Support Florida Libraries! Support the Florida Library Association!

Leave a comment

In 2026, Florida’s libraries are facing new challenges and unprecedented opportunities. From protecting intellectual freedom to expanding digital access and workforce development, library professionals across the state are stepping up in powerful ways.

Now is the time to stand together and tell your story about why libraries matter.

The Florida Library Association (FLA) has a bold goal: building a stronger, more connected community of library workers and advocates. As a Past President of FLA, I personally invite you to join Florida’s premier professional association for library employees, supporters, and champions. This year, FLA President Allision Grubbs is inspiring us to tell our story about how libraries change lives. The best way to share your story is to join with colleagues across the state to build a better future.

Why Join FLA in 2026?

FLA has made membership more accessible with reduced and flexible membership rates, ensuring that every library worker at every stage of their career can participate. Don’t work in a library? Membership is also open to library supports and retirees. In short, anyone who loves libraries is invited to share their story and join the association.

I’ve been a proud FLA member for over twelve years. Through the Association, I’ve grown as a leader and built lifelong professional relationships with amazing people from across the state. As well, I’ve strengthened my advocacy for the essential work libraries do every day to connect communities, inspire learning, and protect access to information.

When you become an Individual Member, you gain:

  • Leadership Opportunities – Serve on committees or the Executive Board and develop valuable leadership skills
  • Timely Advocacy Updates – Stay informed on fast-moving legislative and policy issues impacting Florida libraries
  • Continuing Education – Access webinars, trainings, and professional development opportunities
  • Statewide Networking – Connect with colleagues from public, academic, school, and special libraries
  • Recognition & Awards – Celebrate excellence at the FLA Annual Conference
  • Voting Rights – Help shape the future direction of the association
  • Conference Discounts – Save on registration for our Annual Conference
  • Member Groups – Join or form communities centered on your professional interests
  • Member Communications – Stay informed through exclusive mailing lists and updates
  • Publication Opportunities – Access Florida Libraries journal and opportunities to be featured
  • Exclusive Online Resources – Including the member directory and professional tools

Whether you’ve never joined, or are considering returning, or are ready to renew, 2026 is the year to take that step.

Your Membership Matters More Than Ever

Libraries are essential infrastructure for democracy, education, and community resilience. Your membership strengthens FLA’s ability to advocate effectively, provide professional support, and ensure that all types of libraries across Florida can thrive. For more than 100 years, the Florida Library Association has championed our state’s libraries. Now we’re building the next century of access and empowerment, and we need you with us.

Don’t Wait. Join Today!

Commit to your profession. Invest in your growth. Stand up for Florida’s libraries.

Visit the FLA membership website and become a member today. Together, we are stronger. Together we will shape the future of libraries in Florida by telling our story. In 2026, I look forward to welcoming you as an FLA Member.

Upcoming Webinars

Leave a comment

I’m excited to share information on three upcoming webinars that I’m presenting over the next two weeks. Registration for all of them are open now. This is your chance to get more comfortable with public speaking, be more productive, and became a better supervisor.

Thank you to the Florida Library Association and the American Library Association for sponsoring these webinars.

Florida Library Association Webinar
The Art of Public Speaking
Thurs. Feb. 19, 1 pm EST

In this webinar, you will learn the art and science of public speaking based on the Toastmasters approach. Free to FLA members. $20 for non-members.

ALA Webinars
A Plan for Personal Productivity for Library Staff: From Inbox to Completion
Wed. February 18, 2:30 pm EST

Is your inbox overflowing? Is your work spilling onto every available surface? Do you want to get more stuff done in less time while looking effortless in the process? In this energizing webinar, you will learn methods for workflow management based on the internationally recognized Getting Things Done (GTD) system. These practices work in any type of library and at any level of employment. With many libraries seeing record vacancies, mastering workflow is vital for peace of mind and completing valuable tasks. ALA Member Price: $80.10; Non Member Price: $89.00; Student Member Price: $44.50

ALA Webinars
Managing Employee Performance Using the SBI Method
Wed. February 25, 2:30 pm EST

