Resilient Communities: Advisors
Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA), will help libraries engage their communities in programs and conversations that address the climate crisis. The pilot program project will fund film screenings, community dialogues and related events based on local interest in 25 public and academic libraries in 2020, and it will fund the creation of a suite of free programming resources about the climate crisis that will be available to all libraries.
Project advising is provided by the following library professionals, who bring a wealth of experience with and passion for library-led sustainability initiatives. Advisors were selected through a competitive application process.
Madeleine Charney, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries, serves as liaison to the departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Regional Planning and the Sustainable Food & Farming and Arboriculture & Community Forestry programs. As a co-founder of ALA's Sustainability Round Table: Libraries Fostering Resilient Communities, she is passionate about supporting regenerative food systems and community practices such as World Cafe and Ways of Council. She also facilitates labyrinth walks for individual, professional and societal transformation.
April Griffith first started her journey toward sustainability in 2007, studying for her BA in Industrial Design with an emphasis in green design. Upon graduation she shifted gears and pursued her MLS with the idea that she best could help the world by sharing information and ideas working in libraries. She has worked in academic, research and public libraries for the past nine years and is passionate about the environment and community engagement. April lives in Arkansas with her husband and son and currently serves as the director of the Eureka Springs Carnegie Public Library.
Juan Rubio is the Program Manager for Digital Media and Learning at the Seattle Public Library. He is an expert in educational technology with experience securing funds, developing and managing programs for youth in underrepresented populations. He has designed curricula for other professionals in cultural institutions such as Tribeca Film Institute, New York Department of Education, Brooklyn Public Library and Carnegie Hall. He serves on the board of directors of Filmmakers without Borders and has a master’s degree in Media Studies from the New School University and studied film at Howard University School of Communications.
Beth Filar Williams is head of the Library Experience and Access Department at Oregon State University Libraries. With more than 20 years of experience across library types, she offers a deep understanding of assessing community needs, connecting people and empowering libraries as societal strongholds. She was especially proud to co-found ALA’s Sustainability Round Table: Libraries Fostering Resilient Communities.