2023: PLA's Year in Review

Highlights from the Public Library Association

2023 Year in Review

Click above to scroll through a visual presentation of PLA's 2023 year in review. A text version is available below.

PLA Presidents' Reflections

Looking back on all that we've accomplished in 2023, the Public Library Association (PLA) Board and staff are truly grateful to be representing and serving such a strong, creative, and resilient group of public library workers. It's been amazing to see library content TRENDING this year, with accounts like those from the Milwaukee Public Library and recent "I Love My Librarian Award" winner Mychal Threets bringing joy and hope back to the library field, while raising awareness of the important role we play in our communities.

Unfortunately, we have also continued to see rising book challenges and threats to our intellectual freedom, with public libraries becoming an increasing target. The preliminary data from the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) showed that between January and August of 2023, challenges to books in public libraries accounted for 49% of those documented by OIF, compared to 16% during the same reporting period in 2022.

In our presidential roles with PLA, we've spent the year talking with media about intellectual freedom, digital equity, and the evolution of library services. The Board has continued to focus our conversations and the work of the organization around equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice. We have fought hard to advocate for library funding and participated in events such as the ALA Congressional Fly-in, March 8–9 in Washington, DC, to meet with federal appropriators and their staffs about funding libraries.

We could not have accomplished all that is reflected in this year's report without the dedicated support of our Board, staff, members, volunteers, donors, and advocates. We are excited for the year to come and can't wait to see you in Columbus for the PLA 2024 Conference!

Dr. Maria Taesil Hudson McCauley, PLA President 2022–2023

Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, PLA President 2023–2024

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice

PLA transforms Inclusive Internship Initiative into helpful toolkit for libraries

Between 2017 and 2021, 198 high school students from 119 libraries across 44 states participated in the Public Library Association’s (PLA) Inclusive Internship Initiative (III). III was designed to provide high-school-aged students from diverse backgrounds with paid, mentored internships in local public libraries. Students had the opportunity to experience the work of librarianship firsthand and explore how to use their talents and perspectives to impact their communities. PLA sponsored four national III cohorts with funding from a preprofessional Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Through III, PLA and participants developed a wealth of resources for planning and supporting a successful internship program. In June, PLA launched the Inclusive Internship Toolkit: A Practical Guide for Teen Internships, a free resource to support libraries interested in launching their own internship program. This toolkit includes resources across the lifespan of an internship program, from internal planning and budgeting, to recruiting, to managing interns and their project work, to sustaining learning after the internship period. In the toolkit, libraries can find templates, stories and best practices, and a wealth of outcome data.

Learn more about the Inclusive Internship Initiative

PLA receives record-breaking number of applications for expanded 2024 Conference Scholarship program

The Public Library Association (PLA) received a record-breaking number (573) of scholarship applications to attend the PLA 2024 Conference, April 3–5, in Columbus, Ohio. As part of PLA’s commitment to equity, diversity, and social justice in the library profession, PLA tripled the number of conference scholarships offered and increased the number of qualifying categories for applicants. Scholarships cover conference registration fees, one year of ALA/PLA membership, and a travel stipend of $750 for those attending the conference in-person. Scholarships have been offered to over 100 applicants who belong to at least one of the following categories:

  • Early career (i.e., fewer than five years) or un/under-employed (annual salary less than $45,000)
  • Students pursuing a master’s degree in library and/or information science (i.e., MLS, MLIS, MIS)
  • Students pursuing a master’s degree in library and/or information science (i.e., MLS, MLIS, MIS)
  • Working in small or rural libraries (i.e., serving communities with fewer than 25,000 people)
  • Current or past Spectrum Scholars working in public libraries
  • National Association of Librarians of Color (NALCo) members (i.e., members of AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, JCLC, and REFORMA)
“As one of the country’s only public library LGBTQIA+ Services Specialists, I possess a unique professional purview. As members of my community—but particularly trans youth and trans people of color—face legislative and physical assaults at unprecedented rates, I seek to learn innovative best practices for helping my library system remain a space where all are free to belong.... From supporting the Stonewall generation to crafting tangibles like an EDI toolkit, each session in PLA aligns directly with a specific directive in my job description or upcoming professional project. Truly, I would struggle to craft my own itinerary for a conference that more closely aligns with my current and immediate professional goals and needs than does PLA 2024." - Jordan Ostrum

