Director’s Message

March is Women’s History Month, and I have so much to tell you, beginning with a free, epic exhibit created by the Smithsonian and the National Museum of American History comprised of 200 objects that spans over 200 years. The blockbuster online exhibit, Girlhood (It’s complicated), shows us how American girls changed history in five areas: politics, education, work, health, and fashion. Talk about Girl Power! To zero in closer to home, we are celebrating Women’s History Month at Broward County Library as we do every year. The international theme for 2022 is “Break the Bias” and we will present programs on a variety of themes with a whole lot of how-to. After all, we don’t want to just talk about problems…we want to solve them! There is plenty going on in our libraries, with online and in-person programs. For starters, learn why women still earn only 82 cents for each dollar men make; view a panel discussion on Black women’s health care disparity; become inspired by the strong women protagonists in sci-fi and fantasy literature; share Muslim American stories with author S.K. Ali; get advice from a midwife; and master higher self-healing with meditation techniques. And let’s not forget the next generation -- children will get an in-person story time with a potting and planting craft to honor “Tree Lady” Kate Sessions. I will be taking part in two “Break the Bias” programs for Women’s History Month myself. I can’t wait! Kim Scott, New York Times bestselling author and CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies, as well as a leader at Apple and Google, joins me online to discuss the challenges of women in leadership on March 16th .

Another event I am eager to do is my Director’s Book Club, to talk with you about Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail, on March 24th at the North Regional/ Broward College Library. This is the true story of an elderly novice who not only hiked the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail alone, but at age seventy-one became a hiking celebrity and appeared on TV with Groucho Marx and Art Linkletter, bringing the attention that very likely saved the trail from extinction. Not everyone can be as impactful as Grandma Gatewood, but one way we have to “Break the Bias” is to level the economic playing field. For all of us, that means when we seek employment, we should be prepared with a top-notch résumé, polished interview skills and a solid game plan to land the job. When someone is unemployed, they can’t afford to hire that kind of personal coaching. Fortunately, the library is offering it free of charge in March and April at eight library locations with our Workforce Ready Employment Workshops. Women and men looking for a new or better job can get personal attention from a top expert. Don’t pass this up! Another way we will “Break the Bias” is by demolishing language and culture barriers that hold women and their families back. English for Families is another new grant-funded program the library is offering. When language literacy increases, so does family income and scholastic achievement. I am so excited about this opportunity, especially since it’s inter-generational. I love the idea of a family pulling together as a team and making strides. We are ready to help in three languages -- try us -- and as always, it’s free.