Episodes
What are the options for building a digital equity strategy in your library? On this show Alexandra Houff, Digital Equity and Virtual Services Manager with the Baltimore County Public Library, talks about her library system’s work in this area as well as the opportunity for all libraries to create access that is supportable, sustainable, and scalable.
Published 04/30/24
Published 04/30/24
How do you set up new and second-career librarians for success in your library? On this show Kathel Dunn, Associate Fellowship Program Coordinator with the National Library of Medicine, shares valuable information on ways to support those coming into the profession. It’s an outstanding model that all of us can use to mentor others into excellence in librarianship. 
Published 04/15/24
What are ways we can bring joy into our work lives and libraries? On this show Rebecca Hass, Programming and Outreach Manager with Anne Arundel County Public Library, talks about Building Joy-Centric Libraries. It’s a way we can get joy into the conversation about what we do and then make it happen.
Published 03/29/24
Have you wondered how to address your challenging library work through creativity to help solve problems and uncover new possibilities? On this show Megan Lotts, Art Librarian with Rutgers the State University of New Jersey and the author of Advancing a Culture of Creativity in Libraries, helps us do this. This discussion invites you to unlock your creative potential in tackling your library’s most pressing needs.
Published 03/15/24
As librarians, we are always looking for ways to bring meaningful stories and programs to our communities, but do you ever struggle with finding ways to do that? On this show Kase Johnstun, Manager of the Utah Center for the Book with Utah Humanities, talks about the ways this becomes easier through partnerships with state humanities organizations. There are 56 councils located in every U.S. state and jurisdiction that work to support local public humanities programs and provide prime...
Published 02/29/24
Do you ever find it challenging to see the good in people when difficult situations arise? On this show Rebekah Cummings, Digital Matters Interim Director at the University of Utah Marriott Library, shares insights on Leading from a “Good Inside” Perspective. It’s a way of shifting our perspective when dealing with others that allows for generosity even when it may be challenging.
Published 02/15/24
All of us want to avoid dysfunction within our organizations and create successful teams, yet how often do we have time to talk and think about ways to do that? On this show we do just this with Lauren Clossey and Amanda Johnson, Owners of Alliance Research and Training in North Carolina, as they share information on rooting out dysfunction and creating successful teams. They provide insightful training on this topic to help teams build trust, safety, inclusion, and transparency to empower...
Published 01/31/24
As library leaders, we often ask ourselves how we can serve unique populations in our communities. With the number of homeschool families increasing across the nation, have you been asking yourself how to best serve them? On this show Elizabeth Stinnette, Children's Librarian at the Purcellville Branch Library in the Loudoun County Public Library System in Virginia, provides answers about how libraries can best serve homeschool families. She includes useful information about the history...
Published 01/15/24
In this day and age, with many resources and services online, have you considered how to help your patrons access healthcare professionals right from your library? On this show, George Strawley, Library Engagement Specialist for Region 4 with the Network of the National Library of Medicine, and Trish Hull, Library Manager of the Kearns Branch in the Salt Lake County Library System, talk about telehealth 101. They explain the ins and outs of providing important telehealth resources for your...
Published 12/29/23
Have you ever had negative work experiences and wondered what others have done when they found themselves in similar situations? On this show Amadee Ricketts, Director of the Cochise County Library District in Arizona, talks about the results of a survey she conducted about negative work experiences in libraries. The results provided insights into the commonalities of these experiences, whether libraries are worse than other workplaces, and what red flags to watch for when applying for...
Published 12/15/23
What are restorative practices and how can they help our libraries create dialog, trust, and growth? On this show, Stephen Jackson – Director of Equity and Anti-Racism at Oak Park Public Library in Illinois - talks about creating peace circles in libraries where people can share perspectives in safe environments that develop relationships and heal trauma.
Published 11/30/23
How can your library help people in your community increase their civic engagement? On this show Lauren Deering, Coordinator of Civic Engagement, and Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, Senior Manager of Outreach Services, both with the Community Outreach and Engagement Department at New York Public Library talk about Creating Civic Engagement Programming in libraries. As they describe in this episode, libraries are trusted pillars of civic life in our communities and ideal venues for...
