Category Archives: Public Library Boards of Trustees

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue on Tues., Feb. 8 at 12:00 noon Mountain Time/ 1 p.m. Central Time / 2 p.m. Eastern Time with “Cybersecurity: What Your Friends, Foundation, and Library Need to Know“.

The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group, personal, and Statewide Group Members (MA, MD, MI, NE, SC, SD, TX). Statewide Training Partners (CO, MT, ND, NH, OR, VA) receive live participation and/or 30 days of on demand viewing.

To register for the February Learning Live session, click here.

In October 2021, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library (TLCPL) experienced a cyber security attack. Prior to this incident, the library maintained robust safeguards against threats, but still a threat actor was able to infiltrate their systems, forcing a systemwide shutdown of the entire technology infrastructure. During this presentation, TLCPL Executive Director Jason Kucsma and TLCPL Director of Operations Mike Graybeal will share their experiences and lessons learned to hopefully help your organization better protect itself from a similar situation. Also presenting will be cyber security experts Nathan Little and David Kruse of Tetra Defense.

Jason Kucsma’s 13 years of leadership in libraries comes after nearly a decade leading a nonprofit independent media organization and publishing an internationally distributed politics and culture magazine while living in Northwest Ohio. Kucsma is a born-and-raised Ohioan who earned his bachelor’s degree in Communication and master’s degree in American Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University. He earned his master’s degree in Library and Information Science at the University of Arizona before moving to New York City to work with public, academic, school, and special libraries as Executive Director of the Metropolitan New York Library Council. Kucsma returned to Ohio in 2015 to assume the role of Deputy Director at Toledo Lucas County Public Library. He was appointed Executive Director in August 2019 where he helms a leadership team and staff of nearly 400 employees providing world-class library services to the diverse communities of Lucas County. His work in libraries is informed and driven by his dedication to the role public libraries play in building strong communities through equitable access to information and technology—and the expertise library staff bring to help navigate both.

Mike Graybeal is the Director of Operations/Deputy Fiscal Officer at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. Mike is on the Executive Leadership Team and leads the Operations teams which consist of the Finance, Facilities & Operations, IT, and Public Safety departments. Mike joined the Library in 2019 where he took project lead in the midst two major capital projects, one of which won two AIA awards in 2020 and 2021. Mike has been featured in Library Journal for COVID mitigation strategies, helped financially steer the Library through challenges brought on by the pandemic and has pulled together a legal and compliance team to mitigate risk for the Library. Prior to the Library, he was on the Executive Leadership team at the Toledo Museum of Art, where he oversaw all Facility operations on it’s 36 acre campus. Mike is a LEED Green Associate, CPIM certified (Center for Public Investment Management), has a degree in Civil Engineering from Wayne State University and is now pursuing his MBA at Bowling Green State University.

Nathan Little is Senior Vice President of Digital Forensics & Incident Response at Tetra Defense. He leads the Digital Forensics and Incident Response team at Tetra Defense, specializing in containing ongoing incidents, finding their root cause, and determining the exact actions of malware and threat actors. Some of the most common cases Nathan’s team encounters are related to ransomware, business email compromise, financial data theft, insider threat investigations, wire transfer fraud, and more.

David Kruse is Director, Strategic Client Services at Tetra Defense. He has spent the lion’s share of his career helping organizations of all sizes understand, manage, and transfer their cyber risk. At Tetra Defense, David works daily with executive teams as they recover from severe ransomware attacks and begin to plan for future security posture improvements. As a thought-leader in the cyber insurance community, he also helps connect insurance carriers and brokers with the best cybersecurity resources available. In a prior role, David served as the Cyber Practice Leader for the Hausmann Group, a Midwest-based insurance and risk management firm.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 12:00 noon Mountain Time/ 1 p.m. Central Time / 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue on Tues., Jan. 11th at 12:00 noon Mountain Time/ 1 p.m. Central Time / 2 p.m. Eastern Time with “Friends and Foundations Working Effectively with the Library.” Register here

The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group, personal, and Statewide Group Members (MA, MD, MI, NE, SC, SD, TX).

This session will provide guidance on the tools and techniques needed for effective collaboration between Friends groups, Foundation members, libraries, and library directors. Presenters will discuss the roles of each group in relation to the library and provide resources on MOUs, guidelines for giving, and other subjects.

Speakers will include Judy Hills, President of the Friends of the North Carolina Public Libraries, and Peter Pearson, Founder/Senior Consultant at Library Strategies Consulting Group and a past President of United for Libraries.

