Library Land Loves

What’s it like to lead Canada’s largest public library system? And how do you keep all the plates spinning when you’re responsible for 100 branches and thousands of employees? In this episode of Library Land Loves, Michelle sits down with Moe Hosseini-Ara, City Librarian at Toronto Public Library, for the inside scoop on his first year in the big chair. They chat about the surprises and lessons of his first year, building a strong executive team, and preparing for a new board following the municipal election.  And because leadership is about more than the job title, they also get personal. How does Moe manage stress? What has career planning looked like for him? Can he ever really switch off from work? And what would he be doing if he hadn't found his way into library land? What’s his favourite snack food – the IMPORTANT issues! It's a conversation about leadership, being true to your values, and the human side of running a very big library system.*******📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.*******This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.  Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau. Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod.For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

Today on Library Land Loves, we're talking about what libraries should be doing on social media, what we should stop doing, and who's getting it right. Our guest Angela Hursh is Brand and Communication Director at the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, a Library Journal Mover & Shaker, and an Emmy Award-winning former TV journalist. Angela knows a thing or two about grabbing attention and telling great stories. So, is it time to rethink everything we know about library social media? *********For more information about our new presenting sponsor, visit https://www.cvsmidwesttape.ca/ or https://www.hoopladigital.com/  Visit Angela Hursh’s website: https://superlibrarymarketing.com/ // YouTube Channel Resources Angela mentioned:  Ann Handley – Everybody Writes  ********📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.*******This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.  Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau. Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod.For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

What happens when we take a moment to connect with someone new?In this episode of Library Land Loves, Michelle Arbuckle sits down with Pete Bombaci, founder of GenWell, Canada's national social health movement dedicated to reducing loneliness and strengthening human connection. Together, they explore why social connection is essential to our well-being, how simple conversations can transform communities, and what inspired Pete to launch a movement focused on bringing people together.From the power of talking to strangers to the role libraries can play in fostering belonging, Pete shares practical ideas, inspiring stories, and a compelling vision for creating stronger, more connected communities. Michelle also digs into what makes Pete such an effective advocate, uncovering lessons in storytelling, authenticity, and speaking with purpose.Whether you're a library worker, community builder, or simply someone looking to deepen your connections, this conversation offers thoughtful insights and a timely reminder that meaningful change often begins with a simple hello.*******For more information about our new presenting sponsor, visit CVSMidWestTape.ca or HooplaDigital.com   Learn about GenWell’s mission, team, and partners, and read some frequently asked questions to understand why they do what they do - visit genwell.ca or donate today! Talk to a Stranger Week is held annually in November and intends to educate and empower Canadians to build stronger connections and communities through the simple power of talking to strangers. Learn more at talktoastrangerweek.org  Email Pete – I mean, he basically told you to – [email protected] *******📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.*******This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.  Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau. Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod.For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

We’re kicking season 8 off with an important topic: the role public libraries play during municipal elections.  The date is probably already embedded in your mind, but elections in Ontario are set for Monday, October 26 and throughout October BC, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island.  So today we're talking about how we talk about libraries during a municipal election season. How we can be loud for libraries right now. Because the municipality is an important decision maker when it comes to library funding and oversight – and it’s imperative that those decision makers understand the important role that libraries play in their communities. We are joined for this episode by Dina Stevens, Executive Director of the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL)*******For more information about our new presenting sponsor, visit https://www.cvsmidwesttape.ca/ or https://www.hoopladigital.com/https://fopl.ca/ - FOPL is the provincial voice of Ontario's public libraries, advancing advocacy, collaboration, and sector leadership to strengthen library services. Ontario’s Municipal Elections - https://www.amo.on.ca/about-us/municipal-101/municipal-elections  City of Toronto elections info - https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/elections/  *******📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.*******This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.  Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau. Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod.For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

As we close out this season of Library Land Loves, Michelle sits down with Brian Bannon, Chief Librarian of the New York Public Library to come back to one of the most essential (and sometimes overlooked) parts of library work: reading.  Michelle and Brian explore how libraries can reconnect with reading in ways that feel fresh, inclusive, and relevant, and discuss: Why we may have unintentionally quieted our message about reading The role of choice, format, and access (yes—this includes audiobooks!) How to help people build a reader identity The role reading plays in empathy, wellbeing, and civic life What a bold, continent-wide reading initiative could look like  Books mentioned in this episode:  Reader Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World – Maryanne Wolf  Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain – Maryanne Wolf  City We Became – N.K. Jemisin Yesteryear  All of the Rachel Reid books (shout out Canada!)   New York Public Library  OLA is a charitable and non-profit organization (107798159RR0001) that accepts donations for several funds. Each fund supports the library and information sector uniquely; from supporting OLA programs to getting books into the hands of children across Ontario, to mentorship, and more: Example: I Read Canadian Fund