PLS serves a three-county rural area where residents have limited access to nationally recognized cultural figures who can broaden horizons and demonstrate diverse career possibilities. The previous year's author series drew only 180 attendees, and website metrics and digital engagement were not effective, revealing challenges in reaching target audiences at scale. The opportunity emerged to reimagine author programming as a cross-sector collaboration that positions the library as a community connector rather than just a book provider. By selecting authors with compelling multi-career narratives, the library could inspire youth exploration while creating lasting educational resources that extend far beyond single-day events and demonstrate measurable community impact.

Spark a Change strategically selected astronaut and former NFL player Leland Melvin to inspire audiences through his non-linear career path spanning STEAM, athletics, and space exploration. The series structured four events across the three-county system to maximize access for rural residents, partnering with the Oklahoma History Center, schools, and workforce development organizations to broaden impact. The innovation's cutting edge lies in its curriculum integration: the library filmed a middle school student interviewing Melvin, and this content now fulfills Oklahoma's ICAP graduation requirement, showing library programming as a valuable educational resource statewide. This redefines author visits from passive entertainment in-branch to active upward mobility for all ages. By positioning the series as career exploration rather than purely literary programming, the library demonstrated how public institutions can meet community needs while inspiring the next generation.

The 2025 Spark a Change series achieved remarkable growth with 152% increase from previous year’s attendance. All four events reached or exceeded capacity, showing strong community demand. Digital engagement surged, with website views up 59%. The library distributed 300 books for attendees to keep and enrolled more than 175 readers in the follow-up learning challenge. A local middle schooler was filmed interviewing Leland Melvin, and that video is now embedded in the State Department of Education’s ICAP curriculum, highlighting career exploration for all Oklahoma students. New partnerships formalized and statewide media coverage amplified the library’s visibility. The model's success demonstrates sustainability and replicability for future annual series.