Your Stories

How has PLA played a role in your life? What PLA educational programs have taught you something new to bring back to your library? How has attending PLA conference inspired you? Have a throwback photo at a PLA event that you want to share with the world?

It’s time to tell your PLA story! Just in time for our 75^th Anniversary, let the world know how PLA has made a difference in your professional life and supported your work in public libraries. See examples from other PLA members, below.

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Ashley McGuire

Senior Library Assistant, a public library in New Mexico

PLA Member for 2 years

I hope that in 75 years, obtaining an MLIS would be an option for a larger amount of people...The path to librarianship should be accessible to all.

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Michelle Mears

Director, Rolling Hills Library (St. Joseph, MO)

PLA Member for 17 years

Now having landed in Missouri, which has a great public library professional community, I advocate for PLA membership and involvement to small library directors and other "newbies." I'm even arranging a motor coach to transport a group of us to PLA 2020 in Nashville! PLA is the one membership I won't ever drop.

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Suzanne Summers LaPierre

Information Services Librarian, Fairfax County (VA) Public Library

PLA Member for 13 years off and on

I started writing for Public Libraries Online this year and in the process I delved more deeply into reading and sharing the stories from my fellow library practitioners. Digging through the Public Libraries Online archives, I learned about library bike shares and bike-based outreach, tips for helping customers dealing with bereavement or experiencing homelessness, as well as answers to nagging questions such as: How do authors get paid from the use of library books?

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Rebecca Wilden

Assistant Director, Bucyrus (OH) Public Library

PLA Member for 2 years

Our library was selected to participate in the 2019 Inclusive Internship Initiative, and it has been exciting to get to know librarians from all over the country.

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Kim DeNero-Ackroyd

Deputy Director, Cleveland Heights-University Heights (OH) Public Library

PLA Member for 16 years (I think!)

While everyone knows that PLA is specifically geared for public libraries and librarians, not everyone knows about the variety of ways that they can get involved, get connected with others and get educated.

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Douglas Crane

Library Director, Palm Beach County (FL) Library System

PLA Member for 5 years

As a Library Director, PLA is invaluable to connect with my peers across the Country. It gives me an opportunity to learn about exciting activities and trends and to share ideas with colleagues. I took the leap these past few years to stop being a bystander and instead to serve on committees. This work has been very rewarding and I feel it is an important way to give back to my profession. Happy birthday to PLA!

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Sara Dallas

Director, Southern Adirondack Library System (Saratoga Springs, NY)

PLA Member for 25 plus years

I owe my career to PLA. When I was an outreach consultant in a public library system in upstate New York, I applied to the Train-the-Trainer program using the PLA Results Series books. In 2001, approximately one month after 9/11 in Coronado, California, I met Sandra Nelson and June Garcia. They have become friends and mentors and helped me as I moved up the administrative ladder, and the colleagues I met through the program became life-long friends.

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Joy Kim

Deputy Director of Libraries, Cambridge (MA) Public Library

PLA Member for 12 years

There are so many important conversations happening right now in public libraries around sustainability, equity, and social justice. My hope is that in 75 years, we’ll have made so much progress on those fronts that it will be hard to understand why we ever had to do some of the things we do now. Let’s imagine a future where we have sustainable national funding, a workforce that truly reflects the public we serve, and a community understanding of the value that public libraries offer.

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Isaiah West

Teen Services Coordinator, Alexandria (VA) Library

PLA Member for 3 years

I had watched PLA from afar for a couple of years, but when the Inclusive Internship Initiative program was introduced to me, I jumped at the opportunity. Being able to hire two teens that first summer really helped revitalize the teen programs at our library. PLA has made me realize the ways that I can be involved in my community as a librarian, advocate, and life-long learner.

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Kimberly Knight

Assistant Director, Chesapeake (VA) Public Library

PLA Member for 4 Years

Attending the PLA Leadership Academy in 2017 was an unforgettable, transformational experience. It was nearly a week of unique learning opportunities, self-discovery, and networking. Within 12 months of completing the Academy, I received two career promotional opportunities!

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Monica Dombrowski

Library Director, Sycamore (IL) Public Library

PLA Member for 4 years

I’m excited that PLA is looking across all their tools and resources to see how they can raise awareness of their offerings and provide easy access for members. The other thing I think PLA does well is leveraging the talents of their members to create a community that is trying to address issues happening in public libraries. We get a chance to build our networks, learn from each other, and solve problems together, all of which give us transferable skills to take back and apply in our libraries.

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