Judy Hills is the President of the Friends of the North Carolina Public Libraries (FONCPL) and Vice-President of the Friends of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library. Now retired, her first career was as a registered nurse; her second career was in commercial real estate; and her third career was in nonprofit and quasi-governmental organizations (similar to regional library systems).  At the end of her career, she was the Executive Director of a nine-county planning organization. She helped secure many millions of dollars in federal, state, and other grants, and continues to provide grant opportunity information to the nonprofit community. 

Peter Pearson is lead consultant and co-founder of Library Strategies Consulting Group. He was president of the Friends of the Saint Paul (Minn.) Public Library for 25 years, and was a founder of Library Strategies. As president of the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, he led three capital campaigns and coordinated an annual grassroots advocacy campaign that added millions of dollars of public funding to the library’s budget. He also served as a Trustee for the Twin Cities Regional Library System for 10 years.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 12:00 noon Mountain Time/ 1 p.m. Central Time / 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue on Tues., Dec. 14 at 12:00 noon Mountain/ 1 p.m. Central/ 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries members and those with all-access statewide training.

To register for the December Learning Live session, click here.

According to a recent article in American Libraries (“A Conflict of Values,” Nov. 1), “Public libraries are facing a wave of trustee candidates whose goals challenge intellectual freedom, community service, and other core values of librarianship.” How can you protect your library and board from finding itself in a position where a board member’s ideologies oppose core library tenets? This session will focus on preparedness strategies, community building, and how to create strong policies that address programming, budgeting, and services.

Speakers will include Megan Cusick of ALA’s Public Policy & Advocacy Office, Deborah Caldwell-Stone of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, Deborah Doyle of the Sonoma County Library Commission, and Beth Nawalinski of United for Libraries.

Megan Cusick is the Deputy Director for State Advocacy in ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy office. She coordinates ALA’s state and local advocacy efforts in partnership with ALA offices and divisions; state chapters and affiliates; and librarians, library staff, and advocates across the country. Prior to joining ALA, Megan was a librarian in Chicago Public Schools and the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center; she is a co-founder of the Chicago Teachers Union librarians committee. She has presented and published on topics such as partnerships, library trends, civic engagement, intellectual freedom, and advocacy.

Deborah Caldwell-Stone is Director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and Executive Director of the Freedom to Read Foundation. She is a recovering attorney and former appellate litigator who works closely with library professionals and library trustees on a wide range of intellectual freedom issues. She advises ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee and its Privacy Subcommittee on law and policy issues, and has served on the faculty of the ALA-sponsored Lawyers for Libraries and Law for Librarians workshops.  She is a contributor to the 10th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual and has contributed articles on law, policy, and intellectual freedom to American Libraries and other publications.

Deborah Doyle is a writer, editor and fundraiser as well as an active library advocate at local, state and national levels. She played board and staff roles at Friends of the San Francisco PL and was actively involved in helping to create SF’s well-funded modern library system. She has served as President of the California Library Association and is the only person to receive CLA’s President’s Award twice— the highest honor given to an individual for significant contributions to libraries. She currently sits on the United for Libraries board, the ALA Committee on Legislation, the CLA Advocacy and Legislative Committee and chairs the Sonoma County Library Commission. Deborah holds a BA from University of Virginia (high honors) and an Executive MLIS from San Jose State University.

Beth Nawalinski is the Executive Director for United for Libraries. She has pursued a 25+ year career supporting libraries and literacy, first as Community Relations Coordinator with Barnes & Noble, followed by Public Relations Specialist with the Norfolk (Va.) Public Library, Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator with Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA), and Director of Marketing & Communications for United for Libraries. She is the co-author of 101+ Great Ideas for Libraries and Friends and Even More Great Ideas for Libraries and Friends.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 12:00 noon Mountain Time/ 1 p.m. Central Time / 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Virtual and Hybrid Fundraising” Tues., Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries  members and those with statewide training access.

Learn about virtual and hybrid fundraising through examples of successful campaigns across the country. Presenters Reed Davaz McGowan (Eugene [Ore.] Public Library Foundation) and Kerry Barnes (Tomkins County [N.Y.] Public Library Foundation) will walk attendees through the planning processes of their respective campaigns, including Eugene Public Library Foundation’s Imagination Library Luncheon and Tomkins County Public Library Foundation’s 2021 Readathon and “Hold On, Let Me Ask a Librarian” program. A Q&A session will follow the presentation. Register for “Virtual and Hybrid Fundraising”

Reed Davaz McGowan is the executive director of Eugene Public Library Foundation. As an executive director of organizations in San Francisco and Philadelphia, she focused on increasing access to and funding for innovative arts, leadership development, and educational programming for underserved and often marginalized youth and communities.

