Featured Speakers

William Adamczyk

Library Director, Milton Public Library and MLA Legislative Committee Co-chair

Expanding your Library's Advocacy Potential to the Max

Shannon Astolfi

she/her/hers
Research/Digital Branch Librarian, Morse Institute Library, Natick
Shannon Astolfi is a Research and Digital Branch Librarian at the Morse Institute Library in Natick, MA. Shannon has also worked at the Minuteman Library Network and the Marlborough Public Library. She received her MLIS from Simmons College, and is an alumna of Library Leadership Massachusetts.
Swiveling Services During COVID-19 and Beyond: Creating a Digital Branch

Patty Bailey

Awards, Paralibrarian Section

Paraganza! Paralibrarian Annual Meeting and Awards

Erin Bassett

she/her/hers
Young Adult Librarian, Needham Free Public Library
Erin Bassett started out as a graphic designer before finding her way into the library universe. She recently celebrated her 10 year anniversary of working at the Needham Free Public Library and has been the Young Adult Librarian for the last four. In her spare time she enjoys reading, singing in choirs (when not in the time of COVID), and crocheting up a yarn storm.
Find King Arthur at the Library

Callan Bignoli

she/her/hers
Library Director, Olin College of Engineering
Callan inhabits the middle grounds of librarianship, such as those between public and academic, digital and physical, and fear and optimism for the future. She hopes to see our profession acknowledge its own overwhelming homogeneity and respond with cultural humility and more meaningful efforts toward inclusion.
@eminencefont (Twitter)
Troublesome Tech Trends

Nora Blake

she/her/hers
President, Massachusetts Library Association
Nora is the Director of the Emily Williston Memorial Library in Easthampton, Mass. She is passionate about libraries and community. She is also passionate about jigsaw puzzles. When not thinking about libraries, Nora can be found piecing together 1,000 piece puzzles while trying to keep her cats off the table.
Opening Remarks
Trivia Challenge
MLA Business Meeting

Jessica Block

she/her/hers
Head of Youth Services, Ames Free Library
Jessica Block is the Head of Youth Services at the Ames Free Library in Easton. She received her MLS with a focus on Children’s Services from the University of Texas, Austin.
Introducing the ABCs!: Early Literacy in Storytimes

Noelle Boc

Secretary, Massachusetts Library Association

MLA Business Meeting

Monica Brennan

she/her/hers
Head of Youth Services, Westerly Library and Wilcox Park
Monica Brennan is currently the Head of Youth Services at Westerly Library and Wilcox Park. Over the past decade, she has worked as School Library Media Specialist Teacher and Director of Youth Services at public libraries across the United States. She has served on a wide array of youth services committees and state library advisory boards. Her passion for graphic novels, social justice, and social emotional learning have empowered her to collaborate with unique and innovative community partners. She is endlessly inspired by the work produced by her powerhouse co-collaborators, Lee-Ann and McKenna!
Crash!: Where Graphic Novels and Social Emotional Learning Converge

Carla Burke

she/her/hers
Assistive Technology Coordinator, Brooks Free Library, Harwich
Carla coordinates the VITAL (Vision Impaired Technology Assistance at the Library) Program at the Brooks Free Library which provides assistive technology training to people with vision loss. She has won several awards, including the Cape nCod and Islands Red Cross Hero Award, themPresident’s Award from the Chatham-Nauset Lions Club, and the Bay State Council of the Blind Outstanding Service Award.
Inclusive Library Services: New Tools and Techniques to Reach People with Disabilities

Mehreen N. Butt

she/her/hers
Wakefield Town Councilor
Mehreen N. Butt (she/her/hers) was elected to the Town Council in Wakefield in 2017 and was re-elected in 2020. She is the first Muslim-American elected to serve a local board or municipality in Massachusetts. Mehreen is a public policy attorney focusing on healthcare, housing, food access and civil rights issues. Currently, she is the Associate Director of Policy and Government Affairs at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.
Does the Mayor Have a Library Card: Understanding Local Government and Making Libraries Important to it

Deborah Caldwell

she/her/hers
Diversity Resident Librarian, UNCG
Deborah Yun Caldwell is the Diversity Resident Librarian at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds a Master of Information Science from the University of North Texas. As Jackson Libraries’ diversity resident, Deborah serves on a number of diversity-focused committees, and she assisted in organizing the IMLS-funded UNCG Library Diversity Institute for residents across the US and Canada. In addition to her focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion, her work explores the intersections of digital preservation, information stewardship, cultural memory, and the justice of information access. @Databrarian
(Not) Another Antiracist Reading Group: Walking the Talk

