Highlights from the Public Library Association

91´«Ã½

Click above to scroll through a visual presentation of PLA's 2018 year in review. A text version is available below.

Advocacy

National study reveals voter perceptions of libraries

In March, PLA, the 91´«Ã½ Office for Library Advocacy, and OCLC released the report, From Awareness to Funding: Voter Perceptions and Support of Public Libraries in 2018. The research updated OCLC’s seminal 2008 study that explored voter perceptions, use, and attitudes toward public libraries, librarians, and library funding. and (PDF, 34 pages). Learn more.

Policy brief explains libraries' role in 2020 U.S. Census

To best position libraries to support our communities in the 2020 Census, PLA and 91´«Ã½ are engaging with the U.S. Census Bureau and other stakeholders to ensure that libraries are informed and represented in the policy discussions and planning process. PLA and 91´«Ã½ are advocating for a fair, accurate, and inclusive Census that recognizes the roles libraries will play in this vital civic effort. As part of this work, the 2020 Census Library Outreach & Education Task Force, a joint effort of PLA and the 91´«Ã½ Washington Office, released a policy brief titled Libraries and the 2020 Census (PDF, 4 pages). The document explains how decision makers, including state and local policymakers, can partner with libraries as they work to ensure their communities are fully represented in the 2020 Census.

New website offers health tools for public libraries

As part of Promoting Healthy Communities, a nationwide initiative intended to increase public library workers’ knowledge and skills related to consumer health services, PLA and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) are proud to unveil a new website, . This website was created to help public libraries better serve their patrons’ health information needs. It features a wide variety of resources including health-related programming ideas, data sources, and glossaries of terms. You’ll also find training materials and information on funding opportunities available through NNLM Regional Offices.

Awards & Grants

PLA honors 11 individuals & libraries with awards and grants

During its Member Welcome Breakfast at the 2018 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference, PLA presented eleven awards honoring the best in public library service, innovation and outreach in 2018. The 2018 PLA Award winners are:.

• Allie Beth Martin Award
  Hana Zittel, Librarian, Denver (Colo.) Public Library
• Baker & Taylor Entertainment Audio Music / Video Product Award
  Autauga Prattville Public Library (Prattville, Ala.)
• Charlie Robinson Award
  Mary Anne Hodel, Director & CEO, Orange County (Fla.) Library System
• Demco New Leaders Travel Grants
  Clare Broyles, Cataloging & Technical Services Librarian, Radford (Va.) Public Library
  Christie Reale, Kannapolis Branch Manager, Cabarrus County Public Library (Kannapolis, N.C.)
• EBSCO Excellence in Rural Library Service Award
  Scottsboro (Ala.) Public Library
• Gordon M. Conable Award
  Wanda Mae Huffaker, Librarian, Salt Lake County (Utah) Library Services
• John Iliff Award
  District of Columbia Public Library
• Romance Writers of America Library Grant
  Wallkill (N.Y.) Public Library
• The Singer Group Helping Communities Come Together Award
  Peoria (Ill.) Public Library
• Upstart Innovation Award
  Orange County (Fla.) Library System

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Three public librarians recognized with ‘I Love My Librarian’ Awards

In December, Stephanie Hartwell-Mandella, Paula Kelly and Lindsey Tomsu were honored with . This award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians who go above and beyond traditional library service. This year, four academic librarians, three public librarians and three school librarians were chosen from more than 1,000 total nominations. Hartwell-Mandella is head of Youth Services at Katonah Village Library in Katonah, N.Y., Kelly is director of Whitehall Public Library in Pittsburgh, Penn., and Tomsu is a teen/young adult librarian with the Algonquin (Ill.) Area Public Library District. Learn more.

10 91´«Ã½ Spectrum Scholars awarded grants to attend PLA 2018 Conference

PLA awarded travel grants for ten 91´«Ã½ Spectrum Scholars to attend the , taking place Mar. 20–24 in Philadelphia. Penn. 91´«Ã½'s Spectrum Scholarship Program actively recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students to assist them with obtaining a graduate degree and leadership positions within the profession and 91´«Ã½. The purpose of the travel grants is to create leadership and career exploration opportunities through the conference’s array of continuing education and networking activities for Spectrum Scholars working in public librarianship. The grants covered the scholars' conference registration fees as well as $1,000 for travel and housing expenses. Learn more.

