Tag: public librarianship

iSchool Graduation Date

2013

Professional Organizations/Affiliations

Ohio Library Council, Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees, Louisville Rotary, Louisville-Nimishillen Township Historical Society Board of Trustees, Louisville 20/20 Vision

Current responsibilities/How are you using your information skills?

I am the Library Director for the Louisville Public Library. If you are interested in becoming a Library Director, I would highly recommend taking a class in Public Library Management. I remember being given a budget in my management class and told to make cuts and fix the budget. That experience was incredibly applicable during our recent economic downturn due to COVID-19.

What is the best professional advice you can give?

Build a network and make relationships. It’s important for librarians to network with other librarians and even more important to build relationships with other professionals in your community. Don’t be afraid to get out of the library!

How do you encourage innovative ideas?

Don’t hesitate to try new ideas, even if they are not your own ideas. It’s okay to fail.

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?

I have been blessed with two great mentors – Babette Wofter and Eric Taggart. I learned so much from Babette, that I always tell people anything you see me doing, it’s because I saw Babette doing it first. As a new Director, Eric took me under his wing and is always a helping hand and good friend.

What do you wish you had done earlier or more often?

So, I have basically only worked in libraries. I started working in libraries as an undergraduate and I’ve never left. I would recommend trying to work every desk and every station at each library where you work. You will never regret the extra experience.

How and where do you find inspiration?

I’m a through and through extrovert. I find inspiration in my family, friends, employees and colleagues. I love sitting in a meeting and figuring things out as a group. And, yes, COVID has made this much harder.

To what values are you committed?

Fairness, integrity and trust.

How do you balance your work and home life?

I’d love to be able to tell you that when I’m home I’m just dad, husband, friend, etc. and when I’m at work I’m a librarian, co-worker, etc., but that would be a lie. True to my millenialism