Stephanie Chase

she/her/hers
Executive Director, Libraries of Eastern Oregon and Founding Principal, Constructive Disruption
Stephanie is an accomplished innovator and change leader, with significant experience leading organizational design and effectiveness and community engagement initiatives. With more than twenty years of experience in local and municipal government, Stephanie has served communities ranging from the small and rural in New England, resort communities, and some of our largest urban centers on both the east and west coasts. Stephanie has strong feelings about:
-Sports — especially tennis, my Portland Trail Blazers (basketball) and Portland Timbers (soccer).
-There needs to be a mix of fun and humor in all meetings and workplace functions. And excellent snacks.
-Why don’t more people like the popcorn jellybelly?
-People need to collaborate more and get out of their own way!
@acornsandnuts
No More Silos: Keys to Implementing Self-Management to Fully Empower Staff

John Chrastka

he/him/his
Executive Director, EveryLibrary
EveryLibrary’s founder is John Chrastka, a long-time library trustee, supporter, and advocate. Mr. Chrastka is a former partner in AssociaDirect, a Chicago-based consultancy focused on supporting associations in membership recruitment, conference, and governance activities. He is a former president and member of the Board of Trustees for the Berwyn (IL) Public Library (2006 – 2015) and is a former president of the Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS) multi-type library system. Prior to his work at AssociaDirect, he was Director for Membership Development at the American Library Association (ALA). He is a member of ALA as well as the Illinois Library Association (ILA), and the American Political Sciences Association (APSA). He as named a 2014 Mover & Shaker by Library Journal.
@mrchrastka
Expanding your Library’s Advocacy Potential to the Max

Austin Clark

he/him/his
Library Media Specialist, Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School
Austin Clark is the Library Media Specialist at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Dubbed "Raisin Man" by his students (after his favorite library snack), Austin's qualifications for the job are somewhat unorthodox. He holds an MA in History and a certificate in Public History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, but before that he served the town of New Boston, NH as their circulation and interlibrary loan librarian. At other points, and sometimes simultaneously, he has been a site supervisor for Canterbury Shaker Village, a grant programs intern for Mass Humanities, a researcher for the Holyoke Historical Society, and a historic graveyard consultant. While he cannot recite the Dewey Decimal System backward and doesn't know how to play the theatre game Wah!, he does bring a dual love of historical research and fantasy literature to the library as well as a strange obsession with citations.
Escape Your Pigeon Hole

Gerard F. Cody, REHS/RS

he/him/his
Redefining Essential: Libraries as Command Centers

Michael Colford

he/him/his
Director of Library Services, Boston Public Library
Michael Colford is the Director of Library Services at the Boston Public Library. With over thirty years in libraries and over twenty years in library administration, Michael has a public service outlook with a technical services and collections background, specializing in networking, problem-solving, team building, strategic visioning and applying technology to traditional library services. His current interests include serving communities in an urban environment and outreach to our most vulnerable communities.
Public Library as a Refuge: Social Service Efforts at the Boston Public Library

Corinne Coveney

she/her/hers
Community Outreach Librarian, Belmont Public Library
Corinne Coveney is the former Community Outreach Librarian at the Belmont Public Library. In her free time, she plays board games, procrasti-bakes, and tries to keep her houseplants alive.
Connecting with Older Adults: Ins and Outs of a Pen Pal Program

Erin Daly

she/her/hers
Youth Services Coordinator, Chicopee Public Library
Erin Daly is the Youth Services Coordinator at the Chicopee Public Library, where she has been a librarian for over ten years. She is a past chair of the Massachusetts Library Association Youth Services Section and has worked as an adjunct for Simmons University teaching Young Adult Literature to graduate students. She is a scifi/fantasy nerd and has cats named after Star Wars characters.
We are READY: MA Youth Services Staff Making Change with Project READY

Eileen Davis

MASS 2-1-1 Vice President and Director of Call2Talk, United Way of Tri-County
Eileen Davis is the Vice President of Mass211, the statewide service that connects callers to information about critical health and human services available in their community. Prior to assuming this role, Eileen was the Founder and Director of Call2Talk, an emotional support, mental health and suicide prevention helpline that actively engages with callers to help alleviate their feelings of despair, loneliness and potential suicidal ideation. She continues to also oversee the TeleCheck program, a component of Elder Community Care as well as the LOSSteam (Local Outreach for Suicide Survivors) is the programs newest service. Eileen is the Founder and Co-Chair of The MetroWest Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention. She also holds a seat on the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention and is the Vice Chair of nonprofits for the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce.
We’re All in Crisis Now

Maura Deedy

she/her/hers
Library Advisory Specialist, MBLC
Does the Mayor Have a Library Card: Understanding Local Government and Making Libraries Important to it

Gerry Deyermond

she/her/hers
Assistant Head of Circulation, Memorial Hall Library/ Paralibrarian section
Paraganza! Paralibrarian Annual Meeting and Awards
Libraries and Disabilities

Patty DiTullio

she/her/hers
Library Director, Ipswich
Patty has been working in libraries for 25 years and has been a library director for 15 of them. She has seen countless resumes cross her desk, with varying outcomes. She is past-president of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium, and currently the Chair of the MLA’s Personnel and Education Committee.
Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews, Oh My!

