Noah Lenstra —  Library & Information Science Program, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Noah Lenstra brings a special perspective on organizing to teaching and research on public librarianship. Together with ARSL members, he connects rural libraries with resources that enable them to serve their communities better.

One of Noah's most significant accomplishments took place at the very beginning of 2019, when he connected more than 50 rural libraries across America with Geri-Fit, a free, evidence-based online strength-training program for seniors. "This project encapsulates all that I personally love about my job, and about rural libraries—the hunger for something new, connecting people with new resources, and so on," Noah remembers. The secret to its success rested on an active membership and e-list within ARSL.

Raised just outside a small town with a population of 3,500 people in Illinois, Noah cares deeply about rural and small libraries. As a result of networking at ARSL conferences since 2017 and as the founder of his nonprofit organization, Let's Move in Libraries, he's enabled rural libraries to develop walking projects, StoryWalks, and more.

Noah's advice for rural librarians: Express the value of your library in a way that resonates with people. Frame your work in terms of health, childhood development, aging in place, digital inclusion, economic development. "Don't be afraid to make these connections for people, as they are not going to make the connections on their own!"

As someone working behind the scenes, Noah credits ARSL's network as instrumental to his work:

"When I discovered there was a place where rural librarians converged, I knew I had to be part of it."

Written by the ARSL Office