A New Chapter at the Library–Meet the New Executive Director Anthony Cortez

We’re excited to introduce you to Anthony Cortez, the new Executive Director of the Rockford Public Library. With a strong background in IT and finance, Anthony is stepping into a role that’s all about connection, creativity, and community impact. In this episode, we’ll talk about his vision for the future of the library and what it means to lead one of Rockford’s most vital public institutions. Whether you’re a library lover or just curious about what’s next for Rockford — this one’s for you.

If you'd like to connect with Anthony Cortez directly you can reach him at: acortez@rockfordpubliclibrary.org

If you enjoy this episode, be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with others who care about the future of Rockford.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I'm just curious, was there has a library helped you over because you talked about how you want people to overcome whatever's like an obstacle, has the library done that for you?

SPEAKER_03 0:13

Yeah, I mean, uh by providing me that that outlet where I could have impact on my community. I mean, that's something to me I've always wanted to help others, you know. Uh and I can't think of any organization where I would have the chances that I've had here at the library to make those inroads in the community, to have that impact, to make lives better. I that's I I can't think of a higher calling than that.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

Welcome to the Rockford Public Library Podcast, where we highlight the people and stories shaping the library's future. I'm your host, Bridget Finn, and in this episode, I'm excited to introduce listeners to the Rockford Public Library's new executive director, Anthony Cortez. Anthony is a lifelong Rockfordian with deep roots in the community and a longstanding commitment to public service. Before stepping into the library's top leadership role, he served the city of Rockford and its finance department and later brought that expertise to RPL as both the director of finance and director of IT. That combination of experience should make for a smooth transition and a powerful foundation for what's to come. In our conversation, Anthony, or Tony, as he's commonly known, shares how he's driven by the opportunity to make meaningful community impact. He believes that when both staff and customers feel a genuine sense of belonging, it shapes everything, from our culture to our service and ultimately our success as a library. Let's dive in. Tell us about your journey that led you to Rockford Public Library.

SPEAKER_03 2:02

Sure. So I started my career really in earnest at the City of Rockford. I did about uh nine years there, transitioning from an accountant to a water billing analyst and the water billing and receiving service area co-supervisor. Really had no library wasn't on my radar. It's something I enjoyed as a kid. It's something I used in college extensively, but I just never didn't realize, yeah, that's a place I should think of for a career. And then uh the library's then finance director retired, and she had worked with me in my role at the city and sent her job description over or the posting for her position, and I was like, why did I ever think of this? It's like a perfect fit. Uh so I went ahead and applied for it, and the rest is uh history.

SPEAKER_02 2:51

So, what did you see in the job description that made you think it was a perfect fit?

SPEAKER_03 2:56

So it wasn't so much the job description because the finance role is the finance role, and I understand that role. It was about the organization. Because in my role at the city, I did have some public exposure, but it was very transactional. And I wanted something where I could have greater impact in my community. Because I love Rockford, I'm a lifetime Rockfordian, and uh I really wanted to have that ability to help others that I didn't feel I necessarily had in the roles that I was doing at the time. So that was really the driver for me. And in fact, when I interviewed for the position with Lynn, um one of my questions to her was do you want somebody who's really gonna be part of the team, or do you just want a bean counter who's gonna stay in the corner and count the books? And she's like, No, I want somebody who's part of the team. So that's how I knew it was gonna be a good fit.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

Okay. And that growing up in Rockford, um, I love that you grew up in Rockford, and I love that you love Rockford. Um there's a lot of people uh, you know, who grew up in Rockford that really want to leave. Um so what about Rockford do you love?

SPEAKER_03 4:01

So for me, there's there's a lot of just potential with Rockford. There's a deep rich history in Rockford, and yeah, I get what you're saying. I mean, a lot of my classmates from high school uh are gone. They've left the community. But uh what I've really enjoyed in the time that I've been particularly working and being in the downtown is uh the resurgence and that energy that I feel that was a latent energy that's now becoming uh an evident energy as downtown blossoms and we have all these businesses and people living downtown again, like compared to 2007, it's it's night and day.

SPEAKER_02 4:37

It's night and day in that it's developing and more exciting now.

