Valerie has served as President & CEO of Howard County Library System (HCLS) since 2001. Developing a new vision for libraries, she has worked with the HCLS Board, staff, funders, elected officials and the community to implement “Libraries = Education.” She has delivered 100+ keynotes, workshops, seminars and webinars on the strategy, drawing the participation and input of thousands of library professionals from 46 states and more than a dozen countries around the world.
Combining these experiences, she authored Transforming Our Image, Building Our Brand: The Education Advantage (ABC-CLIO, 2013). For living this game-changing vision, HCLS was recognized in 2013 as Library of the Year by Gale and Library Journal. They hailed the “Libraries = Education” equation “a 21st-century model worthy of study and consideration by every library in America, if not the world” (Library Journal, 2013). The growing movement is ushering in a new era for libraries everywhere.
