Prepare yourself for a year of greater expectations!
This year I’m teaming up with some amazing partners to get out the message of Expect More. Namely that our communities should expect outstanding libraries, and we need to continue to prepare outstanding librarians to lead them.
Today you can read about Syracuse University’s iSchool launching an Expect More|Librarians Scholarship to help outstanding students work directly with cutting edge faculty at the school. Expect More Library Scholarships provide significant tuition support along with weekly stipends and a travel grant to work directly with a faculty member on areas like library advocacy, library assessment, gaming, and, of course, community engagement. Study advocacy right with former ALA president Barbara Stripling, or library assessment with Megan Oakleaf, school libraries with Ruth Small….or come work with me!
But wait, there’s more. Tech Logic is creating an Expect More Speaker Series. The series will be a set of regional events highlighting the future of libraries through community engagement, and freeing up librarians to work on the community as the collection. The series starts off at an invite-only event at ALA MidWinter and is coming to South Florida, California, Boston, and Texas. Keep an eye out for more details. I am thrilled to be working with Tech Logic and Lori Ayre, Galecia Group; Cheryl Gould, Fully Engaged Libraries; Juliane Morian, Associate Director at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library
The Tech Logic speaker series is also part of a larger Expect More World Tour. Over the next year I’ll be bringing the message of librarians engaged in radical positive change to Toronto, New Zealand, the UK, and Australia among others.
This year will also see the publication of The Radical’s Guide to New Librarianship, a follow on to The Atlas of New Librarianship we’ve been working on. You can already join in conversations and help shape the book through our Radical Conversations. Also, I’m going to use this year as input to creating a new edition of Expect More with hands on activities and planning guides for those who support libraries.
It’s going to be a very exciting and busy year. Stay tuned for more details, new dates on the World Tour (I’m looking at you Italy), and lots of support for librarians and communities demanding more from libraries in this complex world!
Want to get a head start? You can get your copy of Expect More right now.