Library Leadership Podcast

In July 2018, a Forbes op-ed column argued that libraries should be replaced by Amazon to ‘save taxpayer’s money’, which led to an outcry that resulted in the article ultimately being taken down.

Our host, Adriane Herrick Juarez, reached out to Kym Cadle founder of Pure Ambition, a consulting company that believes living and leading with intention is paramount to creating the change that our current times demand.

Kym has taken teams that are experiencing cascades of rapid growth to rates of even higher success through building capacity for mindfulness and emotional intelligence.

In this interview, she turns her attention to libraries to suggest ways for creating the capacity to deal with unprecedented pace in a way that is intentional and informed by values.

We can all be involved to transcend stressors through a process of awareness, attention, intention, and action. Kym likes to say, “We can’t stop the wave, but we can learn to surf.” Listen as he shares ways to create dynamic outcomes by taking this stance. Kym can be reached at http://www.pureambitionconsulting.com/.

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Change comes at us rapidly from all directions. What innovations do we implement in response to current developments in libraries? On this episode of Library Leadership Podcast we talk with Miguel Figueroa, Director for the Center for the Future of Libraries (www.ala.org/libraryofthefuture), an initiative from the American Library Association.

Miguel shares how everyone in libraries can be empowered to think about the future with unique access points and perspectives. He guides us in evaluating innovations, based on the values of the profession to provide forward-thinking services to our communities. From virtual reality to daily resource allocation, this show helps answer your questions about when to act, or not act, and how to prioritize trends.

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There are some leaders who are able to share their journey in such a way that it makes all of us want to come along for the ride. Felton Thomas is just such a leader. As Director of the Cleveland Public Library and past president of the Public Library Association, his visionary style and pay it forward attitude has made a huge impact on the profession.

Climb on board as we listen to what brought him to where he is today, the leader of a five-star rated library known as the “People’s University” a place where everyone can seek out knowledge in ways that are beneficial to themselves, their community, and the world.

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Messages matter. Where do you turn for impact messaging? Library leaders practice advocacy on a daily basis, sharing the ways in which libraries benefit the lives of those they serve. The American Library Association’s Office for Library Advocacy (OLA) offers valuable support and resources in a librarian’s quest to become an advocacy powerhouse.

Listen in as Marci Merola, the Director of the OLA, shares valuable insights on how to get the most from your efforts to get the message out that libraries transform lives, libraries transform communities, librarians are passionate advocates for lifelong learning, and libraries are a smart investment.

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The White House’s FY19 budget proposes eliminating the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). If the budget is passed, a myriad of programs will be cut that America’s libraries utilize to provide essential services to communities through literacy, lifelong learning, and the provision of information resources. What can today’s library leader do about it?

Adriane Herrick Juarez shares her perspective, as a seasoned public library director, on practical things we can do right now about this announcement through our latest Library Leadership Podcast’s library conversation.

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As a former Chapter Leader for Room to Read, Adriane Herrick Juarez saw firsthand the important impact that Room to Read has had developing 20,000 libraries and literacy-partnerships around the world and positively affecting the lives of over 11.6 million children through primary school literacy programs and secondary school girls’ education efforts. In this interview with Dr. Geetha Murali, new CEO of Room to Read as of January 2018, we take a global look at Room to Read’s model of deep, systemic transformation in low-income countries as they implement their vision that states, “World Change Starts with Educated Children.”

Through Geetha’s insights, we gain knowledge about what it takes to optimize organizational reach and impact with a laser-focus on an organization’s technical portfolio. This includes investing in proven solutions that address challenges for the long-term, while collaborating with communities, partners, and governments—something that all libraries must do. Come with us on an inspiring world-journey as we learn how to formulate and communicate strong, measurable results—moving beyond passion with hard work and best practices to create transformative change.

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Libraries are continuously looking for ways to improve and provide innovative services for patrons in today’s fast-paced information world. On this edition of Library Leadership Podcast, we talk with Kris Johnson, Head of the Learning and Research Services Department at Montana State University Library. She shares with us a process that her library uses called Design Thinking, which implements highly creative methods to provide responsive services.

Design Thinking translates ideas into blueprints for human-centered improvements by seeing things through their eyes. Kris points us toward tools that make Design Thinking something that anyone can do utilizing step-by-step resources. Want to really know what someone thinks about your library? Ask them to write you a love letter—or a break-up letter. Kris and her team did just that in a process called,  “Hey, MSU Library, We Need to Talk.”

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