Memory Lab Network grants awarded

In January, PLA and the (Washington) D.C. Public Library issued grants to support digital preservation programs at public libraries. The Karuk Tribal Library (Happy Camp, Calif.), Houston (Texas) Public Library, Pueblo (Colo.) City-County Library, Los Angeles (Calif.) Public Library, New Ulm (Minn.) Public Library, Boyle County (Ky.) Public Library and Broward County (Fla.) Grants were funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and administered by PLA and the D.C. Public Library. Staff from the selected libraries attended a five-day in-depth digital preservation boot camp in Washington, D.C. and received training to support their respective digital archiving programs. .

PLA grant sends D.C. librarian to national EDI conference

In partnership with the 91´«Ã½ Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS), PLA awarded a $1,000 travel grant for a library worker to attend the , Sept. 26-30, in Albuquerque, N.M. PLA selected as its 2018 grant recipient Hadeal Salamah, a children’s librarian at the (Washington) D.C. Public Library. Salamah plans to use the conference as an opportunity to learn about programs specifically for communities of color while better understanding how to address needs of a community with the lens of equity and social justice.

Continuing Education

2018 Conference draws thousands of library professionals, supporters to Philadelphia

In March, public library professionals from across the country made their way to Philadelphia for the PLA 2018 Conference. Approximately 7,873 public library workers, exhibitors, and speakers registered to attend the nation’s largest conference dedicated to connecting and supporting the educational needs of public library professionals and stakeholders. The PLA Conference is held biennially, and the 2018 event was themed “Imagine the Possibilities.” The conference offered a unique opportunity for peers from across the country and globe to meet to discuss the challenges facing our nation’s public libraries. Key areas of discussion focused on advocacy; funding; consumer health information; Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion; family engagement through libraries; and digital literacy.

Each morning, PLA 2018 began the day with a big idea. Designed to motivate and empower public library professionals to consider and execute new ideas, PLA’s Big Idea Series included inspiring talks with best-selling “Eat, Pray, Love” Author Elizabeth Gilbert; Corporate Executive Steve Pemberton; and Author, policy advocate, and Director of Columbia University's Poliak Center for the Study of First Amendment Issues Tim Wu.

Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates headlined the event’s Opening Session. Yates’ remarks emphasized the invaluable role that libraries play within their communities as gateways to truth and protectors of our nation’s democracy. “You are the keepers of and the gateway to truth,” stated Yates. “Libraries provide forums for debate and preserve history. They are one of the few inherently democratic spaces that we have.”

A line-up of distinguished guest speakers motivated and energized audience members as PLA 2018 offered programs featuring authors Kari Chapin, Daniel H. Pink and Joshilyn Jackson; Marley Dias founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign; patriarch of Discovery Channel’s program “Alaska: The Last Frontier” Atz Kilcher; Newbery Medalist and Children’s Book Author Kate DiCamillo; and award-winning best-selling author and Young People’s Poet Laureate Jacqueline Woodson. Comedian/actor/host Hasan Minhaj brought PLA 2018 to an official end as the closing session speaker.

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Learn more.

PLA activities at 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference 2018

PLA offered big-name speakers and diverse educational offerings in its programming at the 2018 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference in New Orleans, La. PLA partnered with the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) to present a full-day preconference workshop called AvramCamp, named in honor of library innovator Henriette D. Avram. Intended for female-identifying individuals who work with technology, the session examined topics including barriers to success, salary negotiation, creating and maintaining inclusion.

2017–2018 PLA President Pam Sandlian Smith hosted a Member Welcome Breakfast featuring authors Anand Giridharadas and Priya Parker. PLA also recognized the recipients of its 2018 Awards and Grants at the breakfast. PLA also 21 open educational sessions aimed at public library workers, covering topics such as the opioid crisis, cultural competence, digital literacy, and legal issues in public libraries.

Library organizations deliver health information symposium

In May, public and health science librarians gathered for a symposium focused on the delivery of health information. PLA partnered with the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the Greater Midwest Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM GMR) to present a collaborative learning opportunity at the MLA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Atlanta, Ga. The 140 public library workers in attendance learned about building a consumer health information practice, working with community partners, how genes impact medication, precision medicine, and the All of Us Research Program, which seeks to gather health data from one million people living in the U.S.

