Photo credit: Cristian Escobar When we came up with the idea for Embolden by Design (ExD), we did so as a response to this moment. Not to what was happening ten years ago, or what might happen ten years from now, but to what’s happening today — in this long, drawn-out today that often seems to have no edges. This is a time that will be studied and written about in textbooks, a time that’s asking more from all of us than perhaps we’ve ever been asked before, not only here in

Getting the Support You Need to Sustain the Good Work Photo credit: Ian Wagg Libraries are still standing As public trust continues to fracture along multiple lines, community spaces become increasingly important for people to connect, learn from each other, and work toward solutions. Community spaces are there when politicians and government agencies aren’t. Community spaces are there when business leaders look the other way. Community spaces are there when the reliable exis

ExD Helps Library Staff Deliver Bold, Community-Centered Programming During Increasingly Complex Times In turbulent times, public libraries are even more critical as trusted places where people can engage with ideas and each other to help build informed and connected communities. Born from this need is Embolden by Design (ExD), a holistic training experience to help library staff deliver bold programs that address a deeply fragmented, polarized society. Developed by three ex