samhelmick.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

From local government to our federal representatives, every elected official needs to see the impact libraries have on their communities. You can use your voice to #ShowUpForOurLibraries by telling your library story. Check out our full set of advocacy tools and sign up for alerts: ala.org/showup

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Our statehouse is where we shape our future—where free individuals step up, engage, and ensure their voices guide the decisions that affect us all. A government of the people, by the people, and for the people is vital to our society’s progress and prosperity.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Grateful to celebrate and honor new inductees into Phi Theta Kappa. It was a privilege to share my PTK stories and encourage the incredible future to come from our learners and leaders at Scott Community College!

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Stand up for Iowa libraries and the right to #KeepLibrariesLocal. Let the #ialegis know that you trust yourself, your family, and your community Board and libraries to manage your reading habits & information access. #Freadom #FreePeopleReadFreely oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/promo/67a

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

“SF 347 in particular, Helmick said, “takes away local control, dismantles minors’ rights, insinuates that library workers are peddling pornography, and circumvents a library’s board of trustees.” #ialegis www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

Always excited to visit 1630 KCJJ for Library Corner! There’s always so much to share about the Iowa City Public Library and the deejays are such an absolute delight!!

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

It was an absolute delight to connect either the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh staff this morning and to encourage them to remember and share their own stories of resiliency, community good, and hope. #LibraryLife #OurStoriesAreWorthSharing

submitted 14 days ago • 3 comments

First #coffeeselfie Stateside (and minor spill on my new Hong Kong sweater). Soliciting travel mercies as I fly cross country to meet the amazing Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh staff and share thought bunnies at their in service training day. #LibraryLife #HappyMaking ☕️ ✈️

submitted 15 days ago • 0 comments

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.'' As I take my last red taxi to the airport, I reflect on the people and places I’ve encountered at #21CLHK — each profoundly beautiful. Soliciting prayers & petitions for travel mercies home.

submitted 16 days ago • 0 comments

Took the Star Ferry to Kowloon and walked around. Found some pineapple bean paste buns, souvenirs for loved ones, and LEGOland! #HappyyMaking #TakeABreak

submitted 17 days ago • 0 comments

Yesterday had so many amazing highlights: 📚 Touring International School Libraries 📚 Learning New Concepts, Curriculum, and Approaches 📚 Making Friends, Meeting Allies, Being Inspired #21CLHK #LibraryLife #AlwaysLearning

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

Visited the 📚Hong Kong Central Library, 🌺 Queen Victoria Gardens, the Zoological & Botanical Garden 🌼 and The Peak Tram 🚊 this afternoon. Walked about 7 miles, saw the South China Sea 🌊 , found souvenirs for loved ones, & enjoyed a Biscoff soufflé with tiramisu coffee. 🥞☕️

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

Inside a plane 21 or the last 24 hours but able to work on library adverse legislation. Taking a quick 5K walk around Hong Kong (Wan Chai) before resting a while. Grateful to speak at #21CLHK and to attend to this blessing with a full mind and heart. #HongKong #HappyMaking #LibraryLife

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

The public can offer ongoing support to 📖 safeguard our community libraries 📖 champion access to self improvement 📖 provide pertinent knowledge and data for 21st Century students and workers Become a supporter at ilovelibraries.org! (There’s even a cute tote bag!) #ForOurLibraries

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

Shared breakfast and a devotional with Mom before heading to the airport. Feeling humbled & blessed by the love + support. I will prayerfully leverage every opportunity to encourage, support, and love while at the #21CLHK conference. Thanks for travel mercies and adventure prayers! 💜

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

In times like these our daily choices aren’t random or innocuous or without meaning… …we are designed to connect and create and work. Our work (which often is to love others well) matters. www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57673/... #poetry #keepgoing #takeheart

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

💜 My Alma mater @scciowa.bsky.social wrote a nice piece about my journey from community college to Iowa Wesleyan to then the @ischoolui.bsky.social and @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social. Storytelling has been a powerful thread stitching each chapter of the journey together. Grateful for each lesson.

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

The beauty of the Iowa Law Library always delights me. Excited to connect with Iowa library workers and advocates to share the importance and impact of information access and library service. Also excited to discover a LEGO Capitol!! #advocacy #IAlegis

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

Rocked a devotional (1 John 4:18), a few emails, some reporting, KRONOS approvals, and writing over a hearty airport breakfast. Reflecting away from home reminds me how much we are all doing everywhere in love. And what is done in #love does not require our fear. #faith #happymaking

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Checking out a few more libraries and sites before my flight tomorrow morning. Very grateful for the opportunity to learn and connect and enjoy a variety of wonderful people, ideas, and places. Soliciting prayer and petitions for travel mercies on my way home. #humbled #toronto #librarylife