SPEAKER_03 4:41

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 4:41

Yeah, I agree with you. Um I am curious as to the the role you played with the city before you were with the library and your being kind of a finance guy. Um if the skills you used in those positions are gonna help you in your position as the executive director of Rockford Public Library.

SPEAKER_03 5:03

Sure. So a big part of finance, in my estimation, uh you have that insight into the rest of the organization by nature of the role, especially the role here as finance director. So that gives you insight into all the different departments, what they're doing, what they're spending money on. And what you spend money on is what you value. And so over time, as you're working with these people in these departments and you're asking, well, why are we spending on this, why are we spending on that, you're learning the reasoning that those departments operate with. Um, and the entirety of my tenure at the library, working in IT as well over here, has just given me even more depth of understanding of what we offer, what it takes to offer that, and and really consider how we can continue to do this sustainably into the future. That's been a big part of my role as finance director, is sustaining the library, because this is a valued institution that we need to preserve. And uh the nice thing about executing those roles at Rockford Public Library under an executive director like Lynn Stainbrook is that she did not hold me to those roles 100%. I had freedom with her where, you know, when we moved to our interim building and we were gonna have this concept of a maker lab, which I helped push, and was like, this is just another way of sharing information. Instead of getting it from a book, you're getting it hands-on. And this creative, collaborative process that really belongs in a library, in my estimation. Um, there was the opportunity to say, well, who's gonna manage the person who's running that? And I went into her office and I said, Um, I know this isn't this is totally off the wall, but can I manage that person? Can I still maintain contact in this public service area? And she's like, Well, we've already assigned somebody, but yeah, go talk to them. And if they're okay with it, I'm okay with it. And I did, and they were like, Yeah, I had no idea what I was gonna do here anyway, so go ahead. And that just I took it and I ran with it. And what I loved about that is seeing people come in and experience something for the first time and how they enjoyed it, and and also listening to their feedback for how we can grow it, because that's the line to walk with makerspaces is here's something I've never seen before. Um providing enough new stuff that they're intrigued and want to come in and learn about it, but also uh kind of walking the line of not overly putting things into the space so that there is room when enough people are coming in and saying, hey, we'd like to do this in the library that you can grow in that direction and hear the voice of the customer, as they call it.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

Right. So what I hear you saying is, you know, Lynn welcomed you to kind of step out of your traditional role to really be a part of one way that we at the library serve the public, which is this online learning um center uh that we kind of um we kind of threw it out as a as a an idea in the interim library and have um found what worked and and you have enjoyed not only being part of the public-facing part of the library, but also seeing how the public shapes where we invest our energy as far as our offerings. Right. And I I love that about Lynn Steinbrook as well. I think the library is a great place to work because not only are we doing our jobs, but we are welcome to learn really in any areas where we're interested. And um, if you're someone who is energized by making a difference in your community, I mean there's no better place to work.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

Absolutely, absolutely. And that's something uh of her that I want to carry on in my role as executive director. I want to carry that spirit forward.

SPEAKER_02 9:04

To welcome staff to you know be creative and explore ways we can grow.

SPEAKER_03 9:10

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 9:10

That's exciting. Another interesting thing that you have implemented from where I sit in the library as a marketing director is our using data to make our decisions as far as where we are investing energy, be that financial or time energy. Um, that was a real new change, and I I assumed it was a factor of your being our IT director. Um but at one point years ago, we started to really track and look at data rather than you know what we seem to be uh successful or way we should go. We looked at the data to make sure it was true.

SPEAKER_03 9:49

Right. And so that's you know, it's important that when we're an institution like we are trying to make an impact in the community, that we're uh measuring that impact and we're showing that we're effective in that impact. You know, it's one thing to kind of put out there what you know and what's relevant to you, but it's gotta be what's relevant to the community as well. And so really, how can we number one get out there and understand the needs of the community better? And that's something that I also want to make a big hallmark of my uh executive directorship. Um, and also then provide services and resources that fill those needs and that is in a way that's measurable. That's in a way we gotta get better at collecting our stories. Because, you know, just in the time I've been here, which is about 10 years now, um, there have been so many lives touched, and I don't think that people know about it. Like I know about the ones that pertain to the maker lab. I've heard of some things that have happened because somebody had a great experience at circulation, even. You name the department. There, there are stories, there are lives touched there, and we've got to get better at capturing those vignettes and sharing those.

