OLA 2016

We are very excited to announce the keynote speaker for OLA 2016: Sari Feldman, President of ALA!

Her keynote will be titled “Libraries Transform – Amplifying the Story.”

Today’s library must demonstrate that we are neither obsolete nor nice to have, that libraries are essential. As we begin to tell our story we must begin with our communities; public, school, college and university, to reflect their needs, hopes and aspirations.  The story is then built on the ways that libraries create individual opportunity and community progress.  Sari Feldman will illustrate the power of our story through the ALA public awareness campaign, Libraries Transform, and its many library partners.

Sari Feldman is Executive Director of Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL), a position she has held since 2003. Under her leadership, CCPL has become one of the nation’s best and busiest public library systems, earning the Library Journal 5-Star recognition for six consecutive years (2009-2014).  She was honored in 1995 with the Vice President’s Award for Teacher of the Year from the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University.

Sari is currently president of the American Library Association, a position she will hold through June 2016. In her role as president, Sari has initiated a national public awareness campaign called Libraries Transform that is designed to increase awareness of and support for libraries of all types. She is a past president of the Public Library Association (2009-2010).