Kerry A. Barnes serves as the assistant director for the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation. An avid swimmer, aspiring novelist, voracious reader, and intermediate knitter, she has more than 20 years’ experience fundraising for nonprofit organizations.

Eugene Public Library Foundation’s Imagination Library Luncheon Over the past 18 months, Eugene Public Library Foundation has been meeting the challenges faced by raising funds and stewarding donors during the pandemic. In the wake of canceling its annual gala for 2020 (and then 2021), the Foundation transitioned to online events and fundraising drives as well as increased virtual programming and outreach through a lot of experimentation and pivoting. In partnership with the Friends of Eugene Public Library, the Foundation raised funds for WiFi hotspots, which have emerged as an urgent community need. Additionally, the Foundation has virtually hosted two fundraising “luncheons” with different models, quarterly trivia nights, and a monthly lecture series. The virtual luncheons exceeded net revenue expectations and even out-performed the previous in-person luncheons to date.

Tompkins County Public Library Foundation’s Readathon started in 2013 as a 24-hour reading challenge and has evolved into an all-day signature fundraising event. In 2020, the Readathon had to pivot to a virtual format at almost the last minute, due to New York State’s shutdown response to the pandemic.  A virtual format was necessary for the 2021 Readathon as well, but allowed the Foundation to realize a new set of opportunities that will be part of the event in years to come, regardless of the state of world health. Kerry will share lessons learned (from being both an event organizer and participant), advice for making the most of peer-to-peer fundraising events, and how to help your biggest library lovers become library supporters.

Hold On, Let Me Ask a Librarian Based on a board member’s observation that the best Zoom events were a lot like old-time radio programs, they created their own version of NPR’s quiz show, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, titled Hold On, Let Me Ask a Librarian. Featuring a panel of local notables answering questions about TCPL while the audience played along at home online, the event broke new ground for virtual fundraising programming and actively engaging an audience more than a little tired of staring at a screen. Kerry will share what went into creating the event, what challenges the Foundation faced, and what they might do differently the next time around.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Making the Ask for End-of-Year Giving” Tues., Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. Central/2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide Partners. Register here

Featured presenters will be United for Libraries Board Members Lauren Trujillo, executive director of the Santa Barbara Library Foundation, and Ari Brooks, executive director at Friends of Montgomery County Libraries. Learn fundraising tips, strategies, and techniques for your end-of-year giving campaigns, plus how to connect with potential donors. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.

Lauren Trujillo attended UCSB where she received a B.A. in History. She recently received her master’s degree in library and information science from UCLA. She has worked with several nonprofits and organizations in Santa Barbara, including the Isla Vista Memorial Project, the Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. She sits on the board for the Santa Barbara Women’s Literary Festival and volunteers with the nonprofit Self Enquiry Life Fellowship in Montecito. As gift operations manager at SFMOMA she managed over 60,000 members and assisted with the re-opening campaign after a three-year closure. Her background in nonprofit fundraising is diverse and aligns with the needs of the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation.

Ari Z. Brooks, MSW is an experienced fundraiser and nonprofit manager having held leadership positions in three not-for-profit organizations for twenty-five years in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Her work has primarily focused on engaging and inspiring the community to provide volunteer and philanthropic support. She lectures and trains library-support groups throughout the region on organizational development, fundraising, and program development and evaluation. Ms. Brooks earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the 2004 Class of Leadership Montgomery and the inaugural 2009 recipient of the Emerging Leader Award for the County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week” on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. Central / 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members. Register here.

Featured presenters will include Jonathan Haupt, executive director at Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, South Carolina, and Marlena White, president of the Friends of South Carolina Libraries (FOSCL).

Learn about the history of National Friends of Libraries Week and ideas for celebrating, including the upcoming “I Was Born to Be in a Library” Virtual Tour & Discussion led by the Pat Conroy Literary Center in partnership with Friends of South Carolina Libraries (FOSCL). United for Libraries staff will provide resources, tips, and ideas for National Friends of Libraries Week.

The Pat Conroy Literary Center is a registered United for Libraries Literary Landmark.

