This April, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA) announced Stacy Lieberman as the new president and CEO. A leader in Los Angeles’ local arts and culture scene, Stacy has a keen sense of the power of an institution like the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), and what it means to Angelenos across the city. She begins working with the Foundation June 6, 2022.
Brief Q&A
1. What drew you to the Library Foundation of Los Angeles?
I’m thrilled to lead the Library Foundation of Los Angeles to enhance its crucial work supporting and enriching the Los Angeles Public Library. I have long admired both institutions for their innovative programming and commitment to improving the lives of millions of Angelenos. Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to making knowledge, books, history, the arts, culture, stories, and ideas accessible to increasingly wider and more diverse communities. I have witnessed the transformative power of providing that access, whether watching students learn about the Mississippi Freedom Riders for the first time or ensuring apprentices have the workforce training necessary to succeed in their chosen careers. At the Foundation, there is a chance to make an impact on an enormous scale, for every Angeleno.
2. What excites you the most about this role?
Libraries are the most inclusive of institutions. With free and easy access, they serve and engage everyone from toddlers to seniors—and everyone in between. In this role, I look forward to working with the LFLA’s dedicated board and staff, the LAPL, and supporters to enhance the LAPL’s critical work to improve the lives and fuel dreams of city residents, whether it’s understanding new technology with Cybernauts, attending adult literacy classes, or seeking tutoring to perform better in school. I am eager to build an even broader network of partners and supporters across the city to enhance the LAPL’s impactful work.
3. How do you see the LFLA and the LAPL inspiring L.A. communities?
Bigger than a building and more than just books, libraries serve as essential neighborhood hubs across Los Angeles, providing education, technology, and opportunity. During an age of growing inequities, disinformation, digital divides, and book bans, the resources the LAPL provides are more crucial than ever. I look forward to sharing more stories of how individuals are using the library’s valuable resources to improve their lives, which I believe will inspire others to get involved.
4. What do you want people to know about the LFLA that they may not know?
The Library Foundation of Los Angeles is celebrating 30 years of supporting and advocating for the LAPL. I’d love every resident of Los Angeles to know about the vast resources available to them through the LAPL. I look forward to expanding our outreach to invite more people to get involved in the LFLA, whether to enjoy innovative programs and exhibitions and/or to support the essential work of the LAPL.
5. What are you reading?
American Estrangement: Stories by Saïd Sayrafiezadeh
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
To learn more about Stacy’s new appointment, please see the press release about her announcement here and her bio here.
