Courtney L. Young

Behind the Scenes at ALA

March 4, 2015

ALA’s staff member experience ranges from brand new–such as the executive director for ALCTS, who began in mid-January of this year–to employees with more than 40 years at the Association (38% of our staff have a decade or more). While many ALA staff members come to the Association with a wealth and variety of educational … Continue reading Behind the Scenes at ALA


Courtney L. Young

Everyone’s Work

January 15, 2015

I believe diversity is an essential value for everyone working in a library or pursuing a degree in library and information science or a related field. Libraries that have the most significant impact on their communities understand and embrace the importance of diversity. They showcase their librarians, staff, and volunteers as members of a vibrant … Continue reading Everyone’s Work


Courtney L. Young

We Are Global

November 18, 2014

What I did not realize was how happily my passion for librarianship would collide with what my mother taught me—to be a citizen of the world. My first connection was as an LIS student at Simmons College, when I took an international and comparative librarianship course from professor Patricia Oyler. Years later, the lessons my mother … Continue reading We Are Global


Courtney L. Young

Advocate. Today.

September 12, 2014

The first few months of my tenure as president of ALA have been amazingly full and rewarding. At once exhilarating, educational, and sometimes exhausting, this time has reinforced one of my own longest and deeply held convictions: Libraries are powerful. They shape minds, bolster economies, and anchor communities of every size in every corner of … Continue reading Advocate. Today.


Courtney L. Young

Advancing Our Mission

July 30, 2014

As I begin my ALA presidency, I’m aware of the need for both consistency and change. Like ALA presidents before me, I bring to the table my commitment to the profession as well as a good understanding of the Association’s structure, finances, members, and aspirations. But my unique experiences will also help shape my approach … Continue reading Advancing Our Mission


Barbara Stripling

Learners for a Lifetime

June 2, 2014

A career in librarianship constantly challenges us to reimagine our roles and revitalize our knowledge to meet the evolving nature of the information environment and the changing needs of those we serve. Becoming a librarian is a commitment to being a lifetime learner. “Learning” is an action word. It means actively exploring new possibilities, beyond what is … Continue reading Learners for a Lifetime


Barbara Stripling

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

May 5, 2014

If you have heard me speak this year, then you’ve heard me repeat this often-quoted saying: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I thought every library worker already had that mindset, that all of us want to change the lives of those we serve through our actions. How dismaying … Continue reading Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion


Barbara Stripling

Creating a Participatory ALA

March 3, 2014

ALA is in the process of reimagining itself. We have engaged in conversations with members, Council, the Executive Board, and division leadership to understand what we, as a profession, want from our Association. In a nutshell, we have found that we want a welcoming, inclusive, engaged, and supportive organization.  Taken at face value, these attributes do not … Continue reading Creating a Participatory ALA


Barbara Stripling

Advocating for School Librarians

January 8, 2014

As president of ALA, I advocate for all types of libraries, librarians, and library workers. We are, after all, a community. Together, we can fulfill the promise that all libraries change lives. Yet the promise of libraries is in peril because school libraries are in crisis; a threat to one type of library is a … Continue reading Advocating for School Librarians


Barbara Stripling

The Future of Libraries

November 11, 2013

Have you noticed a tidal change in public perception about the future of libraries? I certainly have. I rarely hear the gloom-and-doom question from a reporter, “Do libraries have a future in this age of technology?” Now I am asked, “Libraries seem to be changing in interesting ways. What’s happening?” Libraries of all types are using innovative … Continue reading The Future of Libraries



Barbara Stripling

Libraries Change Lives

August 19, 2013

As a child, I dreamed of changing the world. And then I encountered Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy: “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” I realized that dreams become reality only when we take action. So I embarked on a lifelong path to “being” the change through librarianship. I am deeply … Continue reading Libraries Change Lives