As I write this, still in my early weeks at the Association, I’ve been asked often about my own priorities for ALA. Well, my primary goal is this: to support us in achieving the vision outlined in the ALA Forward initiative. This includes ensuring ALA’s financial stability, fostering membership trust and growth, and bolstering advocacy. … Continue reading Reinvigorating ALA
Neither of my parents went to college, but I am fortunate that they read constantly and took me and my siblings to the library every week. No vacation began without a trip to the bookstore or library to stock up—everything from comic books to Robert Louis Stevenson (I still have my hardcover Treasure Island from … Continue reading Ready to Go
What is your earliest memory of a library? I think it’s probably my elementary school library. I went to public school in a suburb of Detroit called Bloomfield Hills—Pine Lake Elementary. It was this really beautiful building. The classrooms were all round. In my memory, we’d be in the library a few times a week. … Continue reading Meet Dan Montgomery
ALA has selected Daniel J. Montgomery to be its next executive director. He will replace Interim Executive Director Leslie Burger. Montgomery has worked on behalf of public education and the rights of workers for more than two decades. He was elected to a three-year term as president of the 103,000-member Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) … Continue reading ALA Appoints Daniel J. Montgomery as Executive Director
ALA, as an organization, has survived and thrived for nearly 150 years—through wars, economic downturns, changing political environments, and pandemics. With each of these challenges, we rose to the occasion with strong leadership, consistent messaging, and a membership base that devoted its efforts to sharing stories about the important work of all libraries and how … Continue reading Rising to the Occasion
King knew the difference between being dejected and being disillusioned, drawing the distinction often in his writings and speeches. While being dejected is a natural reaction to opposition, the latter represents the capitulation of hope. King knew well that hope is needed for struggle. That connection is important for those of us who work in … Continue reading Our History Is Our Protection
By February 2020, a month before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, more than 5,500 criminal investigations had been opened in China against health care professionals and journalists accused of “fabricating and deliberately disseminating false and harmful information” about the novel coronavirus. Many were detained and charged with causing fear and hysteria, … Continue reading The Good Fight
At a break, one participant and I agreed that a key factor in libraries becoming an equalizing force in information literacy is serious and intentional workforce planning. To reach individuals and communities that most need support, we need to grow capacity within the field, both in terms of skill set and demographics. This is especially … Continue reading Growing Our Own
“All the time!” I answered. “But mistakes are unavoidable. Part of being a leader is not letting the fear of making a mistake or taking a chance stop you from doing what you think is right or important.” I have learned this firsthand. My entire professional journey has been about taking chances and risking failure. … Continue reading Confessions of a Bad Librarian
I looked out at the crowd and—understanding both the weight of the moment and where the conversation was taking place—I commented on the connection between attempted book banning today and the McCarthy-era attempts at cultural disenfranchisement. The rationale behind these attempts is the same: silencing people who are errantly believed to be aberrations. I said … Continue reading Reading for Our Lives
Time has named Tracie D. Hall to the 2023 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The full list and related tributes appear in the April 24 issue of Time, available on newsstands on April 14, and now at time.com/time100. The list, now in its 20th year, recognizes the impact, … Continue reading Hall Named to Time’s 100 List
Having visited, worked or consulted for, and spoken at hundreds of libraries, I don’t believe there is any educational or public service institution that more ably facilitates personal growth and community access than libraries. Case in point: After a tip from Chaundra Johnson, Utah’s dynamic state librarian, I visited the J. Willard Marriott Library ProtoSpace … Continue reading Civic Imagination Stations