The success of any project or plan relies on the work of your staff. All too often, library managers rely on employee assessment that feels like nothing more than a pointless exercise in filling out forms for both manager and employee. How can we manage library employee performance without stress, without unnecessary conflict, without busywork, but with positive results? In this webinar, learn a simple and widely tested approach to interacting with your employees that takes some of the stress out of the process. Using the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) Model, supervisors can speak with staff in a way that is direct, yet supportive, while keeping the conversation on the topic at hand. SBI can be used to address poor performance or acknowledge great work. ALA Member Price: $80.10; Non Member Price: $89.00; Student Member Price: $44.50

Please note that all proceeds from these webinars go to the sponsoring organizations. Sign up for the webinars through the links provided.

The Wednesday Rule

Leave a comment

How many times have you looked back on a recent decision and wished you had done something different?

Regret happens far too often. It would be helpful if there was a way to consider the wisdom of your future self before making a decision today without the need for a time machine. However, maybe we can bend time and space after all. Not with a time machine, but instead with the assistance of a little imagination.

The Minimalists have created a simple approach to decision making that anyone can use to avoid future regret. It is called the Wednesday Rule. They explained it in a post on their website.

Here’s how it works…

Before you make a decision, simply ask yourself one question:

Will I be delighted with this decision next Wednesday?

It’s that simple.

They claim this approach can be used for any type of decision. By imagining how your future self will look back on this choice is surprisingly easy to do. The answer you receive will be revealing.

If the answer is yes, then it’s probably a good decision.

However, if the answer is No, I will not be delighted by this decision, then the decision is already made for you:

When in doubt, opt out.

What decision are you facing right now? Consider the options and then think ahead to the future having selected each one in turn. The correct choice may reveal itself immediately.

Read the whole post on the Minimalists website.

You Can Do It! Overcoming Public Speaking Challenges

Leave a comment

Are you afraid to speak in public?

The fear of public speaking is exceedingly common. The thought of standing in front of a crowd can cause people’s knees to weaken and the stomach butterflies to launch. Yet public speaking is considered an essential professional skill, especially for those moving into leadership positions. Therefore, how can one overcome public speaking fears?

A recent “Life Kit” article resurfaced on the NPR website this past week titled, “Oops, I messed up! 7 common public speaking issues — and how to fix them.” In the piece, reporters Kyle Norris and Audrey Nguyen speak to a public speaking expert, who provides tips on how to overcome fearful speaking situations. The first issue they explore is the problem of unfocused speeches.

Before you dive into your speech, figure out your core message, says Dominguez Chan.

“If my audience could walk out of this room with one thing, what would that one thing be?” she asks. It can be an idea, a feeling “like wanting your audience to walk away feeling appreciated” or a call to action — like inspiring someone to vote.

Generated with WordPress AI

Next, they tackle the challenge of figuring out what to include in the speech.

Now that you have your core message, make sure all the ideas in your speech point back to it, says Dominguez Chan.

It makes it easier to decide what to say and it “helps you make every other decision, from the structure to the specific stories and concrete images that you include,” she adds.

A third topic they explore is how to engage with, and not simply talk to, an audience.

Dominguez Chan likes using what she calls “sticky stories” in her speeches — honest, vivid anecdotes with details that engage the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.

They “are going to make your presentation memorable. People remember stories and images,” she says.

To learn more about these three issues, plus discover techniques to overcome four more, please read the rest of the article on the NPR website.

The Power of Deep Reading

Leave a comment

We are a culture of shallow readers.

What does that mean? Nowadays, most people only read short sentences or paragraphs from social media or news stories. While this can keep people abreast of surface level information, it fails to provide a deeper understanding of the world. How bad is the problem? Worse than you think!

In a recent article on the Conversation website, JT Torres and Jeff Saerys-Foy argue that deep reading is important for our wellbeing. They start the article titled Deep reading can boost your critical thinking and help you resist misinformation – here’s how to build the skill, with a clear picture of the challenge.

The average American checks their phone over 140 times a day, clocking an average of 4.5 hours of daily use, with 57% of people admitting they’re “addicted” to their phone. Tech companies, influencers and other content creators compete for all that attention, which has incentivized the rise of misinformation.

