The post PLA Member Spotlight: ALA Annual Conference 2024 first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Lauren Boeke is the Assistant Youth Services Coordinator for the Toledo Lucas County (Ohio) Public Library.

“One of the best parts of my job is helping with the Connecting Kids to Meals partnership. Connecting Kids to Meals provides meals at 15 of TLCPL’s branches. Youths 18 years and under have access to free, nutritious hot meals with no eligibility requirements. TLCPL also intentionally builds programming and homework support around mealtimes, so children and their families have access to all that the Library has to offer. In 2023, nearly 60,000 meals were served at the library.”

Anastasia Diamond-Ortiz has served as the Executive Director of the Lorain (Ohio) Public Library System since 2016.

“For the last few years, we have been moving in the direction of supporting food justice initiatives developing in the communities we serve and I’m excited to share our journey during the presentation with Urban Libraries Council and my colleagues. Food justice work aligns with programs and services many libraries already provide and the community forming around this work is growing all the time. I look forward to the questions, conversations and connections that are sparked from talking about food justice because learning from the great work happening in libraries across the country is the best part of conferences like ALA Annual.”

View the full list of PLA programs taking place at the ALA Annual Conference here. Browse all the programs taking place at the conference here.

The post PLA Member Spotlight: ALA Annual Conference 2024 first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Pilar Martinez is the CEO of the Edmonton Public Library (Edmonton, Alberta), and chair of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) Safety and Security Working Group.

“We are passionate about the topic of safety and security in public libraries because it directly impacts the well-being of both staff and customers. As community hubs, libraries play a crucial role in reducing barriers and providing access to resources that can help address underlying societal issues. We believe that by sharing our experiences and collaborating with other libraries, we can develop stronger solutions and create safer environments for all visitors.

“At the American Library Association conference, we are looking forward to discussing the results of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council’s working group and sharing the toolkit of best practices developed to address safety and security challenges. We are excited to learn from other participants and gain valuable insights and strategies that can be implemented in our own libraries. We are also eager to engage in discussions about how to effectively communicate safety and security challenges with partners and decision-makers to garner support and resources.”

View the full list of PLA programs taking place at the ALA Annual Conference here.

The post PLA Member Spotlight: ALA Annual Conference 2024 first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Latest Member Spotlight

November 30, 2023

Mary Ellen Icaza is the CEO & Executive Director Of the Stark Library in Canton, OH. Mary Ellen has been in this role since 2018. She presently serves on the boards of PLA and the Ohio Library Council. Prior to moving to OH, She worked in Maryland at Montgomery County Public Libraries in Rockville, MD. She received her MLS from the University of Maryland, College Park and her BA in English from The Catholic University of America.

Member Spotlight Archive

September 7, 2023

Tamara King, MLIS, APR is the Chief Equity and Engagement Officer for Richland Library. In her role, she is tasked with the development and support of the library’s equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, programs and partnerships. In addition to her role leading the library’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts, Tamara also supports the library’s award-winning Let’s Talk Race Team. To date, the team has held discussions surrounding race, women’s rights and social justice for more than 4,000 participants and raised nearly $200,000 to support EDI initiatives and programming at the library.

Tamara currently serves as a Director-at-Large on the national Public Library Association Board.

“After months of hard work and intentionality, I am excited to share Richland Library’s free Let’s Talk Race Curriculum with everyone. I hope that people will use the curriculum to facilitate courageous and impactful conversations about race, racism and social justice. Our library’s efforts show there is real power in talking to each other and becoming more proximate with the diverse world around you.”

Check out the FYI Podcast episode about Let’s Talk Race featuring Tamara and Heather McCue, Children’s and Teens Services Manager at Richland Public Library.

August 10, 2023

The latest spotlight features two members whose libraries were recipients of the 2022 PLA Digital Literacy Workshop incentives. Access free digital literacy courses and training materials at PLA’s DigitalLearn.org and visit the PLA website to learn more about the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentives.

Miranda Robbins is currently the Operations Manager at the New Braunfels Public Library and began her library career 7 years ago as a Digital Services Librarian. She has a passion for digital literacy and all things technology. Her favorite program is something called Device Advice where patrons can receive one-on-one help from library staff with all their devices and technology questions. The PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive was the perfect program to further the library’s technology and digital literacy efforts.

“DigitalLearn aligns perfectly with our library’s mission of providing equitable access to digital literacy, technology, and information. DigitalLearn has played a critical role in our library by providing digital support and literacy. Our library will continue to use this resource in a variety of ways.”

