While attending the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) Annual Conference in Montgomery, Library Director Patrick Bodily was invited to participate in the conference’s closing keynote talk, where renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma led a special celebration of libraries, library professionals and the power of narrative. Travel to the conference was covered by the Rural Institute at the University of Montana through Bodily’s participation in the CARE project, or Collaborative Access for Rural Empowerment. 
The grant-funded CARE project brings together representatives from rural libraries and rural centers for independent living to create a resource center designed to strengthen connections between rural libraries and centers for independent living. Bodily, a past president of ARSL, participated in the conference as part of that broader work supporting rural libraries and their communities.
During the closing keynote, Bodily joined a conversation exploring the role libraries play in strengthening communities, creating meaning and bringing people together. He shared the stage with Bree Drapa of South Burlington Public Library in Vermont, Linda Johnson of Brooklyn Public Library, Tony Marx of New York Public Library, Louise Richardson of the Carnegie Foundation and Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative.
Together, the panel explored big-picture questions about the future of libraries, including how Carnegie’s vision for libraries can be carried forward today and how rural and urban libraries can learn from and support one another.
