Who We Are

History

ULU began as a beer and tacos meetup in 2007, with the intention of uniting New York City library workers across our three library systems. In those early days, we saw our workplace struggles and joys were linked, and that by coming together, we could support one another and envision a better future for our profession.

It’s natural then that since our humble beginnings, we’ve turned outward toward advocacy work—speaking up against library budget cuts, researching workplace trauma, and providing workers with the knowledge they need to thrive. We’ve also expanded the scope of our work beyond New York City—because we’re stronger when we’re united across geographies and library systems.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation, we expanded our scope of work in 2023, and began ramping up our advocacy campaigns and hosting monthly events for library workers. We’re excited to continue growing and supporting library workers across the country as we do!