Colleagues and fellow TLA members,

Today marks my last day as your TLA President. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, once again, for the trust you placed in me to lead this past year. As you know, it has been a year fraught with legislative battles, but with your support and activism, TLA has stood firm in our resolve to defend the first amendment right to information and the Freedom to Read. It’s also been a year of reuniting as we joined together for our first in-person conference since COVID. Being together with you all encouraged me personally and professionally, and I know everyone who attended left feeling the same. 

As the great Leslie Knope once said, “No one achieves anything alone.” I must second this notion and send a special thank you to our Executive Director, Cathy Farley whom I have recently dubbed the “TLA Oracle,” for all of her help as I navigated this past year of service. I’d also like to thank our Conference committee for their outstanding work making a successful, and smooth, event. Our Legislative Monitor, Andrea Zielke, deserves a mention as well for the terrific job she did keeping us all informed of library legislation this past year—a nigh-impossible feat, but she made it look easy. 

Finally, I’d like to thank you, the membership, not only for your daily work to help your communities grow, learn, and connect to information and opportunities, but also for your commitment to TLA, presentations and attendance at conference, service on boards and committees, and for being there for each other during some rough times. We are only as strong as our members, and each of you makes us a better and stronger, organization. 

I look forward to serving as your Past President under Dwight Hunter, whom I know will do a fantastic job as our incoming President. Take it away, Dwight— I’m passing the virtual gavel to you! 

Yours,

Sharon Kay Edwards