Carolyn Anthony

Carolyn Anthony currently Chairs the Standing Committee of IFLA’s Metropolitan Libraries Section and continues as a representative of the American Library Association to IFLA. She served for a lengthy time as Director of the Skokie Public Library which won a National Medal from IMLS in 2008 and the ALA Excellence in Library Programming Award in 2016. She was President of the Public Library Association 2013 – 2014. She has consulted in public library leadership and planning, having made invitational presentations throughout the United States, in Egypt and Taiwan, as well as at IFLA conferences.

Montse Ayats

CAT – Montse Ayats Coromina. Editora. És mestra per la Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya i llicenciada en filologia catalana per la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Des de 2003 i fins a abril de 2022 va ser directora d’Eumo Editorial, l’editorial de la UVic-UCC, especialitzada en llibres d’educació i pedagogia, història, poesia. Actualment i de manera temporal és la Responsable del Pla nacional del llibre i la lectura, impulsat pel Govern de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

CAST – Montse Ayats Coromina. Editora. Es maestra por la Universidad de Vic-Universidad Central de Catalunya y licenciada en filología catalana por la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
Desde 2003 y hasta abril de 2022 fue directora de Eumo Editorial, editorial de la UVic-UCC, especializada en libros de educación y pedagogía, historia y poesía. Actualmente, y de manera temporal, es la Responsable del Plan nacional del libro y la lectura, impulsado por el Gobierno de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

ENG – Montse Ayats Coromina. Publisher. She is a teacher by Vic University – Catalonia Central University and a Catalan philology graduate by Autonomous University of Barcelona.
From 2003 until april 2022, she was the director of Eumo Editorial, the UVic-UCC publishing house specialized in education and pedagogy, history and poetry books. She is currently and temporarily responsible for the National Book and Reading Plan, pushed forward by the Government of Catalonia.

Brian Bannon

Merryl and James Tisch Director of Branch Libraries and Education

Brian Bannon is The New York Public Library’s first-ever Merryl and James Tisch Director. Bannon is the chief librarian responsible for directing NYPL’s 88 neighborhood branches, as well as the Library’s educational strategy. Most recently, Bannon was commissioner and chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Library, serving as chief library officer for one of the largest urban public library systems in the world. Bannon came to NYPL in 2019 with 20 years of experience in developing and implementing educational programs and leading large-scale operations that maximize impact for all citizens and contribute to a culture of learning, reading, and community learning. Before his successful tenure in Chicago, Bannon was Chief Information Officer at the San Francisco Public Library, and worked at the Seattle Public Library and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He has been recognized as an innovator throughout his career: amongst many other accolades, he has been named to Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business” list, and was named one of Chicago’s top 100 innovators by Blue Sky Innovation, a publication of the Chicago Tribune. Bannon received his bachelor of arts from Pacific Lutheran University and his master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Washington Information School.

Vickery Bowles

Vickery Bowles is the City Librarian at Toronto Public Library (TPL), which delivers services through a network of 100 branches and online channels. She believes passionately in the difference public libraries make in the lives of individuals, in communities and cities. Vickery has advanced TPL’s strategic plan to support opening up public spaces, digital access and inclusion, workforce development, democratic values and civic engagement and an innovative service culture, and is currently leading the development of a new Strategic Plan for 2025-2029.

Vickery is a former Chair of the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) based in Washington, D.C., a member of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), and a Board member for the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL).

Larra Clark

Larra Clark serves as Deputy Director for both the Public Library Association (PLA) and the American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Policy Advocacy Office. Her portfolio includes broadband access and adoption, public library data and research, strategic communications, and national initiatives and partnerships. Her career spans 24 years managing library communications, policy, and research following a decade in non-profit public affairs, government relations, and print journalism. She received her library master’s degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Jane Cowell

Jane Cowell is a known innovator and speaker on trends in the Public Library industry with over 25 years of experience working in Public Libraries across Australia and is the current President of the Australian Library and Information Association and Chairs the IFLA Public Libraries Section. Jane is the CEO of Yarra Plenty Regional Library which serves the communities in the northeast of Melbourne, Australia. In her previous role she worked at the State Library of Queensland and delivered significant research projects to support library advocacy efforts such as The Impact of Libraries as Creative Spaces in 2016 and was instrumental in the development of a fully funded ($20 million) early literacy programme for every Queensland public library, First Five Forever. She blogs at Medium https://medium.com/@janecowell8 and you can connect with Jane on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/janecowell/

Pablo Bruno D’Amico

Philip Kent

Jordi Pascual

Alicia Rey

Alicia Rey, es Licenciada en Filología Hispánica y Diplomada en Biblioteconomía y Documentación por la Universidad de Zaragoza. Es socia fundadora de la empresa Info-doc, Gestíón de la información con la que ha desarrollado numerosos proyectos de gestión de bibliotecas públicas, de formación del profesorado, de gestión de programas europeos y de consultoría.

