Two Drexel University alumnae from Drexel University's College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) were recently recognized as one of Library Journal's 2018 "Movers and Shakers." Erin Hoopes, '04 and Julie Syler, '10, graduates of the College's
MS in Library and Information Science program, are among a cohort of about fifty top changemakers who are transforming what it means to be a librarian.
Hoopes and Syler join the ranks of 16 CCI alumni to receive this honor, including: Titus Moolathara, '16, Taneya Gethers, '07, Alison Macrina, '09, Steven J. Bell, '78, Joan Bernstein, '74, Brett Bonfield, '07, Vibiana Bowman, '81, Nicole Engard, '07, Adam Feldman, '10 , Perry Genovesi, '10, John Hubbard, '00, Laverne Mann, '05, Alison Miller, '08, Eric Lease Morgan, '87, John D. Shank, '00, and Genie Tyburski, '85.
Hoopes, a branch manager at the Free Library of Philadelphia (FLP), was recognized in the
"Community Builders" category for her work in establishing the FLP's Social Justice Symposium for Teens, a program that encourages library staff to converse with teens about issues such as police brutality and racism. Since 2016, the symposium has featured presentations from local advocacy groups, juvenile justice advocates, and prominent authors Renée Watson and Angie Thomas. Surveys taken by attendees indicate teens leave more confidant in their ability to become involved in their community and more aware of community issues.
Syler was recognized in the
"Advocates" category, along with her colleague Rebecca McCorkindale, for the creation of the Libraries Are for Everyone campaign, which emphasizes the welcoming nature of libraries; it was created shortly after President Trump's ban on travel from seven Muslim countries. Syler, who works as an innovations librarian at the Saline County Library in Benton, AR, contacted McCorkndale who designed a poster using the slogan (complete with a bright, stylized design of people from various cultural and ethnic groups holding globes). Since McCorkindale wrote about their collaboration on her popular blog
Hafuboti, the original blog post has been viewed more than 36,407 times by people from 156 countries, and the phrase "Libraries Are for Everyone" had been translated into 79 languages by 2017.
For more information about the 2018 Movers and Shakers, visit Library Journal's website at
https://lj.libraryjournal.com/movers.