Nay Keppler selected as a 2022 LJ Mover & Shaker!

• By: admin
• On: 05/23/2022 13:42:45
• In: MLA President
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Nay is the new Branch Manager of the Miller Branch of the Howard County Library System.  Nay started her library career as a page in 2009 and obtained her MSLS in Information and Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She became involved with MLA's Leadership Development Division in 2016, was appointed Conference Director for 2020, chaired the Professional Development Panel in 2021 and is currently the Vice President/President Elect.  

While her contributions to MLA over the past years have been many, it is in the past couple years that they have become truly extraordinary. As 2020 Conference Director, Nay successfully led her team to create what promised to be another excellent conference experience. However, when the pandemic hit, Nay worked quickly to transition plans.  Rather than cancel the conference, she worked with Margaret Carty and her staff to completely re-envision the entire event online- from vendors to speakers to social events.  She worked collaboratively with MLA's technology committee to build a new virtual platform system.  Ultimately, Nay led the team to a huge success and other states looked at the Maryland model for a virtual conference to replicate in their own states.

As Chair of the Leadership Development Division, Nay planned and promoted the Leading from Home virtual training series at the beginning of the shutdown. These virtual trainings were hugely successful and connected more than 1,000 people to MLA, including more than 700 non-members. Building on her growing expertise in virtual events, Nay worked with MLA leadership to help all division, interest group, committee, and panel leaders to learn and embrace new online platforms for connecting and delivering programming content. As the Professional Development Panel Chair, Nay devised new guidelines for virtual programming that are being used by all MLA units to plan and produce exciting professional development opportunities for our members.  As President Elect she has been working to develop a new membership model for the Maryland Library Association.  And due to the sudden death of the MLA's Executive Director, Margaret Carty, she has also taken on many of the Presidential duties while I have focused my attention on hiring a new Executive Director for the organization. Clearly, her work ethic is incomparable, and her ability to think strategically about the needs of the Association and its members is impressive.

During the George Floyd riots, Nay was instrumental in working with the Steering Committee to create MLA's Statement Against Racism.  What's more, she pushed to make sure that MLA wasn't just writing a statement, but helping to produce an action plan that makes MLA's leaders accountable for their commitment to promoting a more inclusive Association.  As an example, she collaborated with the current and past presidents to initiate a special program called, "Black Authors Matter," as well as to make it free for all members.

Nay is a shining example to us all- in the library and in life.  Without her unshakable commitment, tireless work ethic, and innovative, optimistic thinking at every stage, the Maryland Library Association would not be navigating through such difficult times as effectively as it has.  Nay is a wonderful colleague, librarian, and leader, and she is most deserving of this recognition from her peers across the nation.  

Nay is soon to be President of the Maryland Library Association and will be working with our new Executive Director, Josh Stone, to improve membership, plan a centennial celebration and develop a new strategic plan.  I can't think of a better person to be leading us during this most important time.   

Thank you so much, Nay, for your commitment to Maryland Libraries and the Maryland Library Association.  I look forward to continuing to work with you in the coming year! 
 
~Mary Anne Bowman, 2021-2022 MLA President 

Nay's Library Journal Article