SPEAKER_02 11:03

That's interesting. That's a great thing to aspire to. I I also I also noticed the modernization that has happened at Rockford Public Library since we became a data-driven, a truly data-driven operation. Um, so it's it's the stories and those um, you know, anecdotal evidence of us making impact is really valuable and it touches hearts and minds, and that's wonderful. But to see how many feet walk through the door every day and how many people are using the library and which aspects of our services are being utilized, you know, that's that's the bottom line. And that was a that was growth on our part.

SPEAKER_03 11:43

Right, right. And and one of the things that I've really pushed for and I'm gonna continue to drive, is that a lot of times data flows one direction in organizations, it just goes to the leadership, and then it's never heard from or seen again. And what I what I really like to emphasize is putting the data back out to everybody who's generating it so they can see the results of their efforts and they can interact with it. And maybe, you know, over time, as we we spend more time training and learning on how to look at data and what are some of the common pitfalls with data, uh, you know, the the fun correlation is not prove causation and all that. So having access to the data and and making sure that data flows both upwards to leadership but also back downwards to the staff who generate that data as part of their day-to-day work so that they get to interact with it, they get to see how what I'm doing move the library forward, and are there tweaks I can make with the data that I generate, how I do programs, how I do uh my uh events that will improve how the library overall is received.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

I I love that because I think that everyone who works here wants us to be the best library it can be. I think everyone who works here feels the upswing of the library since we got our new main operational and opened, and it's an exciting place to work. We're doing all um exciting new things for our community. So I I think that showing everyone the data can do nothing but help us all moving in the right direction. And that kind of leads me to the idea of what you think as far as a vision for Rockford Public Library, what's your vision? I know that's like very overarching grand question.

SPEAKER_03 13:26

Sure. So vision for me, there's a lot of layers. There's the a short-term vision, there's long-term vision. What the most one of the most important things I want to convey is my vision for the library incorporates the visions of others. So our our board of trustees shape what the library is doing in the community. And they do that by hearing from the community. I'm a conduit for that. Um, and then our staff's vision for how the library can be more effective and and reach more people is part of my vision. Basically, I want to incorporate the needs of the community and how our staff see that we can best meet those needs into my vision as well. It's a it's a collaborative vision.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

Okay. I love that. So you are, as the executive director, interested in de forming and voicing a vision for this library that's actually reflective of the trustees, of the staff, and of the community as well.

SPEAKER_04 14:21

Correct, correct.

SPEAKER_02 14:22

But do you have personal ideas of vision changes that you would like to see happen?

SPEAKER_03 14:29

I I would say, you know, these last years, a lot of the library's energy has been focused inwardly as we go through these interim spaces and we design this space and we build this space, and now we've got that all out there and we're activating these spaces more and more. It's time for that that energy to go outward into the community and really meet people where they are. Um I also the library has this connotation of where you go to consume content, and we're I really see that pushing that envelope of it's also where you go to create content. And so you're part of this content continuum. Um and just the communal aspect, people coming together and speaking face to face for me is is a big deal because when it's all online and there's no accountability, that's when it gets really ugly.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

Right.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

And our society just needs more people talking to each other face to face.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

I think you're right. I think that we saw that um just as a nation over COVID, that um we thought that the social media aspect would really give us a sense of community, but it's a false sense of community. Yes. Um there's that's where echo chambers are created. And um having the library as the true third space in Rockford where everyone is welcome, you know, to either meet face to face or Tony, I think there's value in working independently, but among other citizens of Rockford who are working independently.

SPEAKER_03 15:53

Yeah. One of the things I also like to talk about and think about is this concept of community as a collection. You know, not uh the people that we have in our community are resources, they're pieces of information as well as human beings that we can interact with and learn from. And and the library provides a space where that can happen organically. A lot of times when you're in other spaces like the grocery store or or something else, you're there for a specific purpose and you're on a timeline. You want to do the thing and get out. Whereas the library is still one of those places where you go with like maybe a little fluff built in to I'm just gonna hang around, browse, see what's going on, and you might actually get caught up into an interesting conversation with somebody that you might otherwise never have interacted with. And that's one of the powers of the library.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

That's so true. I love that. I I love that. I love the commonality that we provide here, and I love that, you know, when when I'm asked casually what we do here at the library, I'm my standard response is we make living in Rockford better, um, you know, just across the board. Um, whether you want to entertain yourself, um, we have certainly have the opportunities for you to culturally enrich yourself, and you know, the education kind of goes without saying, but you know, also just learning about this community, how to live and work within this community, and everybody can be here at the same time. Like you said, getting to know each other. Um, that's a that's a part of the magic of what we offer here.

