I love libraries and have since I was a child.  As a child, libraries were a retreat from the real world, a place where I could fantasize about who I might become and what the world around me could be.

As an adult, I have come to realize that libraries have a unique purpose, some part of which is to serve the little girl I was and the adult I have become. In order for libraries to thrive, we must be very clear about our mission. We must innovate in ways that further our mission and serve the needs of our communities. We must be willing to tell our communities about our services in a way that convinces them to use our services AND to fund our services. In addition, for any library to succeed and thrive, the staff must be involved and well trained.  And I try to play my part in this every day.