Watch/Listen Online: Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown Speaks to the City Club of Chicago

Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown spoke to the City Club of Chicago on September 29, 2022.  Video and audio recordings are linked below.

From the City Club of Chicago and WGN Radio:

Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown is passionate about redefining what public libraries can bring to the communities they serve. This mission is particularly vital for CPL—its 81 locations make it one of the world’s largest library systems.

Brown came to CPL in 2021 after more than a decade serving in Californian districts. Throughout his career, he has prioritized equity and the democratization of access to information, including nontraditional patrons and resources beyond traditional library materials. He is currently spearheading collaboration with neighborhood safety groups, City departments, and outside partners in order to establish safe spaces for youth. He has also initiated CPL’s first organized analysis of its processes with the goal of improving equity for patrons. This work began with the opening of CPL’s first regional library on Chicago’s West Side since the 1970.

Such leadership has earned Brown national recognition. He was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in 2016 and has received the Urban Libraries Council Top Innovator Award, the California Library Association PRExcellence Award, and a John Cotton Dana Award from the American Library Association in both California and Illinois. Most recently, he served on the California Library Association Board.

Watch Chris Brown’s Presentation (via CCOC)

Listen to Chris Brown’s Presentation (via WGN Radio)

Filed under: Awards, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Patrons and Users, Public Libraries