SPEAKER_03 17:20

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Um, what do you think about? I I it's a concern for all of our nation, but certainly in our community, is the digital divide. Um, so many of us rely on internet and digital access to live our lives every day. And then there's a sadly significant chunk of our population that do not have access to uh the internet the way we do and don't know how to utilize it to make living their lives better. Um, do you see the library as the agency that would help in this?

SPEAKER_03 17:58

Absolutely. I mean, we're already attacking this with our uh Chromebooks and hotspots that we provide for checkout. Um, and we've seen that really uptick uh as people have realized that, oh, I can get things besides books at the library. And um, you know, we are we were lucky to have a partner in sci-fi who helped provide us that uh digital uh digilibrary, the small van that goes out in the community with Chromebooks and and internet access to just provide digital literacy. Um that's another way that we're attacking that problem. And we're also uh part of a group of organizations in the community that's working with Comcast to really address and and pretty much stamp out Digital Divide as much as we can.

SPEAKER_02 18:38

That's exciting. It's exciting to be a part of that. So the Digi Library is the most recent addition to the library's flight or fleet of vehicles. Um and it goes out with um I don't know, is it 36 Chromebooks or more?

SPEAKER_03 18:54

Um about 36.

SPEAKER_02 18:56

Uh and provides uh basic digital education, and not so basic digital education depending on the needs of the stop, but meeting people where they are out into the community. Right.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

And that can be anything from you know very simple, how do I interact with a computer device, which we have some of that we have to deal with in our community, to uh I need to access resources and I need a computer to do that because more and more the resources that help people in the community have moved digitally. So, and it's kind of left some people behind. Uh, and then um just if you want even help writing a resume so you can go get that next job. So there's a lot of different layers of how that digital divide can be addressed.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

Right, right. Um well I'm glad that we're a part of that and on the front lines in our community of helping people to get short up and using using those resources. Um what do you think about our fleet of vehicles? Is that that's something that's really come about since you've been here at the library, since I've been here at the library. Um what's your feeling? Are you excited about it?

SPEAKER_03 20:00

Uh I'm really excited about it. I a while back uh kind of led the trial on that whole thing. I took our old van out to different uh events in the community and and talked about our resources and uh was able to get a lot of people signed up for library cards and and get people aware of what the library has to offer, which is a constant struggle because we have so much. And um that really opened my eyes to the need. And I think when I presented my report of the final results to our board, they saw the need as well, and that's how we rolled that uh first mobile library, which was really great and is helping us get out there. Uh one of the things I've heard repeatedly in my time at the library being in the community is that transportation is a barrier. Uh so if if you can't get to a library, then you're kind of oh well, that's it. You don't get to go. And the mobiles address that need directly because we can bring the library to the people. Um we did expand with the digital library, and I believe we're going to be expanding again in the future so that we can get even further into neighborhoods, and that's that's our goal.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

That's really exciting. What does the data show? Are we reaching people that have not formally used the library?

SPEAKER_03 21:13

Yes, yes, we are, because we're getting into neighborhoods that uh again, they're just transportation is an issue, or maybe another thing we deal with is people think, oh, libraries, books, that doesn't I don't need to go to the library. But then when they see the digilibrary or the mobile library and they see all the things that we have here, like the maker lab, like a recording studio and all the different events that we got going on, the it only totally opens their eyes and they decide that yeah, I do the library does need to be a part of my life after all.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

I love that. And I think that um I think that that's so valuable, the the belonging sense. Um I I think there's a number of agencies that whether it's the art museum or us here at the library, where um people might feel like they don't belong because we're cultural. We're educational or a literacy-rich environment. You know, that's really we have data that shows how healthy it is for developing minds for our kids to be in literacy-rich environments, but it might turn some adults off. But for them to realize that there's any number of things they could do here at the library.

