Today we’d like to introduce you to Libby McCarthy.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Libby. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I never aspired to work in the non-profit sector. I fell into my first role at the Library Foundation by chance, and slowly but surely the organization and its awesome mission got under my skin.
Let me move back a step: like so many, I was a little aimless after graduating from college. I moved to the mountains and worked in communications at the chamber of commerce. When small-town mountain life got old, I moved back home to LA and interned at a magazine for a year. My ultimate goal was to move to the Bay Area and break into book publishing. But “life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans,” and a good friend alerted me to an open role as an assistant for the Library Foundation’s beloved ALOUD series. I had been an English major and reading has always been a huge part of my life. Plus, this job actually intersected with the book publishing world in an interesting way. I interviewed, got the job, and more than 10 years later I’m still in LA and still at the Library Foundation!
I’ve officially held 4 different job titles at the Foundation, but as is so often the case at non-profits, I’ve unofficially performed about 30 different job functions throughout my decade at the organization. I’ve worked as the Executive Assistant and Board Liaison; I founded our intern program; I created and produce two new, dynamic programs that celebrate television and film; I’ve worked as our in-house graphic designer and more.
Has it been a smooth road?
My personal journey has been surprisingly unexpectedly smooth. I have been the beneficiary of some incredible mentorship from the leadership of the Library Foundation. That support has allowed me to develop my skills in a way that perhaps would not have been possible at a bigger organization or in the corporate world. And those opportunities I’ve been given are what have kept me at the Foundation for so long. These responsibilities came with the requisite learning curves and I’ve certainly had some missteps along the way – don’t ask me about the first time I ever spearheaded a major website redesign. Gulp!
From an organizational standpoint, it has been exciting to see the Foundation evolve. As most people in the non-profit world know, annual fundraising goals can be tied to a robust economy and the political climate of the day. I arrived at the Library Foundation in October 2007 and was witness to the 2008 financial crisis. At that point, we were down to about 12 employees and our endowment portfolio had taken a hit. Since then, we’ve grown the organization to 27 employees and doubled our annual fundraising goals.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Library Foundation of Los Angeles story. Tell us more about the business.
The Library Foundation of Los Angeles is an organization dedicated to supporting the 73 locations of the Los Angeles Public Library. What that actually means is we do not supplant what the city budget provides (e.g. operational costs), but rather enhance by funding the major free programs, resources, and services. We receive funding from foundations, community organizations, businesses, and individuals.
That funding goes toward programs that provide academic support and literacy skills; programs that help patrons access health insurance and helps connect patrons who are experiencing homelessness with resources. Overall, we fundraise for 14 different programs offered for free via the Los Angeles Public Library locations and at lapl.org.
If you ever meet me at a party, careful – I will evangelize you about how we are transforming Los Angeles and the world through the power of our Libraries.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
My job is constantly changing and we’re always embarking on cool new initiatives. For example, I am spearheading a strategic planning project with the ultimate goal of re-envisioning our public programs to be bolder and more innovative. This is a message that is coming directly from our Board Leadership. How exciting is it to have a Board that encourages you to be brave and take risks?
I’m finding that organizational management suits me, so I’m hoping to move into that role in a bigger way in the coming years.
Increasingly, I’m finding that I’m an anomaly for my generation. It’s rare that I meet a friend or peer who has been on such a single-track career journey. But I’m still devoted to the Library Foundation and the role and mission of Libraries in our society.
Contact Info:
- Website: lfla.org
- Phone: 213-228-7500
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/LibraryFoundla
- Facebook: Facebook.com/LibraryFoundla
- Twitter: @LibraryFoundla
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