Celebrating Exiting Council Member Heather Arnold

At the end of June Heather Arnold concluded her three year term on the St. Louis Regional Library Network (SLRLN) Council. We would like to take a moment to celebrate her contributions, leadership, and the contagious enthusiasm she brought to the library community over the past few years.

Heather currently serves as the ILS Administrator for the Municipal Library Consortium of St. Louis County. With a Master’s in Arts and a Master’s in Library and Information Science, Heather’s journey to librarianship has been anything but conventional—in previous chapters of her life, she’s also been a bartender, cheesemonger, and bookseller. Her wide-ranging background brings a creative energy to everything she does.

During her Council tenure, Heather served two years as Treasurer and actively participated in the Networking and Membership Committee, along with other projects as needed. Her commitment has been marked by a spirit of collaboration, innovation, and deep care for her fellow library professionals.

When asked what advice she would give to someone thinking of joining the Council, Heather was enthusiastic:

“Jump in! It’s easy to feel intimidated, but the Council is so welcoming. The variety of projects we work on can suit people of all different interests and skill sets. It’s also an amazing opportunity to gain new skills—administration, event planning, marketing, and seeing how an organization functions behind the scenes.”

As she steps down, Heather reflects fondly on what she’ll miss most:

“The people, of course! I’ll also miss being in the center of something special—having the ability to make things happen with just a little effort. Do you want to organize a panel? Great! Want to hear a certain speaker? Reach out! The opportunity to build community with your fellow librarians is truly fantastic.”

Heather's time on the Council allowed her to be at the heart of the action—developing programs, sparking connections, and championing meaningful changes. It’s that sense of agency she hopes more librarians will embrace. Looking ahead, Heather dreams of an even more connected and communicative regional network:

“The St. Louis library community is so numerous and diverse, yet we share so many concerns and goals. I want us to be a cohesive group that actively communicates—to share news, strategies, professional development opportunities, and our joys and miseries alike.”

To Heather Arnold: thank you for your service, your leadership, and your passion for the library world. You’ve helped strengthen the foundation of SLRLN, and your impact will be felt for years to come.