SPEAKER_03 22:17

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

It's all designed to help them live better in Rockford.

SPEAKER_03 22:21

Right. And that's the best part about the library as well. One of the best parts are so many. Uh, but that there is no, you have to interact with us this way. It's at your pace, it's what you're comfortable with, and that can grow over time. You know, nobody's forcing you to use the library in a certain way. And, you know, the one of the things that we're also engaged with that means so much to me is our adult online high school and how we're helping people achieve uh a high school diploma is just we're changing lives.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

We are changing lives. Tony is talking about our Rockford Public Library's adult online high school. We've had over 150 adults attain their high school diplomas um later in in life. Uh that's a really exciting uh program that we can see the fruits of our labors just in and change lives every June at these graduations.

SPEAKER_03 23:13

The graduations are my favorite part. Uh I've told everyone I can get to one of these graduations because just the amount of energy and and outpouring of of love and gratitude uh for the for the graduates and for the library and and these people whose lives can have a sense of renewal and and forward momentum is huge.

SPEAKER_02 23:35

I agree. I love that piece too. That's been a pleasure to work on. It's been a pleasure to work on it with you.

SPEAKER_03 23:41

Likewise.

SPEAKER_02 23:41

Um beautiful. So what what other things would do you think the library what other roles do you think the library could serve for people in Rockford that they're not really aware of?

SPEAKER_03 23:53

So uh a convener, again, getting people together and talking to each other. Face-to-face interaction. It's it's huge for me. And and we can get involved with bringing partners into neighborhoods to really make coming together more enticing, because a lot of a lot of neighbors and neighborhoods have, again, re-resdrawn into that digital community and kind of exited their what I call geographic for lack of a better term, community, the people they actually live next to. And and uh w neighborhoods can only get better as people talk to each other.

SPEAKER_02 24:27

That's true. That's interesting. You know, um another thing that I love personally about working here is the amount of opportunities there are to partner with other agencies who are striving to make Rockford better. And um I know that we always seek to know what's going on in our community so that we don't duplicate efforts, so that we are um trying to solve problems and and overcome obstacles in an efficient manner. Um I know that right now we're working with United Way to um, you know, really kind of reach developing minds uh at the age of zero to three years old. Sure. Um, which I think is beautiful.

SPEAKER_04 25:13

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

Um but I also think that libraries traditionally play big roles in public school systems and communities. And um what is your vision for um maybe doing some of that in the future?

SPEAKER_03 25:26

Well, I think there's a lot that we can do to support the school district and uh, you know, providing library services and access to those children and their families. And as part of our interaction, you know, we can support on our side that engagement, parent engagement with the schools, and and really taking uh a role, an active role in their children and their attendance and what they're helping with their homework, getting them into the library to help with homework. There's a lot of different things that we can do to support our schools and uh help the kids.

SPEAKER_01 25:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 25:58

Um, so what do you see as your challenges? What will be your challenges in serving the community that we have in front of us? Um, do you see concerns?

SPEAKER_03 26:15

Uh as far as uh challenges, is just again, we've spent a lot of time inward focused. It's it's getting out there, hearing everybody's uh what what are the needs for information and connectivity? Uh hearing what what people are going through, a lot of what our role is connecting people to information. And so in order to do that, you gotta know what they're going through. So that's part of it is getting out there and hearing what what everybody's going through and then looking internally at what we have to offer, looking externally at partners, and saying, how can we bring something and put something together that's gonna serve the need of this community?

SPEAKER_01 26:51

How do you have any idea how you're gonna how we're gonna get out there?

SPEAKER_03 26:56

I'm gonna be getting out there. I'm gonna be spending a lot of time with uh different groups in the community.

SPEAKER_01 27:00

Right.

SPEAKER_03 27:00

Uh any uh group that's out there that wants to talk to me, hit me up.

unknown 27:05

Perfect.

SPEAKER_03 27:06

Uh yeah, because I I want to definitely be a responsive library.

SPEAKER_02 27:09

Beautiful. That's good. All right. So personally, Tony, what are you most excited about?