Todd Miller is a Digital Services Librarian at Niles-Maine District Library, in Niles, IL, where he manages the library’s electronic resources and has started a Digital Navigation service program, working with members of the library community to bridge the digital divide by building computer skills and obtaining low-cost home internet and computers. He is the host of the library’s technology podcast, Tech Bytes, and is a recent graduate, with his MLIS degree, from Dominican University.

“We were able to reach members of the community who don’t often visit the library, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. We are planning to continue the partnership moving forward, continuing to offer programs at the Maine Township town hall. DigitalLearn is a great resource for presenting programs and not having to reinvent the wheel. It saves so much staff time to be able to modify an existing template rather than starting to plan a lesson from scratch.”

June 14, 2023

Member Spotlights from the ALA Annual Conference 2023 can be found here.

March 23, 2023

Ramiro S. Salazar is the director at San Antonio (Texas) Public Library. Ramiro is a former PLA President, currently serves on the Public Library Section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and is a frequent presenter and panelist at professional convenings.

On March 16, President Biden announced he will appoint Ramiro to the National Museum and Library Services Board. The Board advises the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which advances, supports, and empowers America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. PLA wants to congratulate Ramiro on this great honor and thank him for his continued dedication to public service.

March 9, 2023

Van McGary is the Adult & Teen Services Manager at Downers Grove Public Library in Illinois.

“I absolutely love being a librarian and a manager. I am currently the Adult & Teen Services Manager at the Downers Grove Public Library in IL and am incredibly lucky to work with the most amazing team. We care about each other and about our community. We are dedicated to providing diverse collections, programs, and services that are equitable, inclusive, and responsive to our community. Our library is currently working on a new strategic plan, which will be informed by our Equity Strategic Plan. We are constantly evolving and striving to do better. To my colleagues, I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation for everything you do day in and day out.”

January 30, 2023

Amy Mikel is the Director of Customer Experience at Brooklyn Public Library, responsible for implementing exceptional library services in the areas of reference, circulation and collections across 61 branch locations. She oversees the Library’s circulating print, media, digital and database collections as well as the processes and policies which govern patron account management and materials circulation.

Amy is a part of BPL’s Books Unbanned Team, which provides free e-book access to teens and young adults facing censorship and book challenges nationwide. “As a result of BPL’s Books Unbanned initiative, young people across the country have sent us thousands of stories about the censorship, access challenges, and marginalization they are experiencing where they live. Public libraries must do more to connect teens with the books they are desperate to read. A library card can truly change a life.”

Amy and the Books Unbanned Team were named 2023 Librarians of the Year by Library Journal. PLA members and magazine subscribers can read more about Books Unbanned in the latest Public Libraries issue!

January 12, 2023 – Meet the 2023 PLA Presidential Candidates

Michael Lambert is the first Asian American to serve as city librarian for the City and County of San Francisco, championing increased and equitable access to libraries. Previously, Michael managed library operations at San Mateo County Libraries in California and at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in North Carolina. “I would like to serve as the president of the Public Library Association to share my passion for public service and my belief in the transformational power of libraries to help people live their best lives.”

Jessica Dorr is the director of the Boise Public Library in Boise, Idaho. Prior to joining the library, Jessica worked at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in a variety of roles over two decades supporting libraries in the U.S. and internationally. Jessica stated, “My experience working with libraries around the world to collectively address shared challenges will help PLA achieve its mission of positioning libraries at the heart of communities.”

The post PLA Member Spotlights first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

December 7, 2016; 1:00 PM Central

The end of each year brings a deluge of lists with everyone and their neighbor weighing in on what are the “best” books. But are this year’s “best” titles a sure bet to recommend to your readers? And what happens in a few months? What lists can we fall back on as we work with readers no matter the season?

Join Readers’ Advisory specialist, Becky Spratford, as she takes you down this year’s “best” list rabbit hole, makes sense of the larger reading trends it illustrates, and starts you off on crafting your plan to help your patrons find the right read for them. Together we will look at how to turn the excitement of “best” season into an actionable plan where you, your entire staff (from public service to behind the scenes), and even your patrons themselves can get in on the act, suggest books to each other, and allow you to have the “best” service to readers all the year through.

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will:

• Understand how to use “best” designations as a tool to help readers find the right book for them;
• Know how to create “sure bets” lists and why they are essential to our work with leisure readers; and
• Be able to engage patrons in telling you what they think is the ”best.”