Ally Dowds

Public Services Division Head, Reading Public Library
Ally Dowds is the Public Services Division Head for the Reading Public Library, a recent transition after serving as the Health & Human Services Librarian for the Boston Public Library since 2017. For the majority of Ally’s career in librarianship, she has conceptualized and adapted library services to provide equitable and inclusive access for vulnerable and marginalized patrons, fostering partnerships with community agencies to support individuals affected by incarceration, homelessness, mental health, and substance use. Outside of work, she is happiest spending simple moments with her husband, 2 little ones who keep her on the move, and their 9-year old rescue pup.
Public Library as a Refuge: Social Service Efforts at the Boston Public Library

Amy Driscoll

she/her/hers
Manager, Bake for Good Kids Program, King Arthur Flour
Amy Driscoll has worked at the King Arthur Baking Company for 8 years where she designs and implements innovative new programs to expand on the Bake for Good model, deepen its impact, and grow new relationships within communities. She provides engaging, STEM-based bread-baking programs through The Bake for Good outreach program which serves 35,000+ participants each year. Amy is a teacher with 20+ years of success facilitating meaningful educational experiences.
Find King Arthur at the Library

Paula Dugan

she/her/hers
Children's Supervisor, Needham Free Public Library
Paula Dugan has been a Children's Librarian for the past 25 years and has headed the Children's Department of the Needham Free Public Library for the past 7 years. She created the Children's STEAM Center and STEAM programing at the Needham Library and strives to continually keep innovating.
Find King Arthur at the Library

Jessica Elias

Community Learning Team Leader, Boston Public Library
Since beginning her journey with Boston Public Library in 2014, Jessica and her staff of nine have been committed to growing and enhancing skills in communities for 21st century success by fostering a library culture built on empathy and curiosity, user-friendly trainings and engagement, and a passion for life-long learning. Jessica has her BFA in Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and her M.S. in Library Science from Simmons University. Outside of the library, she is a bird-enthusiast and volunteer for the Mass Audubon Society.
Public Library as a Refuge: Social Service Efforts at the Boston Public Library

Amy Fang Lannon

she/her/hers
Director, Reading Public Library
Amy Fang Lannon is the Director of the Reading Public Library (Reading, MA). A former law librarian, she has worked in public libraries for 15 years as both a Young Adult/Reference Librarian and in administration. The 2018-2019 Pulse of Reading conversation series is part of the library’s growing mission to “”turn outward””, taking on an active role in building a community that values lifelong learning, collaboration, and respectful discourse. She is currently studying Peace and Conflict Resolution at University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
Amy earned her M.L.I.S. at Simmons University and a B.A. in Classics at Colby College.
Building Communities through Conversation and Connection

Boyah J. Farah

he/him/his
Author
Boyah J. Farah’s work has been featured in the Guardian, Harvard Transition, Scheer Intelligence at KCRW, Grub Daily, and Truthdig. He is the winner of Salon’s best essay of 2017, and he has written for Harvard’s Kennedy School Review, Pangyrus magazine, and the Huffington Post. He recently founded the Abaadi School in his hometown of Garowe, Somalia, which offers instruction in English, Math and Science to boys and girls ages 13–24. He divides his time between Somalia and Boston, Massachusetts. Twitter: @Boyahfarah
Author Session: Boyah J. Farah, Author, America Made Me a Black Man

Juliette Fay

she/her/hers
Author
Juliette Fay is the author of five novels, including Shelter Me and the USA Today bestseller The Tumbling Turner Sisters. A graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, she lives in Massachusetts. Twitter: @juliettefay; Instagram: juliette_fay
Author Session: Juliette Fay, Author, Catch Us When We Fall

Lyndsay Forbes

she/her/hers
Project Manager and Grants Specialist, MBLC
Since 2017, Lyndsay Forbes has worked at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) as the Project Manager and Grants Specialist, with a particular focus on topics related to health and wellness, maker spaces, and teens and tweens. Prior to her work at the MBLC, she held a variety of positions in urban public libraries. She received her Masters in Library and Information Science from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
It’s an Equity Issue: Why Public Libraries Should Have a Dedicated Teen Services Librarian

