If you, like me, are starting to feel a bit exhausted by the constant feeling of upheaval and uncertainty, you might appreciate some brevity. We have seen some hard things this past month; even though there were signs this might come, I know it was sad to see the Executive Order that called for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Those of us who have been around for awhile have seen things before that seem to challenge the very foundations of our profession and our belief in intellectual freedom and reader privacy. USA PATRIOT Act, anyone?

I know from the questions that many of you have directed at me that you are watching closely, actively engaged, and looking out for your colleagues and your students. I am so grateful to be here working alongside colleagues who care so much and who are not looking away from what is happening around us. Toward the end of last week I sat in on a briefing by someone who is working right at the heart of some of the legal challenges mounted by academic professional associations against the dizzying array of cuts, orders, and other federal actions that have the potential to be so destructive to so much of the good work that happens across higher education in the United States. Their advice, founded on long experience with public policy work, was simple: find something you care about that is very local, and put your energy there. Whatever it is, find something that will make a positive difference to your local community, environment, or other setting, but also something that is personally restorative to you. We have to take good care of ourselves, mentally, physically, and otherwise, in order to continue our work.

Thank you for all you do, and have a good month.

Claire Stewart
The Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian