Thursday, September 25, 2025, 6:30PM
Virtual donation-based program
We like to think that these days public libraries belong to anyone who enters them, but that was not always the case. Before the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, libraries did not provide equal service to all people, especially those who were BIPOC, and even after that, they still had to fight for equitable service. Learn about a few of the female librarians, literacy-loving women (and a man or two) who have devoted their lives to making a difference in breaking boundaries to affect change during this virtual program. Discover how these champions worked to make sure people of all ages, especially children, received equal access to books and public libraries.
As the Youth Services Specialist at the NJ State Library since 2007, Sharon Rawlins coordinates the statewide summer reading program, and provides services, resources, and training for youth services staff in NJ libraries. Rawlins is on the NJ Association of School Librarians Executive board as the State Library Liaison and serves as Vice-Chair of the NJ Center for the Book. She has chaired the American Library Association’s YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction committee and served on the Michael L. Printz and Margaret A. Edwards award committees, as well as other ALA book selection committees. When not reading books for children and teens, or book reviewing for SLJ and Booklist, she loves to cook, watch old movies, and go for long walks. In 2019, NJLA honored her with the Librarian of the Year Award. Rawlins received a master’s in library science (MLS) degree from Rutgers University.