Library Leadership Podcast

Have you wondered how you can support neurodivergent staff and volunteers in the workplace? On this show, Renee Grassi (she/her), Librarian and Accessibility Consultant, discusses cultivating an inclusive work environment for neurodivergent team members, including accessible communication and promoting neurodiversity in our organizations.

How can data help us transform our libraries? On this show, Sonia Alcantara-Antoine, Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore County Public Library and Past-President of the Public Library Association, discusses transforming the library with data-driven decisions. This valuable information can help us challenge our assumptions, optimize resources, and create impact.

Have you ever wondered how you can best serve older adults in your library? On this show, Suzanne LaPierre, Virginiana Specialist Librarian for the Fairfax County Public Library, discusses ways to serve older adults and provide exemplary access as our communities age. 

How do you make your case to potential donors for your library? On this show Craig Palmer, Fund Development Manager for Sonoma County Library, returns to the podcast to expound on what he shared last year about Building Strong Library Foundations. Here, he talks about case statements—what they are, how they work, and their critical role in helping donors understand how our cause can be their cause.

In your organization, are there ways to share negative viewpoints or emotions, and is it helpful to do so? On this show Carrie Rogers-Whitehead - author, library consultant, and Founder of Digital Responsibility - talks about The Glass Half Empty: the Positives of Negative Emotions. She shares how not allowing for negative emotions can hold back our teams and what we can do about it.

Have you ever wondered about the extent of sexual harassment of librarians in the workplace? On this show, Candice Benjes-Small, Head of Research at William and Mary Libraries, and Jennifer Resor-Whicker, University Librarian at Radford University, discuss their research on this topic. It's a conversation that opens the door for broader work on what can be done to combat sexual harassment in our field.

Do you have a building improvement or construction project coming up and want solid steps to make it a success? On this show Toni Lombardozzi, Project Manager at the Charleston County Public Library, shares how to navigate building projects in various stages. This information is helpful as many of us find ourselves tasked with changing, upgrading, or building to meet the evolving needs of our communities.

How can you understand employees in a way that creates better retention and engagement? On this show James Pugh, Director at the Cedar Springs Public Library, talks about Retaining Employees Through Stay Interviews. It's a way to help improve the workplace for staff so they will want to stay and help serve our communities.

Have you wondered if there are ways for your library to engage your community in promoting civic engagement and bridging differences? On this show Jennie Garner, Director of the North Liberty Library, Shamichael Hallman, Director of Civic Health & Economic Opportunity for the Urban Libraries Council and the author of Meet Me at the Library, and Tara Susman-Peña, Senior Technical Expert for IREX, talk about the Bridgebuilding in Libraries Program and how all of us can engage in work that helps bring communities closer together.

Do you have hidden gems in your library collections that you would like to highlight by developing immersive VR experiences? On this show Beryl White-Bing, Virtual Learning Librarian at the Thomas G. Carpenter Library at the University of North Florida, and Trina McCowan, Director of Library Services for the Proctor Library at Flagler College, share valuable information about how they went about featuring the life and work of Eartha M.M. White through an immersive online experience. It's an inspiring story that can help us all bring to life treasured stories from our collections.

What does your library need to harness the power of AI? This show is the second of a two-part series on AI with Christoper Jimenez, Web Services Librarian, and Melissa Del Castillo, Virtual Learning & Outreach Librarian, both with Information & Research Services at Florida International University Libraries. On this show, Melissa discusses Harnessing the Power of AI through collaboration, community, and communication. 

What does your library need to harness the power of AI? This show is the first of a two-part series on AI with Christoper Jimenez, Web Services Librarian, and Melissa Del Castillo, Virtual Learning & Outreach Librarian, both with Information & Research Services at Florida International University Libraries. On this show, Christopher discusses Harnessing the Power of AI through Literacy and Frameworks.

How do we embrace experimentation in libraries to adapt to our rapidly changing professional landscape? On this show, Cathryn Copper, Head of the Eberhard Zeidler Library in Ontario and the author of The Experimental Library, talks about how we can all use experimental techniques to create success in our organizations.

What can your organization do to embrace mentoring as part of succession planning? On this show, Ann Marie Barrett, Manager of the Bingham Creek Branch, and Maggie Mills, Manager of the Whitmore Branch, with Salt Lake County Library, talk about everything  to consider when making mentoring part of your succession planning.

How can our libraries support small businesses and nonprofits? On this show, Rachel Fuller, Information Services Manager, and Kristine Cook, Manager of the Adult Services Division for the Main Library, with the Columbus Metropolitan Library, share how they are Empowering the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in their library system and how you can, too. 

Have you ever wondered how library foundations can open doors to untapped funding for your library? On this show Craig Palmer, Fund Development Manager for Sonoma County Library, shares how library foundations can activate fundraising for your organization and what drives giving for libraries. Whether you have an established library foundation or are thinking about this for the first time, this is useful information. 