Initiatives

New courses, captioning added to DigitalLearn.org

, PLA's collection of self-directed tutorials for end-users to increase their digital literacy, added two new courses in 2018. Developed in partnership with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM), the new course was designed to help learners understand and evaluate health information while avoiding potentially harmful or misleading sources. The second course, , includes tips and advice to guide job seekers through the process of completing an employment application. PLA also added captioning to the entire suite of DigitalLearn.org courses, accessible by clicking the caption button in the bottom-left corner of any module. and learn about PLA’s Digital Literacy Initiative.

Regional EDISJ symposia to be offered in 2019

In December, PLA released the schedule for its highly anticipated symposium on equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice (EDISJ). The symposium Social Justice and Public Libraries: Equity Starts with Us will be offered three times in 2019, in Feb. 25–26 in Denver, Colo., Aug. 12–13 in Charleston, S.C. and Oct. 28–29 in Chicago, Ill. The symposium will be led by Mia Henry, a facilitator and educator who teaches self-reflection, relationship-building, and understanding social movement history. Mia has served as Executive Director of the Arcus Center for Social Justice at Kalamazoo College and founder and principal of Freedom Lifted, which provides Civil Rights tours of the U.S. Deep South and social justice trainings through a historical lens. Members of the PLA Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will also help guide each session. Learn more.

Board participates in EDI-focuses “insight immersion” of Nashville

As PLA prepares to hold its 2020 Conference in Nashville, Tenn., the organization is seeking out immersive experiences through which conference attendees can interact with and positively impact the host city. The PLA Board of Directors held its fall 2018 meeting in Nashville, during which the directors took time out to visit 14 diverse Nashville-based nonprofit organizations to better understand the important work being done across the city. Attendees at the 2020 Conference will have the opportunity to participate in a community service event with one of the 14 organizations.

New toolkit for increasing awareness of family engagement work

In July, PLA released a * designed to help libraries raise awareness of family engagement through libraries. This resource can be used to supplement libraries’ marketing, fundraising, community relations and political advocacy work. The Family Engagement Toolkit was developed in partnership with the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), as part of 91´«Ã½’s public awareness campaign. Best known for its signature “Because” statements, Libraries Transform was created to help libraries of all kinds communicate in one clear, energetic voice. The Toolkit offers both strategy and tactics for family engagement advocates, including message points, customizable graphics, promotional ideas, and program examples from , a family engagement publication released in 2017 by PLA and the Global Family Research Project.

The term “family engagement” describes a shared responsibility among families, educators and communities to support children’s learning and development. Building upon the early-childhood literacy success of , PLA established a Family Engagement Initiative in 2015 to help libraries serve families of all types with children of all ages. Public libraries are critical to family engagement, given their ability to develop strong and lasting relationships with families, engage all members of the family no matter their ages or interests, and offer access to afterschool, weekend and summer programming, particularly in communities lacking many resources. .

* on the Libraries Transform website is required to download the materials

New initiative harnesses impact of short fiction

At the PLA 2018 Conference in March, PLA announced a new initiative, funded by the , called Fostering Creative Community Connections. The initiative seeks to promote reading and literary joy through public libraries while encouraging diverse writers to share their work.

PLA is partnered with community publisher to bring Short Story Dispensers to four libraries in : Akron-Summit County (Ohio) Public Library, Free Library of Philadelphia (Penn.), Richland Library (Columbia, S.C.), and Wichita (Kans.) Public Library. With the Dispensers, readers can print one-, three-, or five-minute stories from a range of genres at the touch of a button. These Dispensers are connected to Short Édition’s digital platform consisting of more than 80,000 stories where diverse writers can share their work via an online community. Each Dispenser was branded to the local library, enabling them to further their reach and visibility, as well as connect each story back to the full power of their collections and programs.

