WT’s Cornette Library to Host Regional Symposium July 23

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Librarians from across the region will gather at West Texas A&M University for Cornette Library’s second Texas Panhandle Librarians’ Symposium on July 23.

Secondary-school librarians from five school districts will attend the event, where they will connect with each other and their WT counterparts to share resources and wisdom, said Kelly M. Hoppe, Cornette Library associate director and head of outreach and instruction.

Among the sessions offered will be “AI Beyond Words: The Surprising Ways We Use Artificial Intelligence”; “Overwhelmed and Underprepared: Learning to Read Academically”; “Learning Where You Are: Creating and Using Texas Panhandle-Focused Lesson Plans”; and “From Doomscrolling to Digital Literacy: Teaching Students to Critically Engage with Social Media News,” a session led by librarians from Texas Tech University.

“Our first conference helped build strong relationships between secondary-school librarians and the academic librarians at Cornette, and we’re excited to further strengthen those bonds while providing invaluable educational opportunities,” Hoppe said.

Librarians from Amarillo, Canyon, Claude, Dumas and River Road independent school districts have registered for the symposium. Registered participants may also bring a classroom teacher or school administrator to the conference. Attendees will receive six hours of continuing-education credit.

Serving the Texas Panhandle by creating partnerships with regional schools is in line with the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $165 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: Participants in the first Texas Panhandle Librarians' Symposium are pictured in a session on artificial intelligence. The second TPLS is set for July 23 at Cornette Library at West Texas A&M University.

—WT—