Ginger Tebo
Candidate for Councilor-At-Large (2021-25)
St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES
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Somehow, I never thought I’d be a librarian, though I’ve worked in libraries since my very first “real” job shelving books in my middle school library. Looking back on my various positions in academic, public, and now the school library world, I’m struck by how much these experiences have shaped my understanding of core values. Although each appointment required a slightly different perspective, what I was taught about what it truly means to be a librarian has never changed. Each knowledgeable mentor I’ve had has expressed the same devotion to lifelong learning, intellectual freedom, equity, democracy, and service. It is with this context that I approach a potential seat as Councilor-at-Large.
The North Country region where I am located has a great tradition of teamwork and open communication, and I see this position as an opportunity to encourage collaborative relationships like these throughout the state. We have huge challenges facing us, not in the far-distant future, but in our current situation. I believe that the constant battles for funding, threats to intellectual freedom, and questions of equity in our own profession provide opportunities to re-evaluate and affirm the principles that hold us together. Libraries and librarians are drivers of change. We are the progressive innovators who demonstrate lifelong learning to others. Let’s do this together.