Learn more about PLA 2024 Conference scholarships

Transformation

PLA awards $1.27 million to more than 200 public libraries for digital literacy and ACP workshops

Powered by a contribution from AT&T, PLA selected more than 200 public libraries across 45 states to host digital literacy and ACP workshops. The PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentives, supported by AT&T, support public libraries in their work improving digital skills, closing the digital divide, and promoting broadband adoption among families and communities. The workshops leverage online digital literacy courses, created by PLA in collaboration with AT&T, that are freely available to anyone through DigitalLearn.org and AT&T ScreenReady. DigitalLearn.org online courses and training materials were developed with and for library staff and their patrons.

The second cohort is part of an expanded national initiative and collaboration between PLA and AT&T. In 2022, 160 libraries were selected to be part of the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T. The initial group of libraries held more than 1,500 workshops which helped over 8,000 learners build skills and confidence using technology. This new cohort increased the number of learners libraries can reach, while teaching basic technology skills such as internet use, video conferencing, cybersecurity, and ACP basics.

Learn more about digital literacy incentives

PLA releases the first ever Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report

In June, PLA released the first Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report. The 2022 national survey explored types of public library programs and services, the nature of partnerships with other organizations, and the state of library facilities. The survey is the third in a rotating series exploring public library roles, services, and resources to provide actionable data for decision-making and advocacy. PLA invited all U.S. public library administrative entities to complete the survey in fall 2022 and received a total of 1,167 library responses, a response rate of 12.6%. Key findings included:

  • The majority of public libraries (68%) offer elections services, such as voter registration, ballot drop-off, or serving as a polling place.
  • Virtually all libraries (99%) have summer reading programs for children, teens, and/or adults to support learning outside of school.
  • 78% of libraries offer job and career services currently and 24% have workforce development programs.
  • 17.5% of libraries have at least one type of mobile programming facility, including bookmobiles, cybermobiles, and mobile job centers.
  • 98% of public libraries have at least one type of partnership with an external organization (e.g., K-12 schools, government entities, and non-profits).
  • 40% of library buildings have not undergone major renovations in over two decades (since 2000 or earlier).
  • Half of libraries (50%) have special designations for emergencies, serving as cooling/warming centers in extreme temperatures, distribution centers during public health emergencies, and/or centers for community members and first responders during disaster recovery.

In coordination with PLA’s Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment Committee, and representatives from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and state library agencies, the PLA surveys and reports complement and add detail to the annual Public Libraries Survey. The new PLA report also includes pointers and resources for action to address community needs such as food insecurity, workforce development, and renewable energy.

Read the Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report

PLA annual survey seeks to build upon library technology data

PLA’s 2023 national survey focused on resources, infrastructure, training, staff, and funding related to technology. The initial technology survey was first administered in 2020 and provided an essential snapshot of public library technology services and capacity. The findings illuminated the critical role that libraries of all sizes play in bridging digital divides in communities across the nation. The 2023 Technology Survey builds upon these insights and provides an updated picture of the state of technology in public libraries. This is particularly important for advocacy efforts, as more than $1.4 billion in federal funding will be distributed to states to support digital equity work starting in 2024. PLA invited all public libraries to participate and received a total of 1,511 library responses, a participation rate of 16.4%. Respondents get free access to data visualizations and are able to compare results to peer- and national-level data in PLA’s dynamic Benchmark tool.

Learn more about PLA annual surveys

Professional Growth

Over 10,000 people registered for PLA’s online learning

PLA continued to offer the best online learning for public library staff and supporters, with 37 webinars presented to over 10,000 people in 2023. Highlights included a focus on accessible programming, inclusive services, and supportive staffing in our most popular paid webinars. Special free offerings included the PLA Leadership Development Committee's Stronger Together series and Google Super Searchers series. PLA’s biannual webinar proposal process ensures we showcase the best work happening in public libraries today and offers a great opportunity to get involved.