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Beautiful night to walk with a cup of @timhortonsofficial.bsky.social coffee. Found the City Hall branch of the Toronto Public Library! #happymaking #travel #Toronto

submitted 31 days ago • 0 comments

“So much of the city is our bodies. Places in us old light still slants through to. Places that no longer exist but are full of feeling, like phantom limbs. Even the city carries ruins in its heart. Longs to be touched in places only it remembers.“ Anne Michaels #Toronto #poetry

submitted 33 days ago • 0 comments

First #coffeeselfie of the trip! Excited to present at the Ontario Library Association Super Conference in Toronto this week. We will talk about access, privacy, and intellectual freedom topics for front line library staff. Delighted to meet Canadian library workers and learn from them!

submitted 33 days ago • 0 comments

#LibLearnX25 was special for the learning, networking and 109-year history it represented . . . and in great part for the community of allies & friends gathered together to honor our predecessors, find our courage, & summon our focus. Onward, joyfully & determined to do good. 💜

submitted 34 days ago • 0 comments

With new threats to libraries & library workers already materializing, we need all library advocates to show up together. United in our advocacy for libraries and everyone we serve, we WILL make a difference. Join us and Show Up #ForOurLibraries. Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/01...

submitted 39 days ago • 1 comment

Look at this wonderful group of people! Many of the members of my @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social Presidential Advisory Committee could meet to talk strategy and inauguration today. Together we are going to make the next few years memorable and amazing. #LibLearnX25 #HappyMaking

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

“Book bans are real. Ask students who cannot access literary classics required for college or parents whose children can’t check out a book about penguins at their school library.” www.ala.org/news/2025/01...

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

Honored to report the Committee on Committees’ nominees for ALA Executive Board to the @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social Council. So grateful to all of our library leaders standing for election to serve our profession and library communities! #LibLearnX25

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

Excited to join so many @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social member leaders at the ALA Governance Institute this afternoon. Grateful for those dedicating energy and time to uplifting the mission of literacy and access to information and opportunity for all! #liblearnx25

submitted 38 days ago • 1 comment

The depth, breadth, and beauty of a this place, the joyful traversing with a dear friend (@apilky.bsky.social), the time to think, journal, and pray are each majestic gifts. Heading to @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social conference in Phoenix feeling renewed and refreshed. #LibLearnX25 #HappyMaking

submitted 39 days ago • 1 comment

The Yankton Community Library and surrounding libraries spent some of their holiday training, learning, & growing together. Delighted to see how they bring value and opportunity to those they serve. One of our professional core values is Public Good and you can certainly see it in this place. 💜 📚

submitted 42 days ago • 0 comments

It’s a two Cholula breakfast type of morning and this is my first #coffeeselfie of the trip! Headed to South Dakota over the holiday weekend to present on strong #UX and #IntellectualFreedom practices in public libraries. Excited for some #LibraryTourism and to connect and learn together!

submitted 43 days ago • 0 comments

Check out our interview with Sam Helmick @samhelmick.bsky.social ALA President Elect! www.theroguelibrarians.com/episodes/epi...

submitted 45 days ago • 0 comments

Delights to discuss access, intellectual freedom, and the role of libraries to equip & enable their communities to exercise self choice. #LibLearnX25 #Freadom #FreePeopleReadFreely open.spotify.com/episode/5oMh... open.spotify.com/episode/5oMh...

submitted 47 days ago • 0 comments

This was such a delightful conversation! We chatted about @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social and #LibLearnX25 and how the publishing world is impacted by library cuts. open.spotify.com/episode/1WMi...

submitted 47 days ago • 0 comments

Libraries are our community anchor institutions and ALWAYS lean into access to information, resources, and hope.

submitted 49 days ago • 0 comments

💜🩷 Let’s support our hurting libraries. @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social has a disaster relief fund and as we know the need often exceeds the means. 🩷💜 www.ala.org/aboutala/off...

submitted 51 days ago • 0 comments

Thank you, Beth, Brittany, and Stephanie, for the opportunity to visit the Davenport Public Library and to share the personal and professional values of the @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social and about opportunities to connect and network like #LibLearnX25. www.buzzsprout.com/1853838/epis...

submitted 53 days ago • 0 comments

The American Library Association (ALA) is currently accepting nominations through March 1, 2025, for the ALA Medal of Excellence Award, formerly the Melvil Dewey Medal. www.ala.org/awards/profe... #skybrarians

submitted 55 days ago • 0 comments

It was a wonderful experience to connect with the Rogue Librarians @roguelibrarianspod.bsky.social to talk about the support and networking @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social provided and to chat about #LibLearnX25!

submitted 56 days ago • 0 comments

Espresso beans + coffee + a classic to read = a lovely way to pass an hour or so on a Sunday afternoon. ☕️ 🍫 📚 #TakeItSlow #HappyMaking #AmReading

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

Witnessing the wildest collision of sports—dirt bikes and four wheelers tearing up a hockey rink at the international ice racing event! The roar of engines on ice is something you have to experience! 🏍️❄️ #HappyMaking #GoodTimes

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

Super grateful to share about the @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social and #LibLearnX25 on the @slupodcast.bsky.social podcast! Thank you, Amy! 💜 😀

submitted 58 days ago • 1 comment