Lisa Cromell, director of the Munising School Public Library, is among 100 library directors from across Michigan selected to participate in the Post Pandemic Public Library Leadership Cohort.
This program is a collaboration between the Library of Michigan and the University of Michigan School of Information, with major funding provided by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
This year-long professional development program, which Cromell will complete this month, has offered valuable leadership training. As part of her participation, she is a presenter at the Strong Connections, Strong Libraries Conference at the Library of Michigan.
Cromell’s presentation, “Moving Forward by Looking Back: Building Community Engagement Using Local History and Self-Guided Walks,” will illustrate how she used local library resources and a local-history-based book to create a Pandemic History Walk during the COVID lockdown that told the story of the 1918 Spanish influenza outbreak in Munising.
Additionally, Cromell has received in-depth training across various disciplines, further enhancing library services in the Munising community and all of Alger County.
The primary goal of the cohort is to support rural library directors and strengthen the libraries they lead. The program provides an opportunity for participants to share insights and explore how rural libraries positively affect their communities.
It also equips library directors with the skills needed to be more effective leaders and advocates for library services, especially in sparsely populated rural areas.
Throughout the program, Cromell and her fellow participants have participated in various professional development events across the state. These trainings have focused on addressing key challenges faced by small and rural libraries, including identifying community needs and partners, designing impactful programs, creating effective strategic plans and policies, improving social media engagement and crisis response, among other topics.
As program organizers emphasize, “Public libraries play a significant role in their communities, and 95% of Americans agree that the materials and resources available at public libraries are essential for giving everyone a chance to succeed.”
The PPPL program covers all travel expenses, professional development materials and training costs, meaning there is no cost to the library or participants.
“Funding from the federal level supports this vital training for library directors here in Michigan and helps ensure that our library and others are readily prepared to meet the needs of our communities when the going gets tough,” Cromell said. “I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity coordinated by the Library of Michigan and University of Michigan School of Information; it has been a wonderful experience.”
