The group met 4-6 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 work of the PLA Leadership Development Committee focuses on the strategic goal to offer inclusive pipelines and pathways for the professional growth of all library workers. Our work to support this goal is consistently centered around EDISJ outcomes, notably ensuring that activities proactively invite participation and provide benefit to library workers from historically marginalized identities.
The Committee has focused on three initiatives so far this year:
1. The Committee is coordinating an article for the August leadership-themed issue of Public Libraries magazine, in which a diverse group of library leaders at different stages of their careers will share lessons learned and strategies for resilience during challenging times.
2. The Committee has developed and organized a series of 8-10 facilitated member conversations called "Stronger Together: Creating Space for Mutual Support. " The conversations will provide time and space to refresh, energize, practice self-care, and feel seen and supported by professional colleagues. Very little content will be shared other than an introduction to the topic for each session – the time is for participants to share, connect, and support each other. Participants will hold
discussions in groups of 8-12 individuals, with options to talk with members from other small/medium/large public libraries, and each small group will be facilitated by current or former PLA Leadership Development Committee members. Topics include:
*Purposeful service – maintaining your motivation – for front line workers
*Purposeful service – maintaining your motivation – for supervisors, managers, and administrators
*Working through intellectual freedom challenges
*Navigating community engagement
The team had also planned conversations on the topic of challenges faced by staff with historically marginalized identities. Based on some initial feedback, we are looking at ways to create space for staff with historically marginalized identities to have dedicated opportunities within the other conversations, rather than providing separate conversations.
3. The Committee will also facilitate a series of workshops/conversations to be held as part of the career center at the PLA Conference in 2024 in Columbus. Details are still being developed.
Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
The Committee has been very intentional about aligning our work with the strategic goals, so current alignment is strong.
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)
Incoming members should know that they are stepping into a committee with a fair amount of work already in progress, but also that their ideas for additional initiatives are welcomed and encouraged. The work of this committee doesn't necessarily fit neatly into one year at a time, so we will continue to plan for the future as we implement present initiatives.
None of the three current initiatives described above will be completely wrapped up before the new committee year (although the PL article will be close). Stronger Together and the career center workshops still have lots of planning to be done!
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?
The Committee may connect with the PLA EDISJ Committee as well as NALCO associations to ensure that the goals and outcomes of the Stronger Together conversations are meaningful and relevant for PLA members of color.
Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?
It's been an absolute honor to serve in this role and I look forward to seeing the results of our work over the year ahead!
Submitted by Derek Wolfgram on 05/23/2023