Steven Fowler

Senior Youth Services Librarian, Bellingham Public Library
Steve Fowler is the Senior Youth Services Librarian at the Bellingham Public Library in Bellingham, Massachusetts. He received his Master’s of Library Science degree from Southern Connecticut State University.
Introducing the ABCs!: Early Literacy in Storytimes

Erin Fragola

Library Outreach Coordinator, Perkins Library
Erin Fragola is the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator at Perkins Library in Watertown, the Regional NLS Library providing accessible resources for people living in Massachusetts who have print disabilities as well as the institutions that service them. Erin has worked in design and marketing for international and non-profits organizations for more than a decade. Erin’s favorite library thing at Perkins is when he gets to help seniors. Retirees are so fun; sharing stories and insight, it never ceases to amaze him how similar we are despite generational and other differences. His favorite non-library things are kayaking on the Charles River and making fun of bad movies à la Mystery Science Theater.
@Perkins_Library
Inclusive Library Services: New Tools and Techniques to Reach People with Disabilities
Controlling the Beast: Making Social Media Work for Your #LibraryLife

Lee-Ann Galli

she/her/hers
Young Adult Librarian, North Kingstown Free Library
Lee-Ann is currently the YA Librarian at North Kingstown Free Library. Previously she has worked as the Head of Reference at the Narragansett Public Library, Assistant Librarian at Davisville Free Library and various other positions at public libraries throughout the state. She currently serves on three state reading committees serving rising 4th graders to adults. As Stan Lee said, with great power comes great responsibility and social media shows this sentiment perfectly.
Crash!: Where Graphic Novels and Social Emotional Learning Converge
 

Deborah Gilburg

she/her/hers
Principal, Gilburg Leadership Incorporated
Deborah Gilburg is a principle of Gilburg Leadership Incorporated, a consulting firm committed to helping leaders and their people increase their individual and collective capacity to thrive in increasingly diverse, complex and interdependent environments. As a skilled practitioner of adult learning and participatory processes like World Café and Open Space Technology,  Deborah facilitates interactive, accelerated learning experiences with groups that promote inclusion, improve trust, foster knowledge sharing, and increase adaptive learning and collaborative problem solving capabilities so needed today. Deborah earned a J.D. at Suffolk University Law School and a B.A. in Psychology at Trinity College, Hartford, CT.
Building Communities through Conversation and Connection

Phyllis Goodman

Retired librarian and author
Phyllis Goodman is a retired adult services librarian whohas worked more than twenty-five years in public library services andeducation.  She took a special interestin senior programming in her last position, when asked to provide programmingfor seniors who were not able to visit the library.  Finding programming resources scarce, shecreated fun and educational programs to stimulate and inform older adults.  She was involved in staff training, thereader’s advisory committee and wrote for the library blog.  In 2020 her first book, On the Go with SeniorServices:  Library Programs for Any Timeand Any Place was published by ABC-CLIO. She enjoys traveling, cooking and books.
Connecting with Older Adults: Ins and Outs of a Pen Pal Program
 

Esme Green

Past President, Massachusetts Library Association
MLA Business Meeting
 

Nicole Guerra-Coon

Assistant Children’s Librarian, Morrill Memorial Library, Norwood
Nicole Guerra-Coon is the Assistant Children’s Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, Massachusetts.  She has an undergraduate degree in Art Education from the University of Massachusetts, and received her MLS from Queens College.
Introducing the ABCs!: Early Literacy in Storytimes

Jennifer Inglis

she/her/hers
Lynnfield Public Library
We're All in Crisis Now
 

Julius C. Jefferson, Jr.

he/him/his
President, American Library Association
Julius C. Jefferson Jr. is an American librarian and is a section head of the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress. He is the current President of the American Library Association.
Jefferson received a B.A. in history from Howard University and an MLS from the University of Maryland. He has served on the Executive Board (2007–2009) and is a member of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. He served as president of the Freedom to Read Foundation and president of the District of Columbia Library Association.
Jefferson has held many positions in the American Library Association. He has served on its Executive Board and Council. As chair of the Intellectual Freedom Committee of the American Library Association Jefferson initiated Intellectual Freedom Summer School. In 2019 he was honored with the ALA Equality Award (with Lorelle R. Swader) for his commitment to diversity and inclusion with a focus on the rights of underrepresented library workers.
He is co-editor of the 2012 volume, The 21st-Century Black Librarian in America: Issues and Challenges, and has worked to get more Black men into the library profession.
@jcjeffersonjr
MLA Business Meeting

