The Library Pros

The podcast returned again to the Long Island Library Resources Council’s Conference on Libraries and the Future. Everyone is talking about AI and change in our field and these next two guests are both on the cutting edge. Dr. Sanda Hirsh, Special Assistant to the Provost for AI Initiatives at San José State University and author of the book iLbrary 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries chats with Chris about artificial intelligence, how libraries can adapt and use it as an effective tool and about embracing change as a concept. After the break, Chris was joined by Dr. Rajesh Singh, professor at St. John’s University. Dr. Singh spoke about change, how AI is reshaping the profession and his optimistic outlook for the future!

Episode 120! In this episode we speak with Joseph Furnari, Trustee of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library in Shirley New York. Joe speaks about inspiration, life as a Library Trustee, entrepreneurship and inspiration! Joe has many “oars in the water” and shares what his definition of “Community” is along with living in a family connected to libraries!

Madi Mullen from Libro.fm joins the podcast to talk about audiobooks for local bookstores! Libro.fm works with local bookstores to offer audiobooks.Madi talks about the passion behind the project, Libro.fm embraces the local bookstores and their supporters with providing those booksellers with a way to expand their offerings with audiobooks. She also talks about what it is like to be a “Social Purpose Corporation”. There is also a great discussion about artificial intelligence and how you still need people to curate collections because Algorithms Libro.fm also provides free audiobooks for librarians! The human touch is always best. Shout out to our local bookstore Tiny Raccoon Books in Sayville NY! LIBRO.FM National Library Week Program

This installment of the podcast features Kristen Gwinn-Becker from History IT. The fellas speak with Kristen about the love of history, how rare it is to find someone who is a “history nerd” and a “tech nerd” all rolled into one and passion for preservation. Digitization is so much more than documents and even 3D scanning doesn’t involve “scanning” (one of the dirtiest words in archiving). Kristen also talks about how she considers herself and people like her as “History Savers”! FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM LINKEDIN

In this installment, Chris speaks with Tim Ribaric from Brock Univeristy in Ontario. Tim talks about digital librarianship, whether he sleeps, what a “Computational Notebook” is along with working with Google Colab. We also talked about “spark”, bringing the abstract of ideas to life, the “Software Carpentry Organization“, python for libraries and a wonderful organization called Library Juice Academy. If you want to “geek out”, this is the episode for you!!

In this episode, Chris speaks with Katie Ester, Director of the Shelby Township Library in the suburban Detroit Michigan area along with Dennis Janer from Bluewater Technologies Group. Katie and Dennis talk to us about Shelby’s amazing transformation, what Bluewater is all about (and it is a very unique and creative company), and Magic Book, which is a collaborative product dreamed up by Katie and brought to live by Bluewater. Magic Book is a large digital display in the form of a book with a cover children can open. Describing it here will not do it justice. Look at the photos below and have a listen to this amazing story!

Want to laugh and learn at the same time? Then this is the episode for you. Megan Lotts, an Art Librarian at Rutgers talks and laughs about so many great things she is doing. She is a Maker, Author, Artist, Librarian and INNOVATOR!! We talk about the “spark”, the concept of “play”, unleashing the concept of play with colleagues and yes, Chris’ favorite concept of “Failing Forward”. You will love her story regarding adults getting along better after playing together! Chris also talks about how to keep the grind of the day and those who are not creative from brining you down at work. Check out her books!

On this installment, Chris and Bob speak with Beth Bayley from Karger Publishers. Beth joins us from Switzerland to talk about public access to information, Creative Commons Licensing, how librarians can assist in supporting open access, misconceptions about open access and the role artificial intelligence has in open access. Beth was such a good sport and she even shares her earliest memory of the library with an article featuring her in a photo!

In this installment of the podcast, Chris speaks with Jessica Bomarito, Senior Product Manager at Gale part of the Cengage Group. This episode explores a brief overview of what Gale offers the profession including the Gale Literature Resource Center. Chris talks about the evolution of digital literacy information from CD-ROMS to the current mode of access to Gale’s products and Jessica explores how publishing has become more diverse including black, brown and LGBTQ+IA authors being added to the works Gale publishes. In this installment of the podcast, Chris speaks with Jessica Bomarito, Senior Product Manager at Gale part of the Cengage Group. This episode explores a brief overview of what Gale offers the profession including the Gale Literature Resource Center. Chris talks about the evolution of digital literacy information from CD ROMS to the current mode of access to Gale’s products and Jessica explores how publishing has become more diverse including black, brown and LGBTQ+IA authors being added to the works Gale publishes.

In this final installment from the conference, Bob speaks with two former guests and friends of the podcast Carol Ann Tack from The Merrick Library and Nick Tanzi, Chair of the committee that puts the conference together and Assistant Director at the South Huntington Public Library. Carol Ann is an amazing readers advisory librarian. She spoke about how she engaged patrons virtually during the pandemic with the Half Hour Happy Hour on Friday nights talking about. books, her virtual author talks and book groups (which attract 50+ people) and how it was an effective marketing strategy for services the library offers, including Libby, Hoopla, Goodreads, Novelist etc. She also talked about when we all went back in person, how she attracted 50+ people for in person events including author talks. Merrick also has a new program called “Real Talk” discussing non-fiction works. She envisioned it like MTV’s TRL (Total Request Live). Carol Ann also touches on if AI can do as good a job with readers advisory as a librarian! You can hear her podcast Top Shelf At The Merrick Library wherever you listen to podcasts!! Nick joined the discussion talking about how LILRC put the conference together and how people were engaging in reading currently. Having speakers talking about the neuroscience behind the activity and practical applications was a good combination. Nick also spoke briefly about artificial intelligence and the role is may play in the library world in the near and distant future. Currently library has access without a real understanding of the power of AI. As always, ,we thank LILRC for inviting the podcast to the conference and we hope to return next year.