Brown and Mulligan win Public Libraries magazine 2023 Feature Article Contest

In April, Public Libraries, the official magazine of the PLA, announced the 2023 recipients of the Feature Article Contest for articles published in the previous year. Selections were made by the PLA Public Libraries Advisory Subcommittee. First prize of $500 was awarded to Jennifer Brown, Executive Director, and Nora Mulligan, Head of Adult Services, The Field Library, Peekskill, New York, for their feature article “When First Amendment Auditors Visit Your Library,” which was published in the January/February 2022 issue of Public Libraries. Honorable mention prize of $300 was awarded to Jenn McKague, Outreach Services Librarian, Salt Lake County (Utah) Library, for her feature article, “Strengthening Communities—Outreach Services to Persons Who Are Incarcerated and Those Re-entering Society,” which was published in the May/June 2022 issue.

PLA partners with Google to launch Super Searchers information literacy training

PLA and Google know that library staff are trusted facilitators and guides in boosting information literacy skills. With growing challenges rooted in misinformation, this role is only becoming more important. Building on a 2022 Super Searchers pilot with Public Libraries 2030 and Google, PLA extended the brief and effective training to help equip more busy library staff with tools to help patrons search more efficiently and critically engage online information.

The Super Searchers training and toolkit provide resources for Google users to understand the context that surrounds what they find when searching the web. Built on work developed by University of Washington researcher Mike Caulfield, this can be a useful resource for library workers as they perform their own duties and help patrons think critically about the information they consume. PLA offered five free webinars that reached over 3,000 people with tools to help library patrons search more efficiently and critically engage with online information.

Access the Super Searchers training and toolkit

PLA hosts more than 20 programs at ALA Annual Conference

The 2023 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference gathered over 15,000 library workers, vendors, and supporters in person at the McCormick Place convention center in Chicago. PLA hosted over 20 education programs and preconferences, which covered a wide variety of topics, including data and assessment, mental health, digital accessibility, and diverse collections. The PLA President’s program transformed into a members-only coffee catch-up event, where members had the opportunity to network, hear from New York Times bestselling author Jean Kwok, and win a free PLA 2024 Conference registration.

PLA Leadership Development Committee offers emotional and professional support in series of networking conversations

Library leaders at all levels are facing unprecedented challenges related to a variety of topics: intellectual freedom; equity, diversity, and inclusion; staffing challenges; community engagement; and, let’s face it, sometimes just maintaining your own motivation in a post-pandemic environment. People need time and space to refresh, energize, practice self-care, and feel seen and supported by their colleagues. To respond to this growing need, the PLA Leadership Development Committee launched a series of 10 online networking conversations, “Stronger Together: Creating Space for Mutual Support,” which reached over 1,600 people from September 2023 through January 2024.

PLA plans for a successful conference in Columbus

Program planning for the PLA national conference, to be held April 3–5, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio, kicked off with the opening of education proposals in the spring. PLA received over 550 proposals from public libraries across the country eager to present their ideas and inspire future library leaders. The PLA Conference Program Subcommittee was busy over the summer carefully reviewing and selecting the final slate of programs, which went live when registration opened in October.

PLA and Ohio Library Council (OLC) members were once again offered exclusive access to the Early Bird registration rate—a savings of nearly $300. More than 100 education programs and workshops will be offered, plus fan-favorite special attractions such as Big Ideas, the How-To Stage, author events, the Career Center, Book Buzz, and the new PLA Dog Park!

Conference speakers are sure to inspire ideas and spark change. Opening Speaker Dr. Joy Buolamwini, a.k.a. the Poet of Code, creates art to illuminate the impact of AI on society. She is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, a groundbreaking MIT researcher, a model, an artist, and the author of the national bestseller Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines. The Big Ideas Series kicks off each morning with PLA’s version of “TED” talks, where attendees will hear from award-winning author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates and climate justice writer Mary Annaïse Heglar. The Closing Session will leave attendees laughing with rising comedian Dulcé Sloan. Sloan has been a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah since 2017 and her first memoir, Hello, Friends!: Stories of Dating, Destiny, and Day Jobs, is expected to be released February 2024.