Virginia Johnson

she/her/hers
Director, John Curtis Free Library, Hanover
Ginny is the Director of the John Curtis Free Library in Hanover, MA.  She is mom to Trevor, a 26-year-old on the Autism Spectrum. Trevor was one of the “first wave” of autism diagnoses, when the number leapt to one in 150. That group is now reaching adulthood, and services are not keeping up with demand. Accessibility and disability rights is her “platform,” if you will, bringing co-operative collection development and programming with the nearby Cardinal Cushing Center to the forefront. FB: ginnyjohnson2008
Libraries and Disabilities
 

Nicole LaChapelle

they/them/theirs
Mayor, City of Easthampton
Nicole LaChapelle is currently the Mayor of Easthampton, an elected role she has held since January 2018. Prior to serving as Mayor, she held roles in Holyoke Public Schools and at the Center for School Crisis Intervention and Assessment Inc, as well as a local focused on civil rights advocacy.
Does the Mayor Have a Library Card: Understanding Local Government and Making Libraries Important to it
 

TJ Lamanna

he/him/his
Emerging Technologies Librarian, Cherry Hill Public Library
T.J. is the emerging technologies librarian at the Cherry Hill Public Library and focuses on patron privacy and security. His goal is to make libraries an environment safe for all intellectual pursuits by offering patrons the knowledge that their interests are held in confidence.
@paraVestibulum
Troublesome Tech Trends
 

Joanne Lamothe

Vice President, Massachusetts Library Association
MLA Business Meeting
 

Elizabeth LaRosee

she/her/hers
Director of Library, Recreation, and Community Programs, Town of Randolph
Redefining Essential: Libraries as Command Centers
 

CHannah Lee

they/them/theirs
Young Adult Services Librarian, Belmont Public Library
Hannah Lee is a writer and librarian with experience in libraries across five different states. As the current Teen Librarian at Belmont Public Library, they helped facilitate the Spanish Pen Pal Program. Their previous pen pal program in NJ successfully drew in over 130 participants
Connecting with Older Adults: Ins and Outs of a Pen Pal Program
 

Manny Leite

Director, Boyden Library, Foxborough
Controlling the Beast: Making Social Media Work for Your #LibraryLife

Marie Letarte

she/her/hers
Library Director, Bigelow Free Public Library

Marie has been the library director in Clinton for a while, but before that, she was a pigeon in several academic institutions and a law library. She is not a birdwatcher in her spare time.

Escape Your Pigeon Hole
 

Kelly Linehan

she/her/hers
Library Director, Waltham
Kelly Linehan is the Director of the Waltham Public Library. She started her library career as a high school page and has over 20 years of urban library experience.
Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews, Oh My!
 

Amy Loustau

she/her/hers
Children’s Librarian, Belmont Public Library
Amy Loustau is a Children’s Librarian at the Belmont Public Library. She has lived all over the US and the world, most recently in Brazil on a Fulbright grant to study public libraries there, and loves dogs, ice cream, and getting mail.
Connecting with Older Adults: Ins and Outs of a Pen Pal Program
 

Moss Lynch

he/him/his
Assistant Director, Training and Communications, Massachusetts Office on Disability
Along with managing our organization’s publications and social media, additional responsibilities include serving as the ADA/504 Coordinator and conducting presentations which have a strong focus on statewide training and outreach to help strengthen the mission of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects civil rights of, and advocates equality for, persons with disabilities nationwide. @Massdisability, Twitter
Libraries and Disabilities
 

Mary Mahon McCauley

she/her/hers
Executive Director, Massachusetts Office on Disability
Mary Mahon McCauley is the current Executive Director at the Massachusetts Office on Disability. She has worked in a variety of capacities within the Disabilities field for 33 years. She holds a bachelors as well as a masters degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
Libraries and Disabilities

John Mangiaratti

he/him/his
Acton Town Manager
John Mangiaratti is the Town Manager in Acton since 2018. Previously he served the communities of Andover and Westford. He is active in the Massachusetts Municipal Association serving as an at-large representative for the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association and serves as co-chair of the Management Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.
Does the Mayor Have a Library Card: Understanding Local Government and Making Libraries Important to it
 

Lainey Mays

Marketing Assistant, HarperCollins
HarperCollins Book Buzz
 

Elizabeth McGovern

she/her/hers
Assistant Director, Head of Youth Services, Westwood Public Library
Elizabeth (Lizzy) McGovern is the Assistant Director and Head of Youth Services at the Westwood Public Library. She is a Hufflepuff who is passionate about Readers Advisory for all ages and new program initiatives that excite and inspire the community. Lizzy is the YSS chair and the newest executive board member of the Massachusetts Library System (representing Youth Services interests).
YSS Annual Meeting/How has Youth Services Reader’s Advisory Changed in a Post Pandemic World?
 

