May we share some news with you?

Welcome to The Library Collective Newsletter! In this edition we’ve got updates on our current activities for 2023 and beyond. We’re also sharing some music and sound from our Libraries ROCK! event and announcing a new opportunity to partner with us. Read on to stay informed and discover how you can get involved!

Make Waves with The Collective at Sea

Ready to set sail on an unforgettable adventure? Join us for The Collective at Sea in May 2024! It's a 5-night journey with stops in CocoCay, Bahamas and Cozumel, Mexico. We'll have conference sessions during the day while at sea with nights and port visits reserved for building connections, exploring, having fun, and recharging.

Calls for session proposals will open next month but we wanted to give you, our loyal readers, a sneak preview of our theme: Make Waves! Create Change!

That’s right, our theme will be all about disrupting “Library Land” as we explore the many ways that library workers challenge the status quo, persevere in the face of adversity, and dream about the future.

We hope you’ll join the revolution and disrupt the industry with us. Book your cabin now and prepare for an unforgettable journey!

Virtual Events

Our free virtual learning series continues with opportunities to develop your leadership skills and learn more about how censorship is directly impacting the lives of library workers. Be sure to register today so you don’t miss out!

May 26th – After School Special: Learning to Lead. Learn tips and strategies for becoming a more effective leader and hear from leaders about their own experiences and lessons they’ve learned along the way. (Register at https://bit.ly/3KDvAB6)

June 30th – Let’s Get Real: Tales of Censorship. Join us for a lively discussion about current trends in censorship and hear from library workers who have been impacted by censorship efforts. (Register at https://bit.ly/3GnG9Wr)

Libraries World’s Fair

Last November we announced that we’re in the early stages of planning our own version of a World’s Fair. As envisioned this will be an event like no other that brings together libraries from across the globe in a way that allows them to showcase the unique and amazing contributions they’ve made to the world and our profession.

Today, we’re excited to share that we’ve begun discussing event formats and logistics. One area we could use help with though, is deciding where we might want to hold the fair. We’d ideally like to host it someplace that has held a World’s Fair before and would love your feedback on some of the cities we’ve identified as possible contenders.

Please take a moment to let us know your thoughts by completing this brief survey.

Rock On!

We had an absolute blast at Libraries ROCK! and we’re planning on hosting the event again next year!

For those who couldn’t make it (or for those who want a reminder of the event) we’re pleased to share a live-recording of one of the more experimental performances from that evening - A CHANCE OF FROG; a set described by featured artist Ethan Persoff, “as a lot of electronics in a utility cart, with field recordings of frogs and TX weather (ice storm included).” When not playing with sound, Ethan works as an Online Experience Lead at the University of Texas at Austin Libraries.?

And for those who are less into experimental sound, we offer the recently released video for Scars by another featured artist, Daily Worker. This band, fronted by Whit Williams, has been described by PopMatters as “Mid-period Beatles and Byrds, Wilco at their lightest, the Stones at their brightest.” When Whit isn’t making music you can find him leading the Music and Multimedia Cataloging Unit at the University of Texas at Austin Libraries.

We hope you enjoy what you hear and, if you do, that you’ll consider supporting independent music by purchasing a track or an album by our featured artists.

Showcase Your Talents

We had a great time hosting Libraries ROCK! Such a great time, in fact, that we’d like to showcase the amazing talents of library workers year-round with our community.

So, if you’re a library worker who also happens to be a musician, artist, or writer and would like us to share your work just contact us and we’ll gladly help promote your work for free!

Like What We Do?

Our events are put on by volunteers who give their time in service to the profession. We have no paid or dedicated staff and do not profit off of registration fees.

The generous support of those who believe in the work we do directly supports our efforts to create inclusive and supportive spaces useful learning.

If you like what we do, please consider making a recurring or one-time donation to support our mission. Thanks!