Jonathan Haupt is the executive director of the nonprofit Conroy Center and the former director of the University of South Carolina Press. He is co-editor with Nicole Seitz of the anthology Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy, the recipient of 17 book awards. He is the host of the Live from the Pat Conroy Literary Center podcast on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network and an associate producer of the TELLY Award-winning ETV author interview program “By the River.” In 2020, Haupt was recognized with the Doug Marlette Literacy Leadership Award presented by Pulpwood Queens, the largest book club in the U.S.

Marlena White has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management. She was the Director of the Friends of the Lexington Main Library in Lexington, South Carolina for 15 years and now serves as the Financial Services Manager for a nonprofit management firm in Columbia, South Carolina. Marlena is a graduate of several leadership programs and was the 2019 recipient of the United for Libraries/ThriftBooks grant to attend the ALA Conference in Washington, D.C. She has volunteered with the Friends of South Carolina Libraries since 2016 and currently serves as their Board President. 

The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center is South Carolina’s first affiliate of the American Writers Museum and second American Library Association Literary Landmark. Through its interpretive center, year-round educational programs, and annual literary festival, the Conroy Center preserves and continues the literary legacy of Pat Conroy (1945–2016) as a teacher, mentor, advocate, and friend to readers and writers alike. To learn more about the Conroy Center, please visit in person at 601 Bladen St., Beaufort, South Carolina, or online at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.

The Friends of South Carolina Libraries is a statewide volunteer-run nonprofit organization created in the late 1980’s to help foster, create, and support local Friends of the Library groups, and to provide networking opportunities for these groups to work together for the support of library services throughout the State of South Carolina. FOSCL hosts both in-person and virtual education and advocacy programs (including an annual conference), and also offers grants and recognition awards in support of Friends of the Libraries across the Palmetto State. Learn more about FOSCL at www.foscl.org.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Gift Acceptance Policies Part 2: Advice from the Pros for Writing Your Policy” at 2 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, July 27. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members.

This session is a follow-up to June’s Learning Live, “Gift Acceptance Policies I: When ‘Free’ Isn’t Free.” Featured presenters will include Alan T. Shuckrow, shareholder at Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, and Clare D. Membiela, library law consultant at Library of Michigan.

United for Libraries members can register for this session, and for access to the recording of Part 1, at https://airtable.com/shrNWC0KRwvDL5Zv8

Find out how to craft or revise your library or group’s gift acceptance policy and legal considerations associated with such policies. Participants will learn how to ensure they are prepared for navigating how to handle proposed gifts and donations. The presenters will conduct a Q&A session, so bring your questions on this topic.

Alan T. Shuckrow is a shareholder at the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania law firm Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky (“SMGG”). From 2014-2019, he served as SMGG’s president and managing shareholder and currently serves on the Executive Committee as the firm’s counsel. His experience ranges from municipal and education law to civil litigation and real estate. His clients include non-profit and for-profit organizations and governmental entities. SMGG represents the two largest libraries in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

As the library law consultant at the Library of Michigan, Clare Membiela helps public libraries understand and manage legal issues that impact library services. Before joining the Library of Michigan in 2016, Membiela was the associate director for library and instructional support for the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Libraries. Before moving to Michigan, she worked at the University of Miami Law Library as the head of reference services. Prior to her academic library work, she worked for two major law firms as a librarian in its Miami offices. She has an MLS. from Southern Connecticut State University, a JD from the University of Miami, and 30 years of law library experience. She is excited about helping public libraries by connecting them to the legal information they need.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Gift Acceptance Policies Part 1: When “Free” Isn’t Free” at 11 a.m. Central on Tuesday, June 29. Featured presenters will include Charity Tyler, executive director at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Public Library Foundation, and Clare D. Membiela, library law consultant at Library of Michigan. 

United members should register for the session at https://airtable.com/shrNWC0KRwvDL5Zv8

When it comes to donations to the library, free isn’t always “free.” Find out how to craft or revise your library or group’s gift acceptance policy. Participants will learn how to ensure they are prepared for navigating how to handle proposed gifts and donations. The presenters will conduct a Q&A session, so bring your questions on this topic.

Charity Tyler is the 2021-2022 president of United for Libraries. She has been executive director of the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation since 2015. For the foundation, she has created policies and improved governance structures to support fundraising on behalf of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, and to support Foundation-funded programs including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For United for Libraries, she has led the Programming Committee and Governance Task Force.

