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.
We worked diligently to receive and review timely programming and training opportunities for PLA conference attendees that speak to the day-to-day operations with Public Libraries aligned with PLA’s strategic goals. Our committee work strengths the profession as a whole and amplifies voices of public libraries nationwide. The Programming committee supports the professional growth strategic goal with their work related to the planning of the PLA Conference. This committee also supports Advocacy and Awareness and Transformation, as the PLA Conference really provides a transformative experience for library professionals seeking professional growth and empowers them with awareness and advocacy too.
Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
PLA does a great job of offering ongoing professional development opportunities through webinars, in addition to the PLA conference. This committee does a wonderful job aligning with strategic goals of PLA
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)
Remain connected and engaged at each step of the process within the committee. Dive deeper into the conference registration drop and see how we should proceed with planning for other revenue streams if there’s a huge impact to the PLA revenue with the PLA conference registration drops.
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?
Collaboration is always welcomed. Specifically with the PLA Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice. ALA Specific committee would be Committee on Diversity, and Council Training & Engagement Committee would be helpful collaborators.
Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?
Angela B-I appreciated the guidance from Angela Maycock and Megan Stewart and the partnership of my co-chair Padma Polepeddi. And appreciated being trusted to cochair such an invaluable resource to our profession.
Padma – This has been a highly rewarding experience. Angela Maycock and Megan Stewart and Melissa are all such high functioning leaders and they had such a highly efficient process in place where every minute of every meeting and every communication was top notch learning and professional development experience. The committee members all came with robust experience and expertise and it was a high functioning and highly efficient committee. With the leadership of Angela Bennett, the co-chair of the Programming Committee and Angela Maycock’s leadership in putting together a robust plan of action for everything that needed to get done within a planned timeline and a highly dedicated group of committee members who all brought their experience and expertise in getting the work done has made this an extremely rewarding and professional growth opportunity.
Submitted by Angela Bennett, Padma Polepeddi on 01/23/2026