materials digitally. Identify sessions that help you be more productive and efficient.
• Share information with your colleagues. Let those who might not be able to attend know that your attending can benefit them. Inform them of the type of information that you can bring back to help them and which sessions you can attend on their behalf. Inform them of the insights you can bring back to your specific library type (Academic, Public, School, or Special).
• Share the program with your supervisor. List the sessions and programs that you think will be of greatest benefit to your workplace. Emphasize that JCLC is a community that focuses on uplifting and empowering library staff in a supportive professional atmosphere.
• Review topic-specific preconferences. Are any especially applicable to you and your workplace? These are scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, 2026, and offer deep dives into specialized professional areas.
• Draft a task management plan. Draft a plan listing how essential tasks will be handled while you’re away. Include how, if necessary, technology can easily keep you accessible.
• Highlight the Return on Investment (ROI). Draft a plan noting that when you return to the office, you’ll share action items and fresh ideas learned at the conference  (e.g., notes from speaker presentations and discussion groups, connections made with vendors, best practices, contacts you made through networking with expert peers, etc.) with the rest of the staff. 
• Focus on innovation. Inform your supervisor that implementing even one new strategy for recruitment, retention, or service to your library communities will pay back many times over the investment of time and money spent to attend.
• Put your request in writing. 

The JCLC conferences also offer a rare occasion for BIPOC individuals and allies to come together in a safe environment that fosters congeniality and develops a cohort of peers who collaboratively address issues of racism and culture that the LIS profession struggles to improve. This includes critical work on recruitment and retention of BIPOC individuals and determining how best to serve the diverse communities we reflect. It is truly the only such conference for BIPOC individuals and allies that is designed by BIPOC librarian-experts.