SPEAKER_03 27:17

Uh just this opportunity that I have that I feel is like a one in a one-in-a-lifetime chance to be able to go and have so much impact and help so many people in our community, uh, as well as our staff, because my goal is for my our staff to be wildly successful. When our staff are wildly successful, our community benefits. And so I wanted to I want to see our staff develop and grow uh and and pursue their passions and pursue their careers and have that opportunity to, you know, uh be a value adder to this community.

SPEAKER_02 27:50

I yeah, and work in the best library that we could possibly have.

SPEAKER_03 27:54

Absolutely, that's the goal.

SPEAKER_02 27:55

Sounds like a pretty fun place to work to me. Do you have a message for the community?

SPEAKER_03 28:05

My message to the community is if you want different in your life, if you want if there's some something that's just not where you want it to be, and you don't know how to go about getting where you do want to be, come to the library. We have tons of resources across any spectrum of of different interests and and lifestyles and anything, and you can find that information and get moving on that path. If you don't have uh someone you can turn to, if you don't have that support mechanism at home, come to the library. We can be that support mechanism, we can help you to move life, move your life forward in a way that makes you feel like you can have ownership of what goes on and and that you happen to the world.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Ah, I love that. That's great. I'm just curious, was there has a library helped you over? Because you talked about how you want people to overcome whatever's like an obstacle. Has the library done that for you?

SPEAKER_03 29:18

Yeah, I mean, uh by providing me that that outlet where I could have impact on my community. I mean, that's something to me I've always wanted to help others, you know. Uh and I can't think of any organization where I would have the chances that I've had here at the library to make those inroads in the community, to have that impact, to make lives better. I that's I I can't think of a higher calling than that.

SPEAKER_02 29:47

Is there anything else that we need to that we want to cover?

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Unless there's something else that you'd want to share that you think we didn't share.

SPEAKER_02 29:54

Yeah, that question is for you too, pal.

SPEAKER_03 29:57

Yeah, yeah. So when we talk about resources that the library has to offer, we often think about databases or books. But one of the other things that is a resource is the people. You know, the staff at the library are a resource as well. And we have many great people at this library. Um we have people, librarians, we have non-librarians, but they're people who care about this community, they care about connecting people and information, and that is a big part of who we are. It's not just here's a bunch of stuff figure it out yourself. We have people to help you navigate that process and find what you need to find.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

Mm-hmm. Yeah, I think that's so important because um outside of Google, I I think the ability to research is challenging and it's not taught any longer. Um so to really have people who are here to help uh you learn what you need to is an incredible asset.

SPEAKER_03 30:55

Right. And the thing about Google searches and the internet in general is uh that's based entirely on algorithm and it's what a lot of people liked. So you're getting the one size fits all band-aid. At the library, you're getting a more personal touch of what are you personally interested in and how can I connect you with things that are of personal relevance to you. It addresses the person more than just the all.

SPEAKER_02 31:19

Right, right. And that's so helpful and so personalized again to our um community.

SPEAKER_04 31:25

Right.

SPEAKER_02 31:25

Um I know you've talked to me before about all that you're inheriting with this role, and that the big positive of that is the staff that you're inheriting and um how much uh of a resource our staff really is to this community.

SPEAKER_03 31:41

Absolutely. We've got people who uh care very deeply about our community. They have uh a lot of them have worked here for a long time because they they understand the value that the library brings, and they're they too share that desire to have impact and to make people's lives better. So uh I couldn't, you know, I couldn't ask for a better staff to work with. We really we have a great asset for our community that we have to just get everybody aware of, get everybody in here and use them.

SPEAKER_02 32:08

And finally, Tony, what book are you reading right now?

SPEAKER_03 32:12

So, right now I just started reading uh The Business of Belonging by David Spinks, and uh I'm very interested in how you can use community to up the competitive advantage. Obviously, a library, what's who's your competitor? But uh it's about making inroads to those different aspects of the community and how to make people actually feel like they're a part of something. You know, just coming to the library, we're not just a destination, we're we're a group that you belong to. There's a sense of uh camaraderie there.

SPEAKER_02 32:43

Thanks for joining us for this special episode of the Rockford Public Library Podcast, featuring our new executive director, Anthony Cortez. We're excited for the future of the Rockford Public Library under his thoughtful, community-focused leadership. Be sure to follow along as we continue to grow, serve, and create a place where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Until next time, thanks for listening, and we'll see you at the library.