The Heart of Librarianship ALA Webinar with Loida Garcia Febo

Thanks to Loida, ALA staff, and everyone who attended today’s webinar.

Here’s the press release:

Join Garcia-Febo and Dr. Michael Stephens for an exploration of the importance of accessible, welcoming and responsive library environments that invite open and equitable participation, as well as an examination of which factors are preventing many libraries from ramping up community engagement and user-focused services.

The heart of librarianship is learning. It is a cyclical process of support, engagement and discovery with deep roots in the concepts of service, access and freedom to pursue interests of all kinds. No matter what type of institution, someone is gaining knowledge, finding information, or creating something new based on our facilitation. For librarians, taking the role of facilitator and guide is best delivered with humanity and heart. The library should encourage the heart!

Dr. Michael Stephens is associate professor in the School of Information at San Jose State University. He has delivered keynotes, papers and workshops throughout the U.S. and internationally. He just spent a month in Australia working with librarians and educators. In 2016, ALA Editions published five years of his Library Journal “Office Hours” columns as a book entitled The Heart of Librarianship.

Loida’s column “Serving with Love” at American Libraries.

Download the slides here.

Citations & Selected Links:

Stephens, M. (2016). The Heart of Librarianship. Chicago: American Library Association Editions.

Citations from “Office Hours” | Library Journal by Michael Stephens