As the library law consultant at the Library of Michigan, Clare Membiela helps public libraries understand and manage legal issues that impact library services. Before joining the Library of Michigan in 2016, she was the associate director for library and instructional support for the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Libraries. Before moving to Michigan, she worked at the University of Miami Law Library as the head of reference services. Prior to her academic library work, she worked for two major law firms as a librarian in their Miami offices. She has an MLS. from Southern Connecticut State University, a JD from the University of Miami, and 30 years of law library experience. She is excited about helping public libraries by connecting them to the legal information they need.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Friends of the Library & the Future of Booksales: Chapter 2” on Tuesday, May 25, 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members and the recording will be available to members.

Featured presenters will include Terry Plumb, president of the Friends of York County (S.C.) Library, and Karen Jacowitz, president of the Friends of the Moorhead (Minn.) Library.

Friends group leaders will speak to how each of their Friends groups have adapted their booksales models during the past year, including obstacles they’ve overcome and strategies and ideas they recommend – from online to in-person sales. Each presenter will offer insight and answer questions from attendees.

Terry Plumb is in his second year as president of the Friends of York County (S.C.) Library. A native of Florida, Plumb retired in 2007 after a 40-year career as a journalist, including serving as editor of three daily papers, most recently The Herald of Rock Hill, S.C. (1987-2007). He is a certified Master Gardener, past president of the Master Gardeners of York County and past chair of the Summer Reading Coalition, a joint effort by the York County Library and the Rock Hill School District to promote summer-time reading by elementary school children. Terry is the proud steward of the first Little Free Library to be registered in York County, S.C. There are now upwards of 60 in the county.

Karen Jacowitz is president of the Friends of the Moorhead Library in northwest Minnesota. The Moorhead Public Library, which serves approximately 48,000 residents, is the largest branch in Minnesota’s Lake Agassiz Regional Library system. For more than a decade, Karen has been co-director of the organization’s book sales, including coordinating the efforts of volunteers for each sale. Prior to being elected president of the Friends of the Moorhead Library, Karen served as vice president. She has a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s and doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.

Register for “Friends of the Library & the Future of Booksales: Chapter 2.”

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.

All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.

United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Ask the Experts: Boards of Trustees, Friends Groups, and Foundations” on Tuesday, April 27th at 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and statewide members.

A panel of experts, including San Francisco Public Library Executive Director Marie Ciepiela, Library of Michigan Library Law Consultant Clare Membiela, Friends of the Montgomery County Library (Md.) Executive Director Ari Brooks, and Kent District Library (Mich.) Board of Trustees Chair Shirley Bruursema will address common issues that arise among Library Boards, Friends Groups, and Foundations, and how to solve them. Panelists will present two in-depth scenarios, provide tips and best practices, and answer questions from attendees.

During a “lightning round” session, speakers will field questions from registrants. Submit a question in the registration form.

Due to time limitations, not all questions will be answered live. Attendees will receive a list of suggested resources for the presented in-depth scenarios, and the types of questions submitted with this registration form.

Marie Ciepiela has served as the Executive Director of the San Francisco Public Library since 2016, leading the private, community-based side of a partnership for excellence with the public library. Since arriving in San Francisco in 1990, she has served as an executive leader of three nonprofit organizations, including the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco; the OMIE (Oceanview, Merced, Ingleside, Excelsior) Beacon Center; and the Youth Service Bureaus, the mental health department of the YMCA of San Francisco. She holds a California Teaching credential, a Master’s degree from the University of California at Davis, and a Bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard University.

Clare Membiela serves as the Library Law Consultant at the Library of Michigan, helping public libraries understand and manage legal issues that impact library services. Before joining the Library of Michigan in 2016, Clare was the Associate Director for Library and Instructional Support for the WMU Cooley Law School Libraries. She has an M.L.S. from Southern Connecticut State University, a J.D. from the University of Miami, and 30 years of law library experience.

Ari Z. Brooks is Executive Director of the Friends of the Montgomery County Library in Maryland. An experienced fundraiser and nonprofit manager, she has held leadership positions in three not-for-profit organizations for twenty-five years in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Ms. Brooks earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the 2004 Class of Leadership Montgomery and the inaugural 2009 recipient of the Emerging Leader Award for the County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities.

Shirley Bruursema is chair of the Kent District Library Board of Trustees in Michigan. She was the recipient of the ALA Trustee Citation in 2009. Bruursema has been a delegate for the White House Conference on Libraries. She was treasurer and co-chair of millage campaigns that continued the Kent District Library’s service to 26 communities and 18 libraries. Bruursema has been dubbed the “Millage Queen” for her work coaching libraries through millage campaigns, helping with efforts to pass more than 80 millage elections since 2000.

To register for “Ask the Experts: Boards of Trustees, Friends Groups, and Foundations,” click here.

United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.