In the fall, PLA, the Knight Foundation and Short Édition held a , inviting writers across the U.S. to submit short stories on the theme of courage. A total of 606 qualifying short story submissions were received, . The contest jury awarded the $1,000 first prize to Mim Eichmann, a professional folk musician, composer and choreographer from Wheaton, Ill., for her story The jury also awarded $500 USD Honorable Mentions to R.L. Burke, an author and playwright from Snellville, Ga., for and Donald Ryan, a librarian with the Piedmont (Ga.) Regional Library System, for The public also had a chance to select their favorites in the Readers’ Choice competition. Top vote-getters were by Jasmine Wheeler of Hudson, Ohio; by Jessica Normile of Tonawanda, New York; and by Unoma Nguemo Azuah of Chicago. Learn more.

Legacy Partnership gears up as Global Libraries winds down

After twenty years of strategic investment and support for public libraries, the Global Libraries program ended operations in 2018. To carry on Global Libraries’ work, the Gates Foundation has entrusted PLA, the (IFLA) and the at the University of Washington’s Information School (TASCHA) as Legacy Partners. Together, the three organizations are working to ensure that libraries continue to serve as engines of development and are funded as essential community assets around the world.

In May 2016, the Gates Foundation made a $10 million investment in PLA. Over the next 10 years, these funds will allow us to:

• create and scale new models of public library research, training, and practice,
• strengthen collaboration across organizations that support public libraries,
• support global connections between public libraries and library organizations, and
• sustain the success of existing GL programs.

IFLA and TASCHA staff participated in PLA’s programming at the 2018 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference. The three organizations also gathered at the IFLA Conference to continue discussions about collaborative efforts around library performance measurement. Learn more.

Helping libraries connect consumers to health care coverage

As part of its ongoing work to support the public library’s role in creating healthy communities, PLA launched a new initiative, Promoting Health Communities: Libraries Connecting You to Coverage, in October. PLA partnered with the (RWJF) and to address a shortened (ACA) enrollment period and reduced funding for enrollment Navigators. PLA awarded mini-grants to dozens of public libraries across the U.S., which disseminated information, offered education, partnered with health insurance enrollment and provider groups, and encouraged community members to enroll in the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace. PLA also provided all libraries with tips and tools to make educating communities easy, including resources and communication assets. . According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, almost 8.5 million people in the 39 -participating states enrolled in coverage during the six-week open enrollment period. This represented a 4% decrease compared to the prior year. However, thanks to the hard work of enrollment advocates, including public libraries, the drop was much smaller than anticipated.

Continued success for Inclusive Internship Initiative in year 2

The PLA Inclusive Internship Initiative (III), which introduces students from diverse backgrounds to careers in librarianship, continues to grow and thrive. In alignment with PLA’s strategic goal related to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice, III was piloted in 2017 as a pathway program to increase diversity in public librarianship. III offers paid, summer-long internships to high school students at their local public library. Each participating library recruits an intern who, with individual guidance from a mentor, engages with multiple facets of library life and completes a connected-learning project on behalf of their host library. Fifty-two public libraries across the U.S. hosted an intern through this program in 2018. PLA has once again secured funding from the to continue III for summer 2019.

Responding to the opioid crisis

In October, PLA announced a new collaboration with OCLC to collect and share knowledge and resources to support public libraries and their community partners in addressing the opioid crisis. OCLC was awarded a $249,714 National Leadership Grant from the (IMLS) to perform this work. Together, PLA and OCLC will produce eight case studies of varied communities in which the public library is already playing a role in responding to the opioid crisis. In addition to the case studies, the project team will create a call-to-action white paper, host a webinar series, moderate a Facebook discussion group, and curate content and resources for library staff across the country. for further details. .

Project Outcome reaches important milestones

In December, PLA’s Performance Measurement program for libraries, Project Outcome, surpassed 200,000 patron surveys collected from more than 1,000 libraries. Project Outcome also reached more 2,000 people in 2018 through outreach efforts at conferences, regional training workshops, and webinars. is a free toolkit designed to help public libraries understand and share the impact of essential library services and programs by providing simple surveys and an easy-to-use process for measuring and analyzing outcomes.