Have you ever wanted to create a fun way to develop in-house leaders in your library? On this show, Judi Boyce, Assistant Director at Sublette County Library, Erin Wahl, Associate Professor University Archivist at New Mexico State University Library, and Eileen Wright, Library Director at Montana State University Billings, discuss a method they formed to develop in-house leaders that involves games, play, and a pirate theme to make learning about leadership fun.

Do you ever find yourself stuck in the routine work of librarianship in a way that makes you uncomfortable or frustrated? On this show Dr. Darin Freeburg, Associate Professor, and Katie Klein, Doctoral Student in Library and Information Science, in the College of Information and Communications at the University of South Carolina, share information about research they've been doing on problematic routines in libraries. They share what they've learned about what can cause these problems and reflect on the possibilities for creating workplaces free from the challenges of problematic routines.

What are ways we can engage our communities in work that embraces differences? On this show Essraa Nawar, Assistant Dean for DEI Initiatives and Development at Chapman University's Leatherby Libraries, shares her experiences regarding the power of being different and meaningfully connected to the rest of the world. She helps us learn how to engage in work that promotes cultural understanding and inclusion.

How do we make our staffing plans match the needs and expectations of our organizations? On this show Daniel Neville-Rehbehn, Director of Customer Experience at the Salt Lake City Public Library, talks about the importance of creating staffing plans that optimize our most valuable resources, our people.

Who wants to handle a difficult conversation in the workplace? If you are saying, “not it” right now, this show is for you. And, let's be honest, this probably applies to all of us to some degree. On this show, you will get advice from a knowledgeable panel about how not to sweat difficult conversations. Listen to find out how from Tiffany Peck, Director of Customer Experience, and Jen Wiese, Director of Human Resources, at the St. Louis Public Library, and from Angie Miraflor, Deputy Director of Public Services, and Danielle Perry, Director of Human Resources, with the King County Library System.

How do you make your library the hub of the community? On this show Lacey Sudderth, Assistant Manager at McAlester Public Library in Oklahoma, talks about how to engage in relationships across our communities to create broad connections and involvement that can truly make our libraries the hub of the community.

We often talk about leading library services from within libraries. But what do you do if you want to provide library services and don't have the luxury of four walls? On this show Vashalice Kaaba, PhD Candidate of Information Studies at Florida State University, talks about spreading literacy, no walls needed. She was inspired by work she did in the Peace Corps in Uganda spreading literacy and saw similar needs in the U.S., so developed a project called “Library in a Box” that addresses the pressing issue of literacy access in underserved communities. Support for the Uganda Wanyange Primary School Community Library Project can be provided at https://givebutter.com/KfV8XA.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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 opportunities for partnering to bring stories and programs to our libraries.

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.

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 libraries to provide the best possible service.

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 of homeschooling, how homeschool students are similar and different from their traditionally schooled peers, and what never to ask homeschool students and their parents.

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 patrons in a way that anyone can implement.

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 library jobs.

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.

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 implementing civic engagement programming, making this a relevant topic for all of us.

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.

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 everyone's talents shine in providing excellent library services.

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 phenomenon and what it might mean for all of us in libraries.

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.

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. 

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 about this and know we are not alone can help all of us successfully move past failure.

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 Public Library in Maryland, share steps our libraries can take to become valuable resources in economic development and help support thriving local economies.

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 getting the people we assist just what they need. 

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.

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.

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 cannot offer legal advice or legal counsel. Please take the information shared on this show as information only, as a guideline to start a conversation with your own legal counsel. 

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.

Have you ever wondered how to help customers navigate information in an age of so many people making so many claims? On today's show Heath Stanfield, Manager of the McAlester Public Library in Oklahoma, takes us back to basics to examine classical models of logical fallacies that can help us help our customers find high-quality information.

In leading our libraries towards success how can emotional intelligence play a role? On this show Jen Nelson, State Librarian of New Jersey, shares how our capacity to know ourselves, appropriately express our emotions, and handle our work relationships with empathy makes us more effective - and how this is accessible to everyone.

How do we provide supportive management for people with disabilities in our workplaces? On this show Katie Manwiller, Education Librarian & Assistant Professor at West Chester University Libraries in Pennsylvania, Sammy Peter, Chair of the Libraries Faculty at the University of Wyoming, and Kiyomi Deards, Chair of the Libraries Faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln talk about what we need to know to support people of all abilities working in our organizations.

What benefits might we see working on projects and supporting teams if we are able to decenter ourselves and empower others? On this show Erin Leach, Head of Administrative Projects and Organizational Effectiveness at University of Georgia Libraries, talks about what it takes to be an effective leader who puts others forward to create successful outcomes.