The American Library Association (ALA) met for its annual conference and exhibition June 27 - July 2 in San Diego, California. Some of this year’s featured speakers included comedian and writer Trevor Noah, actress Taraji P. Henson, and journalist Ali Velshi, among others.

Cindy Hohl, director of policy analysis and operational support at the Kansas City Public Library, was inaugurated as the new ALA president on the last day of the conference on Tuesday, July 2. Hohl won the role of president-elect in April 2023.

Find out more about Hohl and her ALA initiatives here.

A member of the Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska, Hohl has served in roles in state, national, and international library organizations. This includes the American Indian Library Association (AILA) and others affiliated with the ALA, as well as the Freedom to Read Foundation – spearheading efforts opposing book banning and other censorship efforts.

In a statement last April, Hohl said, “We have a lot of good work ahead of us in libraries, and I look forward to listening to feedback, hearing your ideas, and moving forward with that inspiration to uphold the professional ethics of our trusted profession as we highlight the high value of libraries.”

We caught up with Hohl before she traveled to ALA to take on the new role:

Q: When it was announced that you were the president-elect of the ALA, you said, “There has never been a better time to be a librarian!” How so? And what do you see as the primary challenge facing libraries today?

A: For those working in libraries, our goal is always to connect people with equal access to information, and it must be accurate information from credible sources. We uphold the library bill of rights to ensure that intellectual freedom remains protected for everyone, and we help library users receive the highest value of service.

We have seen increased activity online by posters sharing false information to dissuade or misinform readers and we are addressing misinformation because it is problematic. This is our chance to really shine in our profession, to help people see that quality information should be available and accessible for everyone.

This is the best time to be a librarian because we understand how to manage information and help people identify the accuracy of information to ensure proper content is shared with the target audience. Librarians are highly trained to help users search for jobs and services while also providing literacy-based programs. As trusted professionals, we manage these responsibilities with great care for the good of the community. The library's role is to be a safe place and community hub for information, literacy, and learning.

Q: What has this year been like for you as president-elect? Any highlights?

A: I always love attending our American Library Association conferences and finding inspiration from all the attendees, emerging leaders, and movers and shakers. We had our LibLearnX Conference in Baltimore in January, and it was such a wonderful opportunity to gather with everyone and hear about their work and what is happening in their communities. I am looking forward to the next LLX25 gathering in Phoenix next January and hope to see many of you there!

The Public Library Association (PLA) also had a conference in April that was held in Ohio. The PLA conference is every other year and I always feel like it fills my cup; it is an opportunity to mingle with colleagues and peers and to hear from industry leaders as well. The exhibit hall is always a wonderful place to spend time meeting with vendors and hearing author talks.

When we have an opportunity to gather in these spaces, I always come back with inspiration and innovative ideas. Learning with colleagues from across the field provides me with the motivation to lean further into this work and I love meeting new members and students.

I have also reflected deeply during these times of increased acts of censorship to understand these behaviors. Unfortunately, we are seeing many adverse actions across communities with an unprecedented level of book challenges; from terminations of employment and affiliation with the ALA, to legislation jeopardizing funding seeking removal of materials from library shelves. This is all in a quest to silence voices which harms everyone's First Amendment rights.

Libraries and library workers are being targeted by those who have a misunderstanding of what it means to serve a community through librarianship, and we need to show respect for the information professionals working to help people live their best lives. When hearing that library workers are targeted with false accusations against their character or being made to feel like they're all alone, it is time to do better. Distractions that paint negative pictures of library service do not serve the community well and librarians strive to support readership to provide equal access to information.

So, when we attend these conferences, and we can hear that there are struggles in other communities, it helps us gain the perspective that this is an attack on our core values, that we feel that intellectual freedom is for everyone, and that the role of the library is to uphold the First Amendment rights for everyone in this country.

When you think about a certain state being targeted, and you see that school librarians are having to remove books from the shelves, that is not a step toward increasing literacy in the community, that is an act of aggression. Even if that hasn't happened in your community, at least, hopefully, you can have some empathy for those who are serving at that time.

Because no one goes to library school and takes the course on how to defend the library – it’s how to advocate for the library, expand your community service net, and build sustainable relationships. That's the focus and goal of librarianship. And so, we're at a time where this is very critical that we support each other across the field.

Q: You are the first ALA president from a Kansas City-area library, the first from a Missouri library in 90 years, and the second Native American to hold the position. Is there a certain weight attached to being among the first, or responsibility?

A: I think that it's an opportunity.

I'm the first Dakota president. Native Americans are all very diverse peoples from unique communities; we all have our own culture, language, food, dance, regalia, and ways of knowing. And so, you know, being raised Dakota, I have that lens that I look through when making decisions. It’s a choice to walk between both roles, between what it means to be Indigenous in this country and to recognize the mainstream and to work in those spaces as well.

So, you know, being the first Dakota librarian elected to ALA President is a responsibility that I absolutely feel the weight of, making sure I’m bringing and representing our values and our beliefs into this work.

The slogan of my year is “In a Good Way for ALA.” To work “in a good way” with others means that you're always taking into consideration the potential impact of your decisions as a leader. In our community, we're raised to understand that it is our responsibility to take care of all generations, from our elders to the unborn and everyone in between.

It’s important as I move into this position that I remember the reasons that I was elected by my peers, that I remember how to continue to be the voice of those who may feel marginalized or oppressed in society, and to always represent us in the best way possible.

In my time at the Kansas City Public Library – I've worked here for almost seven years – I've continued to see us grow and evolve in our service platform, in our leadership voice, and to always make sure that we are the Library for the people.

I'm very passionate about our work, and I love our Library and what we do for the community. Leading from the middle of the country, I will make sure that I remain very aware of our voice, that we are being inclusive, and that we are helping everyone gather “in a good way.”