Newly Elected PLA President, Pam Sandlian Smith
Announced Friday, April 29, Anythink Director Pam Sandlian Smith has been elected 2017-2018 Public Library (PLA) Association President. A division of the American Library Association, PLA helps provide a diverse program of communication, advocacy and programming for the advancement of public library services across the country. Voting was open to all PLA members.
“I am continually amazed at the energy and enthusiasm people have when they get a chance to experience our Anythink libraries,” says Pam Sandlian Smith. “It is such an honor to be able to represent our community on a national and international level as President Elect of the Public Library Association. I look forward to being part of the conversation about the importance of public libraries in our society.”
Under Sandlian Smith’s leadership and vision, Anythink transformed from the worst funded library system in Colorado to one of the most recognized library brands nationwide. During her tenure, Anythink was awarded the 2010 National Medal for Library Service, the 2011 John Cotton Dana Award for Outstanding Public Relations, the 2011 Library Journal Landmark Libraries award, and is a grantee of the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation learning labs project. Sandlian Smith was the 2010 Colorado Librarian of the Year and the recipient of the 2012 Charlie Robinson Award for innovation and risk taking.
Through her speaking and writing, Sandlian Smith stimulates discussions on innovation, creativity and participation in libraries worldwide. Previously, she was the director of the West Palm Beach (Florida) Public Library and the manager of Children’s Services at the Denver (Colorado) Public Library. She is a member of the working group for the Aspen Dialogue on Public Libraries. She enjoys traveling, hiking, baking pies, walking her Great Pyrenees—Buddy Einstein Doodle—and inventing libraries that help people fall in love with learning.
Video: Pam Sandlian Smith Speaks at TedXMileHigh in 2013 on, “What to expect from libraries in the 21st century”
Video: 2014 Presentation by Pam Sandlian-Smith on ” Creating Experience Libraries”
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area.
He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.
