PRESENTATION

Presentation Description:

This presentation explores how all librarians can strategically adopt “influencer” principles to elevate their professional roles, advocate for their libraries, and affect community reading culture. With a growing disengagement with reading among Australians, Krystal Gagen-Spriggs will emphasize why all libraries must care about this trend. Librarians are uniquely positioned to reignite a passion for reading and foster stronger, more literate communities, no matter what sector they serve. Moving beyond traditional perceptions, she redefines the “influencer” as a guide, inspirer, and connector within the library context to help librarians understand why they should be thinking strategically about their influence. Drawing on research from her PhD research, as well as findings from the “Australia Reads” and “Teen Reading in the Digital Era” projects, Krystal will explore the persistent challenges of advocacy and demonstrating library value within the context of reading culture. She will propose practical strategies, such as understanding diverse reading identities, decolonising reading to embrace varied forms and languages, and leveraging modern communication tools and platforms to expand librarian influence. Attendees will be empowered to embrace proactive “influencer” strategies to shape their community’s reading landscape, moving beyond the role of influencer to catalyst, reigniting their community’s reading culture.