About me
Denise Neujahr (pronounced “New Year”) (she/her/hers) has worked in Youth Services in
libraries for 25 years, and she is currently the Youth Services Manager at the Spokane Public
Library. Denise has her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Child and
Adolescent Studies and her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. In 2023,
Denise was the recipient of the American Library Association’s Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble
Librarians Faced with Adversity.
Denise started the Rainbow Squad, an alliance for 2SLGBTQIA+ teens and allies, in 2019 at the
Community Library Network (CLN) in North Idaho. It is a time for teens to make friends, create
crafts, play games, be themselves, and have a safe place. She and her two friends from the
CLN continue to run Rainbow Squad outside the CLN libraries at a local church. Denise is
passionate about providing a welcoming space, equal access to resources, and diverse
experiences to everyone in the community.