Four library leaders in a panel discussion share their stories about something new they learned over the past year. They share stories of optimism, resilience and growth for themselves and their library. Learn strategies for overcoming professional obstacles and for increasing your library's community impact.
Sandy Avila
Digital Library Sales Manager
SPIE: The International Society for Optics and Photonics
sandya@spie.org
“Navigating a Job Sector Change: A Story of Growth” - Sandy will discuss how to recognize when it’s time to make a change, and how to navigate this change by sharing her story of transitioning from academic librarianship to non-profit science publishing sales role.
Andrew Beman-Cavallaro
Assistant Librarian Social Sciences
University of South Florida
abemanca@usf.edu
“You don’t have to change the world every day” - Librarianship is a field which strives to constantly grow, collaborate, advance, and teach, and there are many pathways and innovative projects which serve these ends. Simultaneously, it is also important to recognize that even the small accomplishments can be remarkable to our patrons and to ourselves as professionals. Over the last year, Andrew learned that it was not solely large scale projects and deliverables which had the greatest impact, but also the smaller day-to-day relationships and foundational elements of the profession which can equally provide revitalizing effects and meaningful results.
Marina Morgan
Head of Technical Services
Florida Southern College
mmorgan@flsouthern.edu
“AI in Technical Services: What AI Taught Me This Year” - This year, working with AI in technical services challenged us to think more deeply about metadata, cataloging, ethics, and environmental impact. In this panel, Marina will reflect on what AI has taught her about innovation, responsibility, and the future of our work.
Steve Powell
Library Director, CEO
Orange County Library System
powell.steve@ocls.org
“Growing the Library: Digital Expansion, Physical Transformation, Community Impact” - Steve will share lessons from a year of growth shaped by digital expansion and physical transformation. As the Orange County Library System launched a new app and discovery catalog while constructing two new branch libraries, he will reflect on resilience, leadership, and aligning innovation with community needs—offering practical insights for extending a library’s impact both online and in the spaces where communities gather.
