LJ Movers & Shakers defy expectations

I’M ALWAYS CURIOUS to learn what brings people to work in a library. When I ask librarians and library workers why they chose the field, their answers often reveal a journey that didn’t begin with the library as their destination. Some move to libraries following careers in education; others describe a trajectory that started with page work and continued on into roles of increasing responsibility at the library without a defined plan for where they might end up.

My mentor used to say that we really only need to ask two questions when recruiting people: “Do you like to solve problems?” and “Do you like to help people?” If so, you would like working in the library!

I tend to think that she’s right—and if the Library Journal 2024 Movers & Shakers are any indication, the opportunity to support community, exercise creativity, and advance learning are forces driving their work.

This year’s class of LJ Movers represent different facets of the library world, from school to public to academic libraries as well as vendors and partners; they are delivering front-line service and those in administrative and management positions; they are tech wizards and policy wonks; they are from small libraries, large institutions, and everything in between. For all their many differences, they are strikingly similar in their pursuit of excellence and commitment to service. They are, in a word, impressive.

Recently, I was reminded that too few people know or fully recognize what librarians actually do—a problem that likely contributes to eroding respect for the profession. When chatting with a mom at the school bus stop, she vented about a frustration at work and sighed, “Some days I wish I worked in a library.” I’m sure she was conjuring an image of a librarian who leisurely reads books all day (because that does, of course, sound lovely). But her comment got me thinking—why don’t people outside of libraries have a better understanding of our work?

One answer could be that library work is incredibly varied—it’s hard to sum it up in a quick sound bite. Scanning our Movers list, we might say that a librarian is someone who…

…hosts a podcast discussing the best books for tweens.

…trains their colleagues to administer Narcan.

…organizes English-language classes for asylum seekers.

…teaches kids how to fly a drone.

…helps formerly incarcerated individuals start businesses.

It’s likely easier for people to think about libraries as a passive monolith—places that exist in stillness until someone comes in looking for a book or conducting research or doing whatever it is that they need to do at the library. Maybe they think librarians are quietly waiting for someone to step forward with a need.

But we know better. Far from sitting back and waiting, it’s the librarians and library workers who breathe life into libraries and keep the place buzzing with activity—the ones who keep things moving. With our Movers & Shakers issue, we seek to amplify the powerful work and stories of the best of the best in the field.

As the LJ team combed through the hundreds of nominations we received, I was struck by the ingenuity that so many displayed. Although their titles—archivist, media specialist, library associate—give us some insight into the way their libraries organize human resources, maybe we can better describe their roles in terms more familiar to a general public: a detective searching for records documenting Black history and culture; a world traveler bringing global lessons back to students in America’s Midwest; a tinkerer and artist helping to deliver computers to his local community.

The people profiled in our 2024 Movers & Shakers feature are nothing short of inspirational. While thoroughly modern and forward-thinking, the Movers represent a continuation of the innovation and passion that I would argue is a hallmark of the profession. Library Journal only started to highlight Movers & Shakers 22 years ago, but we recognize that ambitious, spirited, and dedicated people have been solving problems, helping people, and moving the profession forward for generations.