Category: Public Libraries Advisory Group

The group met 2-3 times this reporting period.

After reviewing the current PLA Strategic Plan, please tell us:

Describe the current work of this committee and how it supports our strategic goals. Include work accomplished, decisions made, and any recommended follow-up actions.
The committee continued discussion and voting around the 2025 volume year feature article contest and helped identify potential winning submissions. The articles reflected the goals of professional growth and advocacy & awareness noted in the PLA Strategic Plan. Items that support the goals include:

• The committee began brainstorming and refining possible themes for the 2027 volume year, including topics related to media literacy, ethics, collection development, workforce development, aging populations, social media, and equity in library services.
• The committee continues to serve as an advisory body supporting editorial direction and helping identify timely issues and trends relevant to the field

Members discussed opportunities for future feature articles, contributors, and emerging issues affecting public libraries that will need to be followed up by the incoming committee members.

Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
The goals of transformation and professional growth align with the committee work and the articles created support library workers at all levels. The articles should mirror the goals of PLA and how to help library workers.

Identified in our mid-year report, the committee sees opportunities to further strengthen alignment by continuing to prioritize contributors from small, rural, and underrepresented libraries, and by identifying stories and voices that directly support PLA’s focus on equity, workforce development, and community impact.

What recommendations do you have for in-coming committee members? Are there particular streams of
work in progress to be carried over into the new committee year? (January–June reporting period only)
For in-coming committee members, upcoming work includes finalizing contest selections, continuing development of 2027 themes, and overall advisory. They will also need to brainstorm ideas for future articles.

What specific activities will this committee undertake over the next six months to support that alignment? (July–December reporting period only)

Are there other PLA or ALA committees whose partnership and collaboration would accelerate meeting PLA strategic goals?
There is always opportunity to partner with other PLA and/or ALA committees. Many of the article ideas come from PLA/ALA conferences, speakers/presenters and work that is being done in committees.

Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?
Kathleen Hughes is an amazing liaison to this committee. She is clear in her emails and details an agenda with information. I appreciate her sending out an email before our meeting on 1/15/26 that encouraged use to prepare to share ideas on specific items. She always created a poll for voting on articles and scoring grid. Emails and discussions along with articles and scoring grids were sent out. And there is always a recap of the meetings, most recently, the one on April 24, 2026 where we finalized the feature article contest update and initial theme ideas for 2027. I enjoyed serving on this committee and reading the articles/hearing the podcast and thinking on all the new topics affecting libraries today. The committee will be meeting in person at the ALA Conference this June.

Submitted by Phyllis Gorshe on 06/04/2026

The group met 2-3 times this reporting period.

After reviewing the current PLA Strategic Plan, please tell us:

Describe the current work of this committee and how it supports our strategic goals. Include work accomplished, decisions made, and any recommended follow-up actions.
The committee advises Public Libraries magazine, Public Libraries Online, and the FYI podcast. In addition to suggesting contributors and topics, members also offer valuable feedback on editorial direction—helping with questions of tone, balance, and how best to frame timely or complex issues.

Their input ensures that content aligns with PLA’s strategic goals, especially in areas like equity, literacy, workforce development, and community well-being. So far this year, they’ve helped guide several issue themes, surfaced standout library programs and projects, and supported efforts to include a diverse mix of voices in our publishing work.

Going forward, we’ll continue encouraging members to bring forward content ideas and help identify library workers doing innovative and impactful work that deserves broader visibility.

Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
Yes. Since our committee is focused on content creation and curation across PLA media, we have a unique opportunity to ensure alignment with all areas of the PLA Strategic Plan. Because the goals are interconnected, we can support them in layered ways. For example, by prioritizing inclusive editorial practices, we contribute directly to PLA’s EDISJ goal while also elevating stories of innovation, transformation, and advocacy happening in public libraries across the country.

We also see opportunities to help redefine what professional growth looks like by featuring a wide range of contributors—those leading from the middle, early career voices, and library workers in nontraditional roles. Our work naturally intersects with PLA’s goals around transformation and advocacy, as we spotlight how libraries are responding to community needs and navigating challenges. Ultimately, our role is to ensure PLA content reflects the energy, diversity, and evolution of the profession, and that feels deeply aligned with the strategic goals.

What recommendations do you have for in-coming committee members? Are there particular streams of
work in progress to be carried over into the new committee year? (January–June reporting period only)
The committee’s work is ongoing throughout the year, helping ensure that Public Libraries media captures the breadth and depth of what’s happening in the field. As new members come on board, I’d recommend continuing to focus on identifying and elevating emerging trends, persistent challenges, underrepresented topics and voices, and innovations that deserve wider attention. We’ll also be thinking ahead to 2026 and welcome input on questions like:

What emerging trends do you see on the horizon for public libraries?

What persistent challenges deserve deeper coverage?

Are there underrepresented topics or voices we need to elevate?