Considering this challenging information landscape, strong critical reading skills are as relevant and necessary as they’ve ever been.

The authors go on to explain why they believe that deep reading is a vital skill to master.

As a cognitive scientist and a literacy expert, we research the ways people process information through reading. Based on our work, we believe that deep reading can be an effective way to counter misinformation as well as reduce stress and loneliness. It can be tough to go deeper than a speedy skim, but there are strategies you can use to strengthen important reading skills.

So how does one become a deep reader? The authors suggest a few strategies. One simple approach is to slow down.

Simply being aware of how digital reading practices shape your brain can encourage new attitudes and habits toward how you consume information. Just pausing can reduce susceptibility to misinformation. Taking a few extra seconds to consciously judge information can counteract illusory truth, indicating that intentionally slowing down even just a bit can be beneficial.

Reading deeply means being able to intentionally choose when to read at different speeds, slowing down as needed to wrestle with difficult passages, savor striking prose, critically evaluate information, and reflect on the meaning of a text. It involves entering into a dialogue with the text rather than gleaning information.

To learn more ways to build deep reading skills, please read the rest of their article.

12 Characteristics of a Good Leader

Leave a comment

What makes for a good leader?

Some people think that leaders are born that way. Others think that leaders are diligently grown. Either way, are their signs and skills which make someone a good leader?

The Center for Creative Leadership is an organization devoted to understanding the science of leadership. A recent article on their website titled 12 Essential Qualities of Effective Leadership identifies an comprehensive list of qualities found in good leaders. Based on research by Micela Leis, PhD, and Stephanie Wormington, PhD, the article opens with a general summary of their findings.

A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. They should be learning agile and flex their influence while communicating the vision, showing gratitude, and collaborating effectively. See how these key leadership qualities can be learned and improved at all levels of your organization.

The article goes on to provide a list of specific qualities that good leaders bring to the table. The first one is Self-Awareness.

Self-awareness is the understanding of yourself, including personality traits, behaviors, anxieties, and emotions. While this is a more inwardly focused trait, self-awareness and humility are paramount qualities of leadership. The better you understand yourself and recognize your own strengths and weaknesses, the more effective you can be as a leader. Do you know how other people view you, and do you understand how you show up at work and at home? Take the time to learn about the 4 aspects of self-awareness and how to strengthen each component.

What are the other eleven characteristics of a good leader? Read for yourself on the Center for Creative Leadership website.

Make 2026 the Year to Rediscover Reading

Leave a comment

Are you ready to Rediscover Reading?

Below is a copy of my recent op-ed in the Palm Beach Post encouraging people to take part in the new Rediscover Reading.

Rediscover Reading helps locals realize the benefits of books

When was the last time you read a book for sheer enjoyment?

If you are like most people, it has been a while since you cracked open a novel. You may think that reading for pleasure is simply one entertainment option out of many. However, reading for pleasure is more than a possible pastime. It’s a story driven public-health prescription. That’s the rationale behind the Palm Beach County Library System’s 2026 yearlong initiative, Rediscover Reading.

As our communities wrestle with loneliness and frayed social ties, returning to pleasure reading, and the libraries that sustain it, offers an affordable, evidence-based path to improve lives. The scale of the challenge is striking. A 2025 study of more than 230,000 Americans found the reading for pleasure dropped from 28% in 2003 to just 16% in 2023. That decline isn’t just a worry for the publishing industry. It has public-wellness concerns. When a large part of the population stops reading for pleasure, we lose a simple, low-barrier route to better mental health.

A growing body of research finds that reading for pleasure delivers measurable benefits such as reduced stress, better sleep, enhanced empathy and improved cognitive well-being. At the same time, shared reading like book clubs and read-aloud sessions activate regions in our brains tied to social cognition and emotional connection. This helps counter feelings of isolation and distrust.

That’s where Rediscover Reading comes in. The Library is inviting Palm Beach County residents to pick up a favorite book, sample a new novel, and set a reading goal for the year. What would happen if we all committed to reading one book a month? How much more restful would we feel by exchanging 15 minutes of mindless scrolling before bed with the narrative delight of a story? The sense of wonder, escape or solace found in the written word can bring peace of mind, greater life satisfaction, and a more empathetic understanding of the world.