Published 11/15/23
What is compassion satisfaction and what effect does it have on those of us in the helping profession of librarianship? On this show Kay Coates - Assistant Professor of Research, Instruction, and Outreach at Georgia Southern University Libraries – explores how serving others often leads to enjoyment and satisfaction, but also a need to strive for balance and self-care in the process.
Published 10/30/23
What are ways our organizations can unite support staff and librarians? On this show Machelle Keen, User Services and Facilities Coordinator for Vanderbilt Libraries in Tennesee, talks about this important aspect of development for our organizations and how, as a library support staff member for over 33 years, she created a conference to help do this. Her passion for uniting, supporting, and developing all members of our teams bridges the gap between support staff and librarians to help...
Published 10/16/23
What is quiet quitting and how might it affect your library? On this show Annie Epperson, Professor of Teaching & Learning at the University of Northern Colorado Libraries, and Stephen Sweeney, Director for the Cardinal Stafford Library at the Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary, share what they have learned about quiet quitting. We are hearing a lot about this in the news as people grapple with work culture, life balance, pay, and equity. This conversation explores the quiet quitting...
Published 09/29/23
Have you wondered if there was a way to write policies without worry? On this show Beka Lemons, Director of the Huntington City Township Public Library in Indiana, talks about Writing Policy Without Worry. Good policies are an essential part of library operations. Beka provides concrete steps and practical tips that will make your process of policy writing far less worrying.
Published 09/15/23
As librarians how can we utilize data and what we learn from it to skillfully represent what’s going on in our organizations? On this show Katie Pierce Farrier - Data Science Strategist for the Network of the National Library of Medicine, Region 3 – talks about ways we can use data dashboards to communicate and share findings to best serve constituents. 
Published 08/31/23
How do we recover from experiences of failure? On this show I talk with Lisa Becksford, Head of Learning Design Initiatives at Virginia Tech’s Newman Library, A.M. Alpin, Director of Library Lab & Special Projects at New York University Libraries, and Isabel Soto-Luna, Business Librarian at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Each shares personal reflections on failure and insights for recovery. While failure is something none of us wish for, it holds potential growth. Being able to talk...
Published 08/15/23
How can your library help constituents in the role of economic development? On this show Diane Luccy, Business and Careers Manager at the Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina, and Julie Brophy, Adult and Community Engagement Manager at the Baltimore County Public Library in Maryland, share steps our libraries can take to become valuable resources in economic development and help support thriving local economies.
Published 07/31/23
Have you asked yourself lately how you can up your reference interview game to best serve your constituents?  On this show, we hear from two professionals at the Denver Public Library. Stacey Grijalva, is a Librarian at the Central Library, and Robin Filipzak, is Supervisor at the Eugene Field Branch Library. They share how successfully discerning what people need using reference interviews is key to creating happy customers. This topic is fundamental to our profession and essential for...
Published 07/17/23
Are you a quiet leader or do you work with others who lead quietly? In the field of librarianship, it is thought that more than half of those in the profession are introverts. On this show, Jennifer Blair, Associate Professor and Head of User Services Librarian at Azusa Pacific University in California, talks about how quiet leaders can excel in promoting successful work environments and leading others in a way that is influential but doesn’t change who they are.
Published 06/30/23
Have you ever thought about how you can support nonprofits as essential community links and valuable resources for those you serve? On this show Sam Passey, Director of the Uintah County Library in Utah, shares how his library helps non-profits thrive to best serve constituents and create knowledge about what’s possible in developing opportunities for all.
Published 06/15/23
There’s no denying that these days librarians all over the nation are grappling with questions regarding the First Amendment and the legal ramifications of challenges in our libraries to intellectual freedom. On this show, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, the Director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and Executive Director of the Freedom to Read Foundation, shares essential information about libraries and the First Amendment. While Deborah is an attorney, she...
Published 05/31/23
How do we engage in work that is intentional and makes the best use of our limited time and energy? On this show Rebekah Cummings, Digital Matters Interim Director at the University of Utah Marriott Library, talks about Selecting Your Yes with Intention in order to do good things in our communities while also taking care of ourselves and engaging in work that best utilizes our capacities.
Published 05/15/23