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Jill Rothstein, former chief librarian of NYPL’s braille library, joins JBI as head librarian

Rothstein brings more than a decade of experience serving library patrons with diverse accessibility needs, and joins JBI at a pivotal moment.

Jill Rothstein. Credit: Courtesy.
Jill Rothstein. Credit: Courtesy.

JBI, a Jewish organization that supports anyone with blindness, low vision or print disabilities, welcomes Jill Rothstein, former chief librarian of the New York Public Library’s Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, as JBI’s new head librarian.

Rothstein brings more than a decade of experience serving library patrons with diverse accessibility needs, and joins JBI at a pivotal moment. As the organization advances its 2023 strategic plan, cementing JBI as a central Jewish resource for individuals who are blind, have low vision or are print-disabled, Rothstein’s expertise will help to ensure that JBI continues to meet the evolving needs of its growing community, offers unique and personalized service, and fulfills its mission of inclusion and accessibility.  

“I’m very excited to be joining JBI’s wonderful staff,” Rothstein said. “I hope to make JBI‘s collections even more discoverable and expansive, share my love of poetry, join in new community-driven programming, help JBI reach out to an ever wider audience, and deepen collaborations. We want to make sure that anyone who might benefit from our resources knows that we are here for them.”

A longtime advocate of accessibility, Rothstein is a founding member of the New York Public Library’s Accessibility Working Group, which won the NYPL’s Mission award, and her work with the Andrew Heiskell Library earned it both the New York City Mayor’s Office Sapolin Award and the NYPL’s Maher Stern Award. She was a founding member and mentor with the Innovation Project, which supports staff at any level in bringing to life unusual and creative projects. She has presented at such conferences as the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Metro Libraries, American Library Association and Harvard’s World Heritage Strategy Forum, among others. She served previously as a JBI board member.

“Jill brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for library services to our community that I’m certain will open our collection and programs in exciting new ways to the people we serve,” JBI Library executive director Livia Thompson said. “Some of the biggest challenges our patrons face are unnecessary barriers to inclusion and access that can also create undue isolation or difficulty getting the information or resources people need. Jill’s contextual knowledge of the blind, low-vision, and print-disabled library space will be invaluable to our mission to help break down those barriers and connect people to Jewish life and beyond.”

To learn more about JBI products and services, visit: www.jbilibrary.org  or contact JBI’s librarians at 1-800-433-1531.

Media Inquiries: Jessica Barist Cohen, Chatham Strategies, Jessicac@chatham-strategies.com.

About & contact The Publisher
JBI, established in 1931 as the Jewish Braille Institute, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people of all ages and backgrounds who are blind, visually impaired or print-disabled gain access to Jewish life. Through a vast circulating library, liturgical texts, customized materials and cultural offerings, it enables its patrons to connect to the rich literary, cultural and religious texts of the Jewish community. JBI creates, publishes and distributes thousands of Jewish-interest materials in audio, braille and large print that are provided free of charge and sent directly to patrons’ doorsteps. JBI continues to innovate and empower communities through its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. See: jbilibrary.org.
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