Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity, Urban Libraries Council
Shamichael Hallman is Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity at the Urban Libraries Council, where he works with leading public library systems across North America to advance their role as critical civic infrastructure. A civic innovator, bestselling author, and former Loeb Fellow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Shamichael helps cities and communities reimagine public space for belonging and bridge-building.
He is the author of Meet Me at the Library, a timely exploration of how libraries foster democracy, social trust, and connection. Previously, he led the multi-million-dollar transformation of Memphis’ historic Cossitt Library, helping position it as a national model for asset-based design and community co-creation. Under his leadership, Memphis Public Libraries received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service and was named America’s Most Innovative Library by Smithsonian Magazine.
Shamichael has spoken at leading universities, including Harvard, Rutgers, and Penn, and shared his insights with organizations like the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the Sightline Institute. He also co-created the Library Bridge-Building Resource Hub, a growing initiative that supports libraries in developing programs and spaces that foster dialogue, trust, and civic renewal.