Cordelia Anderson shares library leadership and marketing insights from the 2026 ULC Annual Leadership Forum, including highlights from her strategic communications session.
Category: Thought Leadership
Library thought leadership, ideas, and insights from the field — from leadership and innovation to marketing and the future of the profession. This is where we step back from the day-to-day and think about the bigger questions shaping how libraries serve their communities and the people in them.
Feeling Exhausted? Check Your Mental Load
I first heard the term "mental load" on a podcast earlier this year. It might have been NPR — I honestly can't remember, which is kind of the point of this blog post. That's the mental load talking. Mental load is the invisible cognitive work of planning, organizing, remembering, tracking, and worrying about everything that… Continue reading Feeling Exhausted? Check Your Mental Load
ULC Members: See You in Vegas!
I'm pleased to share that I'll be presenting at the 2026 ULC Annual Leadership Forum this fall in Las Vegas. In Demand: The People and Power of Public Libraries, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2026 will be hosted in partnership with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District This year's Forum focuses on what makes public libraries… Continue reading ULC Members: See You in Vegas!
When Clarity Makes Room for Creativity
In a previous post, I wrote about the difference between creativity and individuality in libraries. My point was not that individuality is bad. In fact, staff personality, expertise, and local knowledge are some of the greatest strengths libraries have. But in marketing, communications, signage, and branding, creativity has to serve a larger purpose. It has… Continue reading When Clarity Makes Room for Creativity
Spices, Seeds & Simple Fixes: How Libraries Build Community
I always enjoy seeing library programs and services that, at first glance, feel a little unexpected. Things like spice clubs, repair clinics, and seed libraries. It would be easy to describe these as creative and “fun” additions to a programming calendar or library space—and they are. But they are also much more. These services aren’t… Continue reading Spices, Seeds & Simple Fixes: How Libraries Build Community