Actualmente es la coordinadora de las bibliotecas municipales de Huesca para las que ha liderado entre otros proyectos el Plan de inclusión digital, Barriolab: laboratorios bibliotecarios de participación y creación y el programa Educación en información y medios. Colabora como docente en el Master de la Universidad complutense de Madrid, La biblioteca como agente de transformación socioeducativa.

Santi Romero

CAT – Arquitecte. Assessor en arquitectura bibliotecària, conferenciant i docent .

https://santiromeroarquitectura.com

Després de treballar al Taller de Arquitectura Ricardo Bofill, l’any 1993 es va incorporar al Servei de Biblioteques de la Diputació de Barcelona, on va esdevenir Cap de la Unitat d’Arquitectura Bibliotecària l’any 2005 i fins al 2020. La seva tasca, centrada en l’assessorament i control dels projectes i obres de les biblioteques públiques, l’ha portat a intervenir en més de 150 projectes de biblioteques.

Ha impartit conferències, dirigit cursos i escrit articles tant en l’àmbit nacional com internacional.

És l’autor del llibre “L’Arquitectura de la Biblioteca: Recomanacions per a un projecte integral”, editat en espanyol, català i anglès.

Des de 2005 és membre de la “Secció d’Edificis i Equipaments Bibliotecaris” de l’IFLA.

CAST – Arquitecto. Asesor en arquitectura bibliotecaria, conferenciante y docente .

https://santiromeroarquitectura.com

Después de trabajar en el Taller de Arquitectura Ricardo Bofill, en 1993 se incorporó en el Servicio de Bibliotecas de la Diputación de Barcelona, donde fue nombrado Jefe de la Unidad de Arquitectura Bibliotecaria en el año 2005 y hasta el 2020. Su tarea, centrada en el asesoramiento y control de los proyectos y obras de las bibliotecas públicas, le ha llevado a intervenir en más de 150 proyectos de bibliotecas.

Ha impartido conferencias, dirigido cursos y escrito artículos tanto en el ámbito nacional como internacional.

Es autor del libro “La Arquitectura de la Biblioteca: Recomendaciones para un proyecto integral”, editado en español, catalán e inglés.

Desde 2005 es miembro de la “Sección de Edificios y Equipamientos Bibliotecarios” de la IFLA.

ENG – Architect. Library buildings adviser, lecturer and teacher.

https://santiromeroarquitectura.com

After working at the Taller de Arquitectura Ricardo Bofill, in 1993 he joined the Library Services Management Office of the Diputació de Barcelona, where he has been the Head of the Library Architecture Unit between 2005 and 2020. His work, focused on the advice and control of the projects and works of the public libraries, has led him to intervene in more than 150 library projects.

He has written articles and given conferences and courses both nationally and internationally.

He is the author of the book “Library Architecture: Recommendations for a comprehensive research project”, published in Spanish, Catalan and English.

Since 2005 he has been member of the “Library Buildings and Equipment Section” of IFLA.

Felton Thomas, Jr.

Felton Thomas, Jr. has been the Director of the Cleveland Public Library (CPL) since January 2009. Under his leadership, CPL has become a “community deficit fighter,” focusing on initiatives that address technology, education, and economic development. During his tenure, CPL has maintained its “Five Star” status and was recognized as a “Top Innovator” by the Urban Libraries Council for its use of technology and data in decision-making.

Felton led CPL through its first facilities master plan in over forty years, aiming to renovate or rebuild all 27 branches over the next decade. He also launched the “Downtown Destination” campaign to modernize the Main Library and reposition it as a key downtown attraction. In 2012, CPL opened TechCentral, a technology center that provides public access to advanced tools like 3D printers and laser engraving.

Before CPL, Felton served as Director of Regional Branch Services for the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and was President of the Nevada Library Association. He holds a psychology degree from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and a Master’s in Library Science from the University of Hawaii. Felton was named the 2019 Community Leader of the Year by *Cleveland Magazine* and serves on several community boards.