Anna McGrath

she/her/hers
Chair, Paralibrarian Section
Paraganza! Paralibrarian Annual Meeting and Awards
 

Erica McNamara, MPH

Director, Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support
Erica McNamara, MPH, is the Director of the Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support with the Town of Reading (2008-present) overseeing mental health promotion and substance abuse prevention projects. She currently manages Reading’s Drug Free Communities grant project through the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. She is a Certified Instructor for Mental Health First Aid USA and teaches the Youth, Adult, Public Safety and Higher Education courses. Prior to the Reading Coalition, she served as the Director of Adolescent Health & Youth Development at Lowell Community Health Center in Lowell, MA where she managed five after-school prevention projects. She was the Director/Principal Investigator of the Cambodian Youth Development Partnership funded by the U.S. SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Ms. McNamara developed programs focused on Asset-Based Youth Development, Teen Pregnancy, HIV, STDs, Substance Abuse, Violence, and Gang Prevention blending innovative and evidence-based approaches. Ms. McNamara was with LCHC for 12 years and previously served as a VISTA (Volunteers In Service to America), Gang Outreach Worker, HIV Prevention Educator, and ESL Teacher.
@rcoalition4prev
We're All in Crisis Now
 

Barrie Mooney

she/her/hers
Head of Research & User Experience, Assumption College
Barrie Mooney is currently the Head of Research and User Experience at Assumption College in Worcester, MA. Having had lots of experience in various librarian and non-librarian roles, she delights the most in helping people do their daily work of Seek & Find.
Escape Your Pigeon Hole
 

Alene Moroni

she/her/hers
Head of Reference/Information Services Co-Coordinator, Forbes Library, Northampton
Author Session: Ben Philippe
Author Session: Juliette Fay

Anika Nailah

she/her/hers
Anika Nailah (she/her/hers) is a cultural liberationist, fiction and non-fiction author, performance poet, and former instructor at Wheaton, Cambridge, and Smith Colleges. She uses the arts to hold healing space to interrupt racism across the USA.
facebook.com/AnikaWrites, twitter.com/Moments30, instagram.com/30blackmoments, instagram.com/anikanailah
Visit her website or find Anika’s other titles on IndieBound.org.
30 Black Moments and The Challenge of Oblivia

Jonathan O'Dell

he/him/his
Assistive Technology and Training Specialist, Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Jonathan O'Dell specializes in education around communication modalities and technologies used by and for Deaf, hard of hearing and late deafened individuals, and frequently provides programmatic, cultural and environmental consultations to entities wishing to create fully inclusive and accessible environments for people to live, work and prosper within.
Inclusive Library Services: New Tools and Techniques to Reach People with Disabilities
 

Felicia O’Keefe

she/her/hers
Teen Librarian, Westwood Public Library
Felicia O’Keefe is the Teen Librarian at the Westwood Public Library. She is a Hufflepuff with Ravenclaw Rising and an embarrassingly big fan of any Netflix Rom-Com. Outside the library, Felicia loves rock climbing, traveling, hiking and, most importantly, laying on the couch reading.@bookmarkedbyfelicia

YSS Annual Meeting/How has Youth Services Reader’s Advisory Changed in a Post Pandemic World?

McKenna Parnes

Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate, Suffolk University
McKenna is currently a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at Suffolk University. She received her MSEd in Counseling and Mental Health from the University of Pennsylvania. Her work is focused on supporting positive development for youth who are impacted by social and structural inequities.

Crash!: Where Graphic Novels and Social Emotional Learning Converge

Sharon Parrington Wright

she/her/hers
Library Director, Turner Free Library, Randolph

Redefining Essential: Libraries as Command Centers

Kristy Pasquariello

she/her/hers
Children’s Librarian, Westwood Public Library
Kristy Pasquariello is a Children’s Librarian at the Westwood Public Library. She can usually be found with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other! Follow her reviews and other bookish posts @librarydose_by-Kristy on Instagram.

YSS Annual Meeting/How has Youth Services Reader’s Advisory Changed in a Post Pandemic World?

Ben Philippe

Author
Ben’s work has been featured in Vanity Fair, Observer, The A.V. Club, The Guardian, Playboy, and Thrillist. Ben attended Columbia University and holds an M.F.A. in Fiction & Screenwriting from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Austin

About Sure I’ll Be Your Black Friend: In the biting, hilarious vein of What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker and We Are Never Meeting in Real Life—comes Ben Philippe’s candid memoir-in-essays, chronicling a lifetime of being the Black friend (see also: foreign kid, boyfriend, coworker, student, teacher, roommate, enemy) in predominantly white spaces.