What areas of library innovation or reinvention should we highlight?

Are there societal or global shifts that will shape how libraries serve their communities in 2026?

This thoughtful input shapes our editorial direction and helps ensure our coverage remains timely and inclusive

What specific activities will this committee undertake over the next six months to support that alignment? (July–December reporting period only)

Are there other PLA or ALA committees whose partnership and collaboration would accelerate meeting PLA strategic goals?
Yes—committees focused on equity, advocacy, and literacy could offer useful perspectives and help cross-promote relevant content. There may also be opportunities to collaborate with PLA’s Emerging Leaders or leadership development groups to highlight new voices in the field.

Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?
The committee brings great energy and thoughtful input to the publishing program. I’m especially grateful for the range of library backgrounds represented–this diversity of experience really strengthens the relevance, quality, and reach of our content. It's a supportive, engaged group, and their insights have been incredibly valuable.

Submitted by Amy Dissmeyer on 06/04/2025

The group met 2-3 times this reporting period.

After reviewing the current PLA Strategic Plan, please tell us:

Describe the current work of this committee and how it supports our strategic goals. Include work accomplished, decisions made, and any recommended follow-up actions.
In the past several months, the committee has actively participated in guiding the magazine's editorial direction. Their efforts included refining the annual editorial calendar, identifying subject matter experts, and assisting in the recruitment of diverse and knowledgeable content contributors. The committee continuously reviews the magazine’s regular content, evaluating column descriptions to ensure they align with their goals and suggesting improvements as necessary. Among their recommendations this year were suggestions for new columns and potential authors to enhance the magazine's offerings. They also began planning for the 2025 volume year.

Additionally, the committee provides essential insights from the field and offers strategic guidance for PL’s content across multiple platforms, including PL magazine, Public Libraries Online, and the FYI Podcast. Their input is crucial in maintaining the relevance and currency of all PL Media. The committee also focuses on marketing and publicity strategies and explores ways to boost advertising. Furthermore, they were responsible for selecting the two feature article award winners for the 2023 volume year.

Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
Absolutely. The committee embraces a flexible and adaptable approach to ensure our work aligns seamlessly with the organization's strategic goals. We are committed to continuously seeking ways to enhance this alignment. By staying agile and responsive, we strive to not only meet but exceed the expectations set by the strategic goals, ensuring our contributions effectively support the organization's mission and vision. One way to achieve better alignment is to conduct periodic reviews to assess how well the committee's activities match the organization's strategic goals. This ensures that the committee stays on track and can make necessary adjustments.

What recommendations do you have for in-coming committee members? Are there particular streams of
work in progress to be carried over into the new committee year? (January–June reporting period only)
The committee is working on the content calendar for 2025 and the incoming members will be instrumental in bringing in fresh ideas and perspectives. It is important to be familiar with all PL publications and recent topics covered, as well as potential opportunities for new topics and new partnerships within the professional field that would strengthen our content.

What specific activities will this committee undertake over the next six months to support that alignment? (July–December reporting period only)

Are there other PLA or ALA committees whose partnership and collaboration would accelerate meeting PLA strategic goals?
We are currently working to include more for small and rural libraries and we would invite and welcome content from all PLA or ALA committees that would advance the strategic goals of our organization.

Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?

Submitted by Amy Dissmeyer on 06/17/2024

The group met 2-3 times this reporting period.

After reviewing the current PLA Strategic Plan, please tell us:

Describe the current work of this committee and how it supports our strategic goals. Include work accomplished, decisions made, and any recommended follow-up actions.
Our meetings consisted of discussions on topics to be covered in upcoming issues of Public Libraries with a specific focus on the PLA Strategic Plan, how to incorporate EDISJ topics in every issue and what best way to cover topics that tied in with the SP of PLA.

Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
I think we did that as much as possible, particularly having Kathleen Hughes, our staff liaison, guiding that as a main goal of the committee. Every committee member had an opportunity to contribute to the work of the committee.

What recommendations do you have for in-coming committee members? Are there particular streams of
work in progress to be carried over into the new committee year? (January–June reporting period only)
For incoming members it would be good to have those who are familiar with the Public Libraries magazine, who have an interest in writing or have writing contacts and have skills to guide the discussion and the work of the committee.

Carryover work would include decisions on future topics for 2024, who is writing the articles, especially those that cover diverse themes to tie in with PLA's Strategic Plan.

What specific activities will this committee undertake over the next six months to support that alignment? (July–December reporting period only)

Are there other PLA or ALA committees whose partnership and collaboration would accelerate meeting PLA strategic goals?
I am not sure regarding that question.

Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?
Our committee had great discussion on the topics we were seeking for the magazine, especially in reference to the best topics to seek writers for, planning for future issues and topics of interest to the audience, we discussed the topics for the March-April 2024 Conference themed issue and made decisions on the Feature Articles Contest for first place and honorable mention.

Submitted by Martha Hutzel on 06/05/2023