Reading for pleasure combines the best of both worlds: the private delight of losing yourself in a narrative and the social lift from shared reflection. Libraries, with our welcoming spaces and community activities, transform solitary reading into a communal experience. As research suggests, the path to improved well-being doesn’t require expensive interventions. Instead all we need is a book in hand and a comfy spot to read it.

The invitation is extended. Dust off that old beloved title or pick up a new bestseller, be it a physical book, e-book or audiobook. Rediscover Reading isn’t just about books. It’s about opening your mind to a world of unlimited possibilities through the simple, but powerful ritual of reading for pleasure.

Grab your library card and visit your local branch of the Palm Beach County Library System or a municipal library to access free materials. Check out free e-books and e-audiobooks online through our website: www.pbclibrary.org.

This year, reclaim the joy of literature as a daily act of self-care and community building. Join us as we invite you to Rediscover Reading.

Organizing Your Priorities

Leave a comment

What do you want to accomplish in 2026?

The start of a new year is a traditional time to think about desired goals. However, to be successful in achieving those goals it is important to have one’s personal priorities in order. The right mental approach is vital to success. So, how do we get organized enough to create the conditions to make it happen?

For helpful advice on how to organize priorities, we turn to Marie Kondo. Her KonMari Method™ has helped many people organize their belongings. This year she gives advice beyond tidying a closet. Instead it starts with tidying your digital life.

One of the tenets of the KonMari Method™ is to always tidy first. We can only fully organize when we’ve let go of what’s weighing us down and holding us back. 

Before layering on new goals or routines, take a moment to tidy the items and techniques that support your daily routine, weekly schedule and year-round priorities. 

Kondo recommends focusing on getting the calendar in order, emptying the inbox, and then organizing the digital desktop. These non-physical items can easily be forgotten or seem unimportant. Yet, maintaining them is an important first step for getting priorities in order.

Next, she suggests creating on a set of clearly written goals.

Your goals are the guideposts that bring clarity to your path. Take some time to identify what you’d like to accomplish in the coming month, six months, and year. 

  • Short-term goals anchor your weeks, like completing a project or trying a new organizational tool.
  • Mid-term goals sustain your momentum, like improving a skill or cultivating a new habit.
  • Long-term goals inspire you, pulling you forward toward a vision of your ideal life. 

Write these goals down, either in a journal or planner, to bring them to life. Studies show that putting pen to paper significantly increases your likelihood of achieving your aspirations. For more, read our guide to setting joy-sparking goals. 

To discover her remaining three suggestions for organizing priorities, please read the rest of her posting.

Time for a Yearly Review

Leave a comment

With 2025 coming to a close, have you taken the time to review the entirety of the past year?

A core component of the GTD methodology is the weekly review. This is an ongoing opportunity at the end of your workweek to review what was accomplished, identify unfinished work, and to look ahead to the following week. In fact, David Allen, GTD’s Creator, has always stressed the importance of this habit.

“The Weekly Review is the time to: Gather and process all your stuff. Review your system. Update your lists. Get clean, clear, current, and complete. You have to use your mind to get things off your mind.”

A yearly review is the logical extension of the weekly review, but on a higher level of focus. This is an opportunity to consider the status of your larger goals and update your long-term vision. It is a chance to bring clarity to the big dreams and ambitions that provide forward momentum. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to focus solely on your job. The yearly review can cover all aspects of your life, including personal goals, health concerns, financial plans, and relationships.

Where does the yearly review start? It can begin with the following questions:

  • What were your wins?
  • What are you grateful for?
  • What risks did you take?
  • What is your unfinished business?
  • What was your biggest surprise?

After evaluating the past, the yearly review shifts to exploring the future. Again, focusing questions help with this task.

  • What would you like to be your biggest win?
  • How are you planning to improve your financial situation?
  • What are you looking most forward to learning?
  • What will be your biggest risk?

Are you ready to take on this challenge? If so, then dive right in. The steps to do a yearly review can be found on the GTD website.

Happy 2026! I wish you all a great new year!