NOTE : Liz O’Malley was the only candidate for Branch Librarian Representative, so was declared elected at nominations, October 15th. 

NYPL staff are tremendous workers and need a union just as amazing as they are. Hi, my name is Digna and I am running for Secretary -Treasurer. I know what you are thinking “Don't I know you? Didn’t you run in the last election?” The answer is yes I did and I still believe in the same values that I held at that time. I believe we need a union that will advocate for ALL members, a union that believes in transparency, and a union that will embrace new technologies to help the members keep connected and informed. 

You may be asking why you should vote for me, and here is why: I have worked in NYPL for 31 years in various positions and in many locations. I started my career as a page and worked my way up to Information Assistant at Webster Library. Through my time at NYPL, I have come to learn the day-to-day issues that workers throughout the system are experiencing. I believe every member should have a voice and feel comfortable and welcomed to express their concerns as well their achievements. I want the members to have transparency and a voice regarding the finances of the local. I want us to work together to form a union we will all be proud of. 

Digna For Secretary-Treasurer!

Regardless of how long we've been at NYPL, we all contribute meaningful work that positively impacts our communities. However, like any large organization, our voices can sometimes be misrepresented or unheard, leading to divisions within worksites and boroughs and between newer and more experienced staff. To be an effective union, we must ensure all voices are heard and that Local 1930 information is accessible to everyone.

I've worked at the Bronx Library Center (BLC) since January 2022, initially hired as an Information Assistant for Hunts Point, which was being renovated at the time. With encouragement from colleagues, I pursued library school and became a YA Library trainee at BLC. BLC has become my second home. Due to its centrality, I’ve been privileged enough to work with many people throughout NYPL. Hearing so many perspectives has informed my understanding of the history of NYPL, helped me grow both professionally and personally, and taught me the importance of communicating openly, honestly, and respectfully. As a native Bronxite, I am honored to be nominated as the Bronx Branch Librarian Representative. I am committed to advocating for healthy working conditions, equitable treatment for Bronx branches, and greater solidarity across NYPL!

One of the indispensable pillars of a strong union is the availability, accessibility, and clarity of information provided to all of its members. Local 1930 has a good foundation, and I see a number of opportunities to further strengthen our union through improving communication and removing barriers to information. This will improve members’ understanding of our Local 1930 and—perhaps more importantly—increase our trust and solidarity with each other as we better understand the challenges our union siblings face, and how we can fight back together. 

Since joining NYPL in 2020 as a Metadata Specialist in the Metadata Services Unit (MSU) at the Library Services Center (LSC), I have worked to increase my knowledge of NYPL, Local 1930, DC 37, and the broader labor landscape as a whole. Through my role as a notetaker for Rose Rank and File (RRF), I am continually honing my ability to synthesize,  clarify, and share summarized information with groups of people. 

If elected Recording-Secretary—in addition to taking minutes and presenting past minutes at Local 1930 meetings—I would like to pursue: 

• Improving the union orientation experience for new hires

• Prioritizing listserv management to ensure the union communicates with members through non-NYPL email

• Enhancing the functionality and content of the Local 1930 website

• Soliciting feedback from members about the barriers to their union-related information needs

• Efficiently and effectively answering members’ questions through familiarity with the working conditions contract and all other documents that govern the operation of Local 1930

• Creating a research and information committee for any union members who would like to collaborate on achieving any of the above goals

I feel very proud to be a part of Local 1930 and believe strongly that NYPL would not be a world renowned institution without its union workers. I started at NYPL in 2018 as a page in the Map Division at SASB, and then became a Children’s Librarian Trainee at the Hunts Point Library. Currently, I work as a Supervising Librarian/Youth Material Selector in the Selection Department at BookOps. 

In the first two years of the pandemic, I worked at 53rd Street Library and then at the Bronx Library Center. During that time, I organized with library workers from all over the system to elect a new Executive Board to Local 1930: a Board that promised to listen to all members in the system, prioritized worker safety, and encouraged member participation. 

Three years later, we still have a lot of work ahead of us to become the fully participatory and strong Local 1930 we started organizing for in 2020. I want members to feel encouraged to speak up in meetings, ask questions, and challenge the Executive Board. I want to fight for our dignity and safety as NYPL workers and as future NYC retirees. I want to organize around the larger issues that affect our membership and NYC as whole. 

I was born and raised in Queens, and I have an immense love for this city and its workers. We deserve to get as much from NYPL as we give them every day of our lives. I want to build a strong and unified Local 1930, and I want an Executive Board that fights for ALL voices in the union every day.

NYPL staff works hard every day to make New York City a better place. As your new branch librarian representative, I am committed to ensuring our union is transparent, supportive, innovative, and open to feedback from union members. With my fellow A Union for All Voices candidates on the board, I know that Local 1930 will work harder to reach union members, hold both HR and NYPL management accountable, and secure better working conditions for all staff.

To put my ideals into action, as Branch Librarian Representative, I will:

• Ask for feedback from union members in the form of Google Surveys and more frequent communication

• Create educational materials—such as slide shows, videos, infographics, etc.—to post on Local 1930's website, and print materials to send to worksites. Learning about the union should be accessible to all!

• Anticipate and prepare for issues before they arise. For example, each summer we deal with high temperatures in the branches--in the spring, we should proactively send union members information about their rights and options when working conditions become unsafe.

• Fight for higher wages by advocating for a Cost of Living Adjustment in the next union contract

In 2021, I began my career at NYPL in the Collections Processing and Receiving Department at BookOps. As a Page and then a Collections Processing Assistant, I loved being a part of the behind-the-scenes library work. I made the switch to the branches in 2023 as a Young Adult Librarian and I'm currently at Webster Library. I genuinely love this line of work and believe that with a stronger union, we can combat the burnout that is so prevalent in this profession.

Join me in voting for Digna, Saraí, Sarah, and Daniella so that we can build a union for all voices!