Leadership

Salazar, Fesemyer & Watson elected to the board

In PLA’s 2018 election, members elected Ramiro S. Salazar, director of the San Antonio (Texas) Public Library, as the organization’s president for 2019–2020. His three-year term began in June 2018 and includes one year as president-elect (2018–2019), president (2019–2020) and past-president (2020–2021). PLA members also elected two new directors-at-large: Cindy Fesemyer, director of the Columbus (Wisc.) Public Library and Kelvin Watson, director of the Broward County (Fla.) Libraries Division. Their three-year terms also began in June 2018. Learn more.

New model for leadership programs

In September, PLA announced a new model for its Leadership Development Initiative. Developed by 21 select library leaders, the PLA Leadership Model describes the work, methods, and core values of leadership in a public library context. In alignment with the Association’s strategic goals of Transformation and Leadership, this model advances public libraries’ shift from an organizational focus to a community focus and supports leadership that reflects the needs of the community. Learn more.

Board proposes addition of Fiscal Officer position

At its fall 2018 meeting, the PLA Board of Directors authorized the addition of a measure to appear on the ballot in the 2019 PLA Election. The measure proposes to add a new position, Fiscal Officer, to the PLA Board, thereby increasing the Board’s size from ten directors to eleven. If the ballot measure is approved, the first fiscal officer will be appointed by the PLA past-president to a three-year term beginning July 2019. The Fiscal Officer will join the board of directors at that time and will serve as chair of the PLA Budget & Finance Committee and as liaison to the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) Budget Analysis & Review Committee. Learn more.

PLA sponsors 2019 91´«Ã½ Emerging Leaders Glidden and Shah

PLA, a long-time supporter of the 91´«Ã½'s Emerging Leaders (EL) program, sponsored the participation of two library professionals in the 2019 EL class: Megan Glidden, senior librarian at ImagineIF Libraries (Flathead County, Mont.) and Mimosa Shah, adult program coordinator at Skokie (Ill.) Public Library. EL is a leadership development program which enables newer library workers from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into 91´«Ã½'s structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. Learn more.

Publications

Three new ‘Quick Reads’ books published

PLA published three new books in its Quick Reads for Busy Librarians series in 2018. The Quick Reads series features publications under 100 pages long and covering topics deemed essential to modern public library workers. focuses on library service to entrepreneurs and “solopreneurs”—individuals who operate a business completely on their own. consists of ten essays highlighting educational programs that took place at the in Philadelphia, Penn. contains practical, tried, and tested advice for any public library to get started or to improve teen parent programming. All three books are available free of charge to PLA personal members in good standing and can be accessed through the (91´«Ã½ Connect login required).

Organizational Excellence

New strategic plan addressing critical issues & changes affecting public libraries

In September, PLA unveiled a new strategic plan effective through the year 2022. The new PLA Strategic Plan describes the association’s core purpose, core values, and vision for future success while also identifying goal areas where PLA will direct its energy and resources over the next several years.

The previous PLA Strategic Plan, released in 2014, resulted in several highly successful new initiatives, including Leadership Development, Performance Measurement, Family Engagement, and Digital Literacy. The new Strategic Plan also outlines five organizational goals in the areas of Transformation; Leadership; Advocacy & Awareness; Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice; and Organizational Excellence. Some of the key deliverables outlined in the plan include:

• Increasing awareness of, and access to, the fundamental types of literacy skills people need to achieve success in the 21st century;
• Augmenting the number of libraries using meaningful and actionable measurements to understand and expand their impact on the community;
• Supporting public library staff in shifting from a library-centered approach to a community-centered approach toward service delivery; and
• Equipping its members with the resources to advocate and apply EDISJ principles in their libraries and communities.

Learn more.

New interest groups in online community platform

In May, PLA unveiled eight new in the online community platform, . 91´«Ã½ Connect is a site where members of 91´«Ã½ meet and mingle virtually, discuss library-related topics and issues, share ideas, collaborate in communities, and come together to do the work of the Association.

PLA is piloting the new interest groups to increase member engagement, foster connections and networking, help members find what they need, and drive conversations around key areas affecting public libraries. Active personal membership status in PLA is required in order to join. PLA interest groups include:

Fund for the Future

In June, at the 2018 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference in New Orleans, the Public Library Association (PLA) officially launched the PLA Fund for the Future, to develop and support future leaders of our nation’s public libraries. The fund will increase support for leadership training that will empower public library professionals with the skills necessary to be innovative and successful leaders of change while also helping libraries serve diverse communities and staff. Their work will support PLA’s strategic goals of transformation; leadership; advocacy and awareness; equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice; and organizational excellence. Thanks to the members who regularly give to PLA, as well as the many past PLA leaders who stepped up in 2018 to become the campaign’s Founding Donors, PLA raised more than $27,000 in 2018 for the Fund for the Future. Learn more.

