| The Just Transition
If the pandemic had any silver lining, it brought systemic economic, societal, and environmental inequities into focus, and the time for change is long overdue. Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System and author of Sustainable Thinking and Resilience from ALA Editions, will discuss the opportunities library leaders have to build community resilience in light of recent events and co-create a new future for their library and their community using regenerative thinking.
Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Executive Director, Mid-Hudson Library System
Introduced by: Meredith Schwartz, Editor-in-Chief, Library Journa Announcing the 2021 Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize
Learn how your public library can enter to win the Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize. Hear from the award sponsor and LJ editor on the revised criteria, and the winners of the 2019 and 2020 Prizes on what a difference winning the $250,000 prize has made or will make to their library and community.
Ed Garcia, Library Director, Cranston Public Library
Rivkah Sass, Director/CEO, Sacramento Public Library, CA What’s Next for Collection Strategy and Readers Advisory
Shifting so much of collection budgets and so many checkouts to e-content has reopened questions about what patrons want and how publishers and libraries can sustainably work together. Meanwhile, closed browsing has forced librarians to develop creative solutions to enable backlist discovery and connect readers to new authors. Hear how some libraries are reinventing these core functions to meet the evolving needs of both leadership and the community.
Brian J. Kenney, Director, White Plains Public Library
Lisa Rosenblum, Executive Director, King County Library System
Kelvin Watson, Executive Director, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
Moderator: Neal Wyatt, Reviews Editor, Library Journal See Your Library Through Your Patron’s Eyes
The Library Land Project looks at public libraries from the patron's perspective. They will share their experiences, as well as a new rubric, now in beta testing, to assess the library experience from the point of view of a user walking through the door for the first time. The Project is seeking thoughts and input as it refines its process and broadens its reach to public library branches all across America.
Greg Peverill-Conti & Adam Zand, Co-Founders, Library Land Project
Introduced by: Lisa Peet, LJ News Editor Fighting COVID Misinformation in Your Library
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim thousands of lives a day, misinformation is a major barrier to public health efforts. How can libraries counter the ocean of false claims? Librarian Reserve Corps Founder and LJ's 2021 Librarian of the Year Elaine Hicks will present on how you can fight the “infodemic” to help patrons safeguard their and their loved ones’ health.
Elaine Hicks, Founder, Librarian Reserve Corps
Introduced by Amandeep Kochar, EVP and Business Head, Baker & Taylor What Staff Really Want
Concerns around racial justice, COVID safety, police in the library, budget cuts, and more have surfaced ways in which traditional library policies are no longer working for staff. To stay aligned with frontline workers, management may need a fresh approach—one that emphasizes transparency, communication, and worker involvement in decision making. Hear from library leaders about how they are working together with their teams to address those issues, and providing support for staff as well as patrons.
Ed Garcia, Library Director, Cranston Public Library
Ramiro Salazar, Library Director, San Antonio Public Library
Kaitlin Stacy, Reference Librarian, Haverhill Public Library
Moderator: Lisa Peet, LJ News Editor Keynote with Don Lemon
Hear CNN’s Don Lemon discuss his perspective after years as a breaking news television reporter and anchor, and learn more about his forthcoming title, This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism.
Introduced by: Meredith Schwartz, Editor-in-Chief, Library Journal The Long Haul: How COVID Is Changing Libraries
Libraries have made major shifts to their service models to meet their community’s changing needs during the pandemic, while keeping staff and patrons safe. Once the vaccine rollout is complete and herd immunity is reached, which of those transformational changes will revert, and which will—or should—become a permanent part of our toolkit? And what do we need to do to prepare for the next major disruption?
Nicolle Davies, Assistant Commissioner, Colorado State Library
Jennifer Pearson, Director, Marshall County Memorial Library System
Veronda Pitchford, Assistant Director, Califa Group
Moderator: Matt Enis, LJ Senior Technology Editor | 
