In this keynote, Sam Helmick, the President of the American Library Association, reflects on information freedom and community building through storytelling-based advocacy. Grounded in the platform Our Stories Are Worth Sharing (samforlibraries.com) the presentation explores how libraries create space for people to share their own stories, encounter one another with curiosity, and build connection across difference.
Drawing on experiences from library communities in the United States, the talk considers storytelling as a powerful way to support access, belonging, and public trust.