PLA on the Road

Throughout the year, PLA leaders and staff visited over 40 events around the world, representing public libraries and advancing the work of the association. Events include but are not limited to:

• Jan. 7–9 | Professional Convention Management Association Convening Leaders Conference | Nashville, Tenn.
• Jan. 10–20 | African Library & Information Associations & Institutions Leadership Academy | Nairobi, Kenya
• Feb. 9–13 | 91´«Ã½ Midwinter Meeting | Denver, Colo.
• Mar. 1–2 | Literacy Summit | Chicago, Ill.
• Mar. 20–24 | PLA 2018 Conference | Philadelphia, Penn.
• Apr. 15–17 | IFLA Global Vision Meeting | Ottawa, Ont., Canada
• Apr. 27 | Elevate Illinois Libraries Leadership Program | Springfield, Ill.
• Apr. 30–May 1 | Michigan Library Association | Traverse City, Mich.
• May 6–8 | 91´«Ã½ National Library Legislative Day & PLA Board Meeting | Washington, D.C.
• May 10–12 | Summit on School–Public Library Partnerships | Omaha, Neb.
• May 21 | Massachusetts Library Association Conference | Framingham, Mass.
• May 21–24 | Medical Library Association Annual Meeting | Atlanta, Ga.
• May 21–24 | GoodTech Fest | Detroit, Mich.
• May 22–23 | Symposium on Health Information for Public Librarians | Atlanta, Ga.
• May 29–June 1 | Legacy Partners Communications Team Convening | Washington, D.C.
• May 30–June 1 | BookExpo | New York, N.Y.
• June 5–6 | Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education Conference | Salt Lake City, Utah
• June 14–16 | Inclusive Internship Initiative Kick–Off | Washington, D.C.
• June 22–26 | 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference | New Orleans, La.
• July 11–13 | National Family & Community Engagement Conference | Cleveland, Ohio
• July 12–13 | National Association of Counties Conference | Nashville, Tenn.
• Aug. 18–21 | American Society of Association Executives Annual Meeting & Exposition | Chicago, Ill.
• Aug. 24–30 | IFLA World Congress 2018 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Sept. 7–8 | PLA Social Worker Ideas Exchange | Chicago, Ill.
• Sept. 13–15 | Association for Rural & Small Libraries Conference | Springfield, Ill.
• Sept. 24–26 | National Center for Families Learning Conference | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
• Sept. 26–28 | Joint Conference of Librarians of Color | Albuquerque, N.M.
• Sept. 28–30 | Inclusive Internship Initiative Wrap–Up | Chicago, Ill.
• Oct. 2–4 | Life After LIFE Intl. Forum | Antalya, Turkey
• Oct. 8–11 | Illinois Library Association Conference | Peoria, Ill.
• Oct. 10–12 | Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition Meeting | Washington, D.C.
• Oct. 13–18 | African Public Library Trailblazers Convening | Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Oct. 16 | Pennsylvania Library Association Public Libraries’ Breakfast | Harrisburg, Penn.
• Oct. 16–18 | Internet Librarian Conference | Monterey, Calif.
• Oct. 25–26 | OCLC Americas Regional Council Conference | Chicago, Ill.
• Oct. 29–30 | American Society of Association Executives Conference | Washington, D.C.
• Nov. 4–7 | PLA Board Meeting | Nashville, Tenn.
• Nov. 8–10 | National League of Cities Conference | Los Angeles, Calif.
• Nov. 19 | Workshop at Illinois State Library | Springfield, Ill.
• Dec. 3 | ‘I Love My Librarian’ Awards Ceremony | New York, N.Y.
• Dec. 4 | Microsoft Airband Initiative Meeting | Washington, D.C.
• Dec. 18–20 | National Head Start Association Conference | Orlando, Fla.

Thank you to our members, volunteers, and partners for making 2018 a success!