Learn more about the PLA 2024 Conference

Advocacy & Awareness

PLA continued to serve as the national champion of public libraries

Timed with International Fact Checking Day in April, PLA and Google convened experts from across government, civil society, libraries, academia and the private sector to discuss effective strategies for helping people develop information literacy skills. Hosted by DC Public Library, speakers explored topics such as how to make information literacy skills training more compelling for communities, what collaboration is needed across stakeholder groups, as well as the role of libraries and library professionals in this vital work.

PLA expanded our work with AT&T to provide media and marketing templates to support community awareness of public library digital literacy resources. We showed our support at several community events across the country where libraries participating in the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive program were given additional funds to distribute free laptops to workshop participants.

The PLA Board engaged with reporters and partners to increase awareness of the impacts of book bans on public libraries, their staff, and their communities. Dr. Maria Taesil Hudson McCauley, PLA President 2022–2023, helped raise awareness of the rise in public library censorship incidents by participating in the ALA x NBC Banned Book Club discussion featuring George Orwell's 1984. In a story from NPR, "The plot thickens: The battle over books comes at a cost," Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, PLA President 2023–2024, spoke about the dangers of these challenges, including losing staff, limiting services, and the ripple effect that has on the community.

PLA also published stories and examples of summer learning programs to remind the world of the joy of reading and the essential role libraries play while school is out. Whether it's visiting with raptors, learning about upcycling, or having a massive foam party to celebrate the end of summer, public libraries offer learning and experiences that kids couldn't get anywhere else.

Organizational Excellence

PLA welcomes Lambert, Sica, Pitchford, and King to PLA Board

This spring, the membership elected Michael Lambert, City Librarian, San Francisco (CA) Public Library, to the office of 2024–2025 PLA president. As the first Korean American to serve as the city librarian for the City and County of San Francisco, Michael feels extremely grateful for the opportunity to live and work in a city that deeply values the role of well-supported neighborhood libraries in service to our diverse community. Throughout his career he’s been fortunate to work for some of the premier urban libraries in the country, including San Mateo County (CA) Libraries, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (Charlotte, NC), and his beloved hometown Richland Library (Columbia, SC).

Also elected to the PLA Board as directors-at-large were Veronda J. Pitchford, Assistant Director, Califa Group/Infopeople (San Francisco, CA) and Tamara M. King, Chief Equity and Engagement Officer, Richland Library (Columbia, SC). Deb Sica, Deputy County Librarian, Alameda County (CA) Library, was elected as ALA Division Councilor.

Meet the PLA Board

PLA publications and media continue to inform on the latest public library trends

FYI: The Public Libraries Podcast provided 13 thought-provoking episodes this year. Covering diverse subjects such as workforce development, digital literacy, and even beekeeping at the library, FYI episodes collectively garnered over 14,000 listens over the course of the year, showcasing the podcast's broad appeal. Public Libraries Online, the digital companion to the Public Libraries magazine, remained an information hub. Throughout the year, the site unveiled nearly 100 articles, each contributing to the robust dialogue within the library community. With approximately 30,000 individual views per month, PL Online demonstrated its continuing commitment to providing valuable insights to its readership.

PLA hit the road to promote conference, membership, and resources across the country

After a hiatus from traveling due to the pandemic, PLA took advantage of the return to in-person events by exhibiting, sponsoring, or presenting at several library conferences across the country. We were thrilled to reconnect with our members and supporters and share new resources and toolkits, grant opportunities, and raffle off PLA 2024 Conference registrations. Stops on the PLA promotional tour included:

PLA shares our wins on social

PLA's top posts this year were all about celebrating public libraries, library workers, and the PLA resources available to them. From our top Instagram post celebrating National Library Workers Day on April 25 to retweets of PLA President Sonia Alcántara-Antoine's media features on censorship, and enthusiasm about PLA's Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T, our online community thrived this year. We reached 5,000 followers on Instagram (a 19% increase from the previous year) and grew our Facebook and Twitter audiences. We also saw brewing excitement about the PLA 2024 Conference as the first previews of the conference and general session speakers were announced on social media.

Thank you to our members, volunteers, and partners.

As always, we could not have achieved what we did this year without your dedication and support.

Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA)

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