Mihi Whakatau | Welcome 

Including: Waiata & Karakia

Lead by: Mātene Simon, Pūkenga Mātauranga Māori | Mātauranga Māori and Engagement Lead Te Aka Mauri

Welcome to Rotorua:  Rotorua Councilor, Fisher Wang

Introduced by: Rob Baigent, PLNZ Chair

Keynote: Te hīkoi tahi 
With Great Power Came No Responsibility: How Enshittification Conquered the 21st Century and How We Can Overthrow It

Guest Speaker: Cory Doctorow, Science fiction author, Activist & Journalist

Introduced by Rob Baigent, PLNZ Chair & Sarah Peldmanis Bolinda

Proudly Sponsored by Bolinda

Enshittification swept through the digital world over the past decade, and it has only accelerated since, as everything - grocery stores, nursing agencies, even public schools - became digital services. The more digital something is, the more vulnerable it is to enshittification.

Enshittification isn't a force of nature. It's not a historic inevitability. It's the eminently foreseeable result of specific policy choices made by named individuals in living memory, after these individuals were warned that enshittification would ensue. Enshittification was a choice, not an accident.

The choices that led to enshittification are not graven in stone. They are just that - choices. We can choose otherwise. Indeed, we must, if we are to have an internet that is fit for purpose and can serve as the digital nervous system that we can use to coordinate our survival in a 21st century beset by genocide, ecological collapse, and economic chaos.

What policy choices can we make? What path can get us to those choices? How do we end the enshittocene and build a new, good internet?

With reference to some of NZ's iconic internet fights, especially the internet blackout over the three-strikes rule, and discussion around the role that Trump's tariffs threats play in reassessing IP laws passed as a condition of trade with the USA and potentially more!

Keynote: Te hīkoi tahi
AI in Libraries: Unlocking Innovation, Access & Engagement

Guest Speaker: Brian Pichman, Director of Strategic Innovation for the Evolve Project

Introduced by Joann Ransom | PLNZ Chair Elect

Proudly sponsored by ByWater Solutions

AI is no longer just a futuristic concept—it is actively shaping how we access, manage, and interact with information. Libraries, as community anchors and knowledge hubs, are uniquely positioned to harness AI to improve services, enhance discovery, and engage with their communities in new and dynamic ways. Together, we will explore the evolving role of AI in public libraries highlighting real-world applications such as AI-powered research assistance, smart cataloguing, interactive chatbots, and automated knowledge curation

Key Takeaways:

• Demystifying AI – What it is, how it works, and why it matters for libraries
• Practical AI Applications – Case studies of libraries successfully using AI
• AI & Digital Equity – Ensuring fair and ethical access to AI-driven resources
• Interactive Demonstrations – Live AI-powered tools in action
• Future-Proofing Libraries – How to integrate AI into long-term library strategies 

Auckland Regional Representative

#1: Dany Miller-Kareko,
Te Wāhanga Oranga Hapori Lead & Coach | Manurewa-Papakura-Franklin Local Boards & PLNZ Regional Representative Auckland

Auckland Council Libraries:  Collection Management - and more!

Guest Speakers:
Catherine Leonard, Head of Library and Learning Services
Dean Osborne, Team Leader Collection Advisory Services
Eliza Richards, Team Leader Library Systems 

Introduced by Dany Miller-Kareko | PLNZ Regional representative Auckland

Central North Island Regional Representative

#2: Lois Haddon,
Library Service Leader HB Williams Memorial Library | Gisborne District Council & PLNZ Regional Representative Central North Island

Te Āhuru Mōwai: Open Plus and Unstaffed Access in Libraries

Guest Speaker:
Adie Johansen, Community Services Manager, Manawatū Community Hub Libraries (MCHL)

Introduced by Lois Haddon PLNZ Regional representative Central North Island

The Manawatū Community Hub Libraries redevelopment is a visionary project designed to modernize, strengthen, and expand a vital community space. This $12.5M transformation reimagined the library as a multi-purpose hub, integrating seismic strengthening, improved acoustics, expanded footprint, and sustainable design features to better serve the diverse needs of our community.

A key innovation of this project is the implementation of after-hours access, making Manawatū the first library in New Zealand to adopt 

Bibliotheca’s Open Plus technology. This digital solution, combined with Gallagher entrance controls and Envibe software, allows users to independently access library spaces, meeting rooms, and services up to 11 PM, 365 days a year—breaking traditional barriers to engagement, learning, and social connection.

This presentation will explore the journey from community consultation to construction, the challenges and triumphs of delivering a future-ready facility, and the impact of extended access on user engagement. Join us to discover how forward-thinking design and digital innovation have created a more accessible, flexible, and dynamic community hub.

Public Library Builds: From Blueprint to Bookshelves | Panel Discussion

Guest Speakers:
Joanna Thomas Manager Libraries and Community Hubs, Tauranga City Council
Laurinda Thomas Manager, Libraries, Community Spaces and City Archives, Wellington City Council
Dyane Hosler Redland City Council, Queensland, Australia [ONLINE]

Introduced by Lois Haddon PLNZ Regional representative Central North Island 

#3 Mallory Mattmuller, Library Systems Administrator Kaiwhakatata Pūnaha Whare Pukapuka, Porirua City & 
PLNZ Regional Representative Wellington/Wairarapa & Chatham Islands

Unveiling the Impact: Insights from the Community Impact Survey

Guest Speaker:
Tiffany Rawlings, Manager Library and Archive, Masterton District Library | PLNZ Lead – Data Collection

Introduced by Mallory Mattmuller PLNZ Regional Representative for Wellington/Wairarapa & Chatham Islands

Digi Coaches and Public Libraries

Public Libraries, DIAA & MSD Partnership Update

Guest Speaker:
Sue Kini Stepping UP Programme Manager, Digital Inclusion Aotearoa

Introduced by Mallory Mattmuller PLNZ Regional Representative for Wellington/Wairarapa & Chatham Islands

Day one close - wrap-up & notices

Rob Baigent, PLNZ Chair & Bernie Hawke, PLNZ Executive Director

PLNZ National Forum Delegates Dinner

 at Te Puia