Visit his website to learn more about Ben and his other work.

Author Session: Ben Philippe, Sure, I’ll Be Your Black Friend 

Jessica Phillips

she/her/hers
Youth Services Librarian, Norwell Public Library
Jessica Phillips is currently the Youth Services Librarian at the Norwell Public Library. She has been a librarian for 15 years, during her tenure she has participated in MLA YSS Executive Board and Conference Committee.  She has been a Project READY student since July 2020. @justpeachy742

We are READY: MA Youth Services Staff Making Change with Project READY

Andrea Puglisi

Chair, Public Relations Committee, Massachusetts Library Association

Andrea Puglisi is Chair of MLA’s Public Relations Committee and a 2019 MLA PR Award recipient for excellence on building a cross-platform social media presence during her tenure at Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield’s Public Library. She is currently working as a Head Librarian/Information Specialist in Catskill, New York where her work focuses connecting communities with the tools, resources and information needed to navigate the digital information landscape and surveillance systems in the modern age.
Twitter: @MassLibAssoc; @puglibri

Controlling the Beast: Making Social Media Work for Your #LibraryLife

Shelley Quezada

she/her/hers
Consultant, Library Services to Underserved Populations, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

Inclusive Library Services: New Tools and Techniques to Reach People with Disabilities

Bernadette Rivard

Treasurer, Massachusetts Library Association

MLA Business Meeting

Melody Rood

she/her/hers
Student Success Librarian, UNCG
Melody Lee Rood is the Student Success Librarian at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she serves as a liaison to the International and Global Studies Program, the Library and Information Science Program, as well as the library’s Open Educational Resources Initiatives. She received her MLS from North Carolina Central University and her BA from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Her research interests include student success and outreach for nontraditional students, open pedagogy, and DEI initiatives. @LibrarianMelody

(Not) Another Antiracist Reading Group: Walking the Talk

Peg Sallade

Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Town of Lynnfield
As the Substance Use Prevention Coordinator for the Town of Lynnfield, MA Peg Sallade manages A Healthy Lynnfield, the town’s Prevention Coalition which aims to reduce rates of youth substance use and improve the quality of life for people impacted. Peg brings over 30 years of public health and prevention experience to her work in Lynnfield. Known for her ability to build partnerships, direct innovative programs, and meet the needs of the community, Peg encourages civic engagement and community responsibility for creating an environment in which all Lynnfield youth and families thrive. Peg advises other community partnerships, presents nationally on coalition development, and carries with her a vision of collaboration that catalyzes true change in the way organizations and people work together.

We're All in Crisis Now

Kate Sawisch

she/her/hers
Head of Knowledge and Community Services, Morse Institute Library, Natick
Kate Sawisch is the Head of the Knowledge and Community Services department at the Morse Institute Library in Natick. She resides in Ayer, MA with her husband and son. Kate received her MLIS from San Jose State University, and her speciality is programming and services for adult populations, particularly trivia nights and escape rooms.

Swiveling Services During COVID-19 and Beyond: Creating a Digital Branch

Suzanne Sawyer

she/her/hers
Preservation Specialist, UNCG
Suzanne Sawyer is a Preservation Specialist at the University Libraries at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Sawyer holds an MFA in Book Arts from UA, both a BFA in Art Education and a BSW from VCU, and is currently an MLIS candidate at UNCG. She currently serves as a staff representative to the library’s Administrative Advisory Council and as a member of the EDI team.

(Not) Another Antiracist Reading Group: Walking the Talk

Joyce Senior

Newburyport Public Library
Paraganza! Paralibrarian Annual Meeting and Awards

Christi Showman Farrar

she/her/hers
Consultant, Massachusetts Library System
Christi Showman Farrar is a Consultant at the Massachusetts Library System (MLS) where she provides guidance and continuing education to library staff all over the state. Prior to working at MLS, Christi worked as a children’s and teen librarian in Massachusetts public libraries for a decade, and was the Director of the School and Public Library division at a well-known library vendor. She has a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Simmons University, as well as a master’s in Language, Reading, and Culture from the University of Arizona. In her “spare” time she teaches Children’s Literature in the Library Media Studies program at Salem State University, and most recently was a member of the selection committee for the 2020 Sibert Informational Book Medal. @LibraryChristi (Twitter/Instagram)

We are READY: MA Youth Services Staff Making Change with Project READY
It’s an Equity Issue: Why Public Libraries Should Have a Dedicated Teen Services Librarian

Becky Siegel Spratford

MLIS Readers’ Advisor, Berwyn IL Public Library, Blog Master (RAforAll.blogspot.com), author (The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, 2nd ed.), EBSCO Novelist and Booklist contributor
Becky Spratford [MLIS] is a Readers’ Advisor in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All. She is under contract to provide content for EBSCO’s NoveList database and writes reviews for Booklist and a horror review column for Library Journal. Becky is a 20 year locally elected Library Trustee [still serving] and a Board member for the Reaching Across Illinois Library System. Known for her work with horror readers, Becky is the author of The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, Second Edition [ALA Editions, 2012] and recently completed the 3rd Edition which is available for pre-order March 2021. She is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association and currently serves as the Association’s Secretary and organizer of their annual Librarians’ Day. You can follow Becky on Twitter @RAforAll.

