Maria Taesil Hudson McCauley, Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, and Patricia "Patty" M. Wong

Countering Anti-Asian Hate

May 26, 2021

Three ALA member leaders who have helped blaze the trail for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander library workers discussed with American Libraries their goals for the Association, their experiences with bigotry, and what libraries and library workers can do to counter hate. The three leaders are: Maria Taesil Hudson McCauley, director of libraries, … Continue reading Countering Anti-Asian Hate



Emerging Leaders Class of 2020

Emerging Leaders 2020

May 1, 2020

Launched in 1997 as a one-year program under former ALA President Mary R. Somerville and revived in 2006 under former ALA President Leslie Burger, Emerging Leaders recognizes the best and brightest new leaders in our profession. It’s open to librarians of any age who are new to the profession and who have fewer than five … Continue reading Emerging Leaders 2020


Veteran Emerging Leaders Audrey Barbakoff (right) and Pauline Stacchini present “Some Things to Keep in Mind: Lessons about Leadership” at the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibitions June 22, 2019.

Leadership 101

June 22, 2019

Barbakoff, who is community engagement and economic development manager of the King County (Wash.) Library System, is a 2013 ALA Emerging Leader (EL). Stacchini, who is managing librarian at Austin Public Library, is a 2016 EL.  As co-chairs of the EL program, they welcomed back the 2019 EL cohort with a thought-provoking conversation titled “Some Things to … Continue reading Leadership 101


2019 Emerging Leaders

May 1, 2019

Initiated in 1997 as a one-year program under former ALA President Mary R. Somerville and revived in 2006 under former ALA President Leslie Burger, Emerging Leaders recognizes the best and brightest new leaders in our profession. It’s open to librarians of any age who are new to the profession and who have fewer than five … Continue reading 2019 Emerging Leaders


Advice for Every Phase

November 1, 2018

We talked with Sara Kelly Johns, retired school librarian, online instructor, and school library activist; Kathryn Kjaer, head of library human resources at University of California, Irvine; and Jill Klees, career consultant to students and alumni at San José State University School of Information. Finding a Job Don’t neglect networking. According to a 2016 survey … Continue reading Advice for Every Phase


Emerging Leaders 2018

May 1, 2018

Initiated in 1997 as a one-year program under former ALA President Mary R. Somerville and revived in 2006 under former ALA President Leslie Burger, Emerging Leaders recognizes the best and brightest new leaders in our profession. It’s open to librarians of any age who are new to the library profession and who have fewer than … Continue reading Emerging Leaders 2018


Participants in the “Reflecting Community: The Importance of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Library Staffing” workshop share best practices for incorporating EDI principles into library policy.

Staffing for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

March 23, 2018

Public libraries are challenging themselves to provide relevant and necessary services to their ever-changing communities, and it is increasingly important for library staff to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. So, inspired by a 2016 report by the American Library Association (ALA) Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, a group of five … Continue reading Staffing for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion


Emerging Leaders 2017

March 1, 2017

Initiated in 1997 as a one-year program under former ALA President Mary R. Somerville and revived in 2006 under former ALA President Leslie Burger, Emerging Leaders recognizes the best and brightest new leaders in our industry. It’s open to librarians new to the library profession of any age with fewer than five years of experience … Continue reading Emerging Leaders 2017


Emerging Leaders Class of 2016

Emerging Leaders 2016

March 1, 2016

Initiated in 1997 as a one-year program under former ALA President Mary R. Somerville and revived in 2006 under former ALA President Leslie Burger, Emerging Leaders recognizes the best and brightest new leaders in our industry. It’s open to librarians under 35 years of age or those new to the library profession of any age … Continue reading Emerging Leaders 2016