Instructor:
Becky Spratford, MLIS, Readers’ Advisory specialist

Date: December 7, 2016

Time: 1:00–2:00 PM Central

Registration:

This webinar is free and exclusively for PLA personal members, but registration is required and space is limited. PLA personal members can register for this webinar until it begins, or until space is no longer available, whichever comes first. Find complete details and register here.

The post Sure Bet Bests: Matching Readers With Their “Best” Reads first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Mess up. Fess up. Dress up. This came from a “how to deal with the media” workshop led by Detroit-area consultant and former broadcast news director Mort Meisner. Bed bugs, flashers, fraud, or controversial weeding of collections? While libraries are often held in the same high regard as baseball and apple pie, they are not immune to the scrutiny of the media especially if it will capture eyeballs or sell papers. The bottom line is that we are human beings serving other human beings and while we often cannot control what others do we can control how we react and respond. Further, while we may not have been the ones to “mess up,” we need to be straightforward about what happened, develop a consistent message about the facts and the plan to move on. To this day I still carry Meisner’s ragged business card in my wallet with basic interview reminders and the key words, “brevity, emo-tion, positive points, preparation.”

No surprises. Shortly after becoming a new director, Donald W. Green, the “senior” member of my library board in terms of influence and life experience (double my own) kindly provided a multiple-page sheet of tips and suggestions for my future career success. At the top, centered and in bold type was quite simply, “NO SURPRISES.” The message was clear and simple but easy to forget. My board members should never be asked about something major going on at the library—good, bad, or otherwise—about which they are unaware. While trustees are busy people and have their own lives and do not need a detailed account of the day’s events, regular communication and a heads up have always served me well. I have provided this advice, in turn, to my management team and staff. If they’ve had to call the police, if a customer has had a meltdown, or if they hear a community leader make a comment about the library good or bad, a quick heads up can make a huge difference in how I can respond.

Always be polite. As the senior administrator, I’m often the last in line for the most challenging of customers after even my most seasoned of staff members has done everything humanly possible to ease the situation. I’m also the lightning rod for the hotheads who want to speak to the person in charge right before the next call to the President of the United States. How to deal with such cases as the library director was one of the questions I asked several of my fellow directors shortly after I started in the position. I’ll never forget the basic, straightforward advice I received from Josie Parker, “always be polite.” She went on to say that taking a breath and remaining calm and focused will help avoid further escalating the situation. And, if after listening patiently and professionally, the customer is still out of control, it is fully acceptable to tell the customer that (s)he will need to call back or return when, “we can engage in a civil and productive conversation.” The four-way test. For those of you who are fellow Rotarians, this ethics code is probably at the tip of your tongue and my plaque with this inscription faces me when I look up from my computer. It asks quite simply, “Of the things we think, say or do . . . Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?” You don’t have to be a Rotarian to use the four-way test but it always causes me to stop and think when I’m facing a tough decision, deciding on how to deal with a problem customer or conflict between staff members.

Always say “thank you.” If this sounds like something a mother would say you are right. Early in life, whether it was a few dollars inserted in a birthday card from a distant relative I had never met or a gift of a hand knit sweater with a neck that barely stretched over my fat head, my mother always made sure that I sent a written thank-you note in return. I have tried to carry this lesson into adult-hood, whether it is to thank my board for a raise or to drop a quick email to a legislator for taking the time to talk to me about a library issue. So as my term as PLA president comes to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to:

• PLA’s Executive Director Barbara Macikas and her amazingly talented and hard-working staff;

• my outstanding colleagues on the PLA Board: Carolyn Anthony (Past President), Vailey Oehlke (President Elect), Melinda Cer-vantes, Melanie Huggins, Rivkah Sass, Manya Shorr, Pam Sandlian Smith, Felton Thomas, Jr. and Jay Turner;

• our 200+ member volunteers who carry forward the work of the association, in particular those who said “YES” when receiving my request to be appointed this year;

• Deborah Jacobs and her team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the career highlight of being involved with the Global Libraries Legacy Partner Initiative;

• and members like you!

You are the reason PLA exists and your membership and active involvement in our association are the most effective way to keep this the best profession for making a living making a difference. Thank you for the honor and privilege to serve as your president over the past year. I look forward to a great year ahead under the leadership of Vailey Oehlke.

The post Pearls of Wisdom first appeared on Public Libraries Online.