Actively Anti-Racist Library Service to Leisure Readers

Taylor Silva

he/him/his
Young Adults Librarian, Boston Public Library
Taylor got his start at the Fall River Public Library as the Head of Reference Services.  Since March of 2020 he has been the Young Adult Librarian since starting a video game group, Dungeons and Dragons group, and a Magic the Gathering program geared towards teens and tweens.  He considers himself fortunate to be able to incorporate his interests into his daily work! @TayJaySilva

Twitch, Discord, and Zoom: Navigating Platforms for Digital Teen Programming

Sara Slymon

she/her/hers
Library Director, Brookline
Sara has been working in libraries nonstop since before there was email. She is currently the Library Director at the Public Library of Brookline, where she is constantly amazed by how smart, innovative, kind, and generous she finds the staff. She is particularly interested in equitable service to marginalized populations, and is famously an advocate for consistency. She loves to ski, watch red carpets and live stream comments, and read and promote graphic novels.

Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews, Oh My!

Amy Spence

she/her/hers
School Librarian, Innovation Academy
A recent UMass Lowell grad, Amy spent 3+ years on the circulation desk at the Parker Library in Dracut, MA, before moving on to work as a school librarian at the charter school her children attend. Her Happiness Project Book Club has been meeting since January of 2018.

The Happiness Project: A Fun and Easy Year Long Book Club

Virginia Stanley

Director of Library Marketing, HarperCollins

HarperCollins Book Buzz

Ellen Sullivan

she/her/hers
Children’s Assistant, Morse Institute Library, Natick
Ellen is a library assistant in the children’s department at the Morse Institute Library in Natick, MA where she works developing and implementing most of the children’s programs. She and her husband reside in Natick where she can often be found walking her beloved dog Millie. Ellen is happiest when she can spark the imagination of children and watch the creativity flow.

Swiveling Services During COVID-19 and Beyond: Creating a Digital Branch

Juanita Thacker

she/her/hers
Information Literacy Lecturer, UNCG
Juanita Thacker holds a MLIS from UNC Greensboro where she works as the Information Literacy Lecturer for the University Libraries. Thacker also holds a bachelor’s degree in business education/information technologies from East Carolina University. She has served on various committees over the years devoted to advocating for all library users including students and paralibrary staff. Thacker continues to foster her passion for EDI issues via her role as founding and marketing team member of WOC+Lib.

(Not) Another Antiracist Reading Group: Walking the Talk

Stephen Toropov

they/them/theirs
Young Adult Librarian, Fall River Public Library
Stephen has been working for the Boston Public library since 2018, and is currently the Young Adults Librarian for the newly renovated Roxbury Branch. In this role, they helped to plan and establish a successful Twitch channel for the BPL's teen services librarians to offer interactive gaming programs to the teens of the city and the Commonwealth while the ongoing pandemic keeps patrons out of the physical spaces.

Twitch, Discord, and Zoom: Navigating Platforms for Digital Teen Programming

Jennifer Woodward

she/her/hers
Assistant Director, Falmouth Public Library
Jennifer Woodward is currently the Assistant Director of the (awesome) Falmouth Public Library on Cape Cod. Her childhood was spent in the bowels of the Winthrop and Plymouth (MA) public libraries reading everything juvenile literature had to offer from 1970-1983. With a family move in her final year of high school, she washed up at the public library of Sandwich MA, where she unknowingly used the last physical card catalog she would ever need in her lifetime. Jennifer has worked at five public libraries in Massachusetts in three library networks in every capacity, except lead Childrens Librarian, over 15 years. She has also worked in three positions in two special libraries at a global biotech company and a law library, all which were virtual/physical libraries, over 12 years. Jennifer is a graduate of Framingham State before it was a university and the University of Wisconsin (MLIS) from their online program. Her favorite thing about working in the library profession is the willingness of librarians and paraprofessionals to share information as well as their hard-earned experience. To work as a librarian is truly to never work alone.

Escape Your Pigeon Hole