I appreciated Ian's perspective regarding avoiding homogeneity of interest groups and refraining from being pigeon-holed or type casted. He highlighted the importance of nuance and reminded us about the complexity of beliefs and being human. And the current lack of openness towards this. His discussion about taking the long road with those who adamantly disagree was refreshing.  The rapport between Salvy and Ian was lovely and made it the best session I attended at OLA this year.

I really enjoyed this interview for so many reasons. The conversation was incredibly well-structured, beginning with a lovely introduction to Ian and an insightful yet humorous recounting of the bromance between Ian and Salvy. That set the perfect tone for the rest of the discussion. Salvy did an excellent job guiding the conversation, asking Ian a series of thought-provoking questions about the role of libraries, Ian’s journey as an Educator and Author, and the complexities of differing perspectives. Each question felt intentional, sparking deep reflection on my own experiences. Even after the interview wrapped up, I continued thinking about the topics discussed. It led to conversations with others at the conference, where we shared our own viewpoints and reflected on the ideas presented. Overall, the experience reaffirmed how vital libraries are in our lives—spaces where curiosity is fostered and where unexpected discoveries can happen.

Ian was a great individual to invite.  Some of his comments about social media, forming and ending friendships and connections were similar to what a few other conference presenters said. I attended a session by Navneet Alang (writer at the Toronto Star) about how the Twitter and other large social media platforms originally accepted most viewpoints but have now fractured. People are gravitating to like-minded spaces which has its advantages and disadvantages for having meaningful engagement on various viewpoints.