In part II, Bob sits down with Dr. Kathi Inman Berens and Dr.Rachel Noorda from Portland State University. Kathi and Rachel speak about their presentation regarding Millennials and Generation Z, how they cope with the flood of information they have at their disposal, the challenges that presents and how it effects their reading habits. They explore the rise of graphic novel popularity within those generations, libraries as facilitators and safe spaces for these generations and how the libraries are adapting to attract this demographic. Whether it be makerspaces, podcastinsg, writing, or creating generation specific activities, libraries must pivot (as they have done in the past) to attract the new thinking in popular culture. There is also a lively discussion about people of color (BIPOC) visiting libraries at higher rates than the general population.

The Podcast was happy to be invited back to the Long Island Library Resources Council’s Conference on Libraries and the Future. This is the first part of our conversation with amazing library related professionals talking about their presentations and how they work with libraries. In Part 1 Bob is joined by Joanna Christodoulou, Director of the BEAM Lab and is a professor at Harvard Medical School and a research associate at MIT. Joanna discusses positive neuroscience, reading the brain, reading disabilities, developing readers from a young age and neuroplasticity. She also agrees with Bob about libraries being safe spaces for learning. Bob also discusses the AC/DC concept brought up by Joanna which is 1. Analyzing; 2. Context; 3. Differentiate; and 4. Collaborate. To find out more about Joanna, visit her Website, or you can email her at jchristodoulou@mghihc.edu.

In this installment of the podcast, Chris sits down with Kelly Harris, Director of the John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor, New York. Kelly talks about so many important topics including what Association Libraries are and their funding, unintended barriers to library service, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the library world, attracting people of color to the library profession, her start in the profession and so much more. Kelly doesn’t hold back and that makes for an engaging episode!

In this installment of the podcast, Chris sits down with Dr. Betsy Cauble, retired Social Worker and professor at Kansas State University. Chris and Betsy discuss the social work profession, training for social workers specifically working in libraries, assisting homeless that frequent our facilities, a “day in the life” of a social worker and the efficacy of having social work students interning at libraries.

In this installment of the TLP, Chris has a chat with Trina Leigh Walker and Zindzi Cresswell covering library consultancy. Thanks to Matt Finch for connecting us all. It starts with the proper way to pronounce “Carnegie” (yes, Chris gets it wrong), working in the information world, and how important a strategic plan is. Continuing with the idea of that strategic plan, how does any project that the library undertakes fit with that plan. Trina and Zindzi also talk about how important it is for consultants to speak to include the staff, the board, administration and, yes, even the public with designing a new service or revamping how a library does business. It is also very important to understand what the definition of “return on investment” is for each particular institution. And we explore if consultants are also therapists!!

Chris had the opportunity to converse with Essraa Nawar, Assistant Dean for Library DEI Initiatives and Development, recognized in Forbes Arab American Heritage, Top 40 Women of Egypt, 125 Most Influential People in OC, and Women of Influence in O.C. Top 30 Egyptian Women Abroad. Essraa delves into unconventional perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), underscores the significance of fundraising for libraries, shares insights from her beginnings in Egypt, and discusses the technological advancements that inspire her.

On this installment of the podcast, Chris speaks with the founder and President of Hoopla Digital, Jeff Jankowski. Jeff talks about Hoopla’s birth with Midwest Tapes, his origin story along with how Hoopla curates and optimizes their products along with digital equity and so much more!

Download What an amazing time with Melissa Taylor, Manager of the Center for Innovation at the Fayetteville Public Library in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Melissa shares about her corporate sponsorships with Walmart, JB Hunt and Tyson foods. Chris and Bob learned about all of the offerings in this beautiful facility and how Melissa keeps it all running, how it was started, the various spaces they have (2 sound recording studios and a podcast booth – and that is just the beginning) and their Maker to Market Cohort! So much to unpack in this episode including falling in love with librarianship!

In this installment, the fellas were lucky enough to have Aaron Whitfield on the podcast. Aaron spoke about all Aaron has accomplished in his time in Libraryland along with being a BIPOC and what that is like in todays world. He also talks about the importance of “MU FA LI” in his life, his writing and music. Aaron talks about the power of positive work culture, his love of Mark Lomax II he even shares something about his famous babysitter!

Joining Chris and Bob is David Ecker from Stony Brook University. Dave is a repeat guest and its always great to speak to him. Dave spoke about being library “technologists”, time management for managers, how AI can help makerspaces and that dirty world in Libraryland “CHANGE”. Dave has a new book out entitled Leadership Takes Courage: How to Master Leadership and how to foster entrepreneurship in students!