Libraries: Value Beyond Measure and the MSLA

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This past weekend I had the honor of being a presenting author at the Massachusetts School Libraries Association (MSLA) annual conference. This year’s tag line was “Beyond the Binding” and I spent the day surrounded by hundreds of the wonderful folks who are charged with nurturing the student (K-12) population’s love of reading. There were many great discussions about writing, reading and creativity.

 

 

 

One of the greatest takeaways from the MSLA panel I participated in was that nurturing student creativity is vital, despite what society tells us. I’ve always felt that part of being a YA author, at least for me, is nurturing the imagination of middle and high schoolers and letting them know that they should follow their dreams–whether that dream is to write a book, or be a scientist.

It felt ridiculously good to be surrounded by library professionals. It reminded me of the soul-enriching hours, days, lifetimes I’ve spent in libraries across this country. Whether it’s a school library or a public library, the value that libraries have brought to my life and work is beyond measure, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to give back.

 

Thank you to everyone at the MSLA for making it happen for me; for all of the fabulous presenters and attendees; and, most importantly, for generations of readers.

💞 The only reason I would miss #Grubstreet is the #MSLA #LibrariansRock 💖

A post shared by Ife Oshun Author of YA Fantasy (@ifeoshun) on

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About Ife Oshun

Ife Oshun is the author of The Angelica Brown Series. A professional writer and actor, she wrote and produced for the stage in New York and Los Angeles, for television (as a WGA intern on Star Trek Voyager and producer at Tyler Perry Studios) and produced a pilot for a Warren G reality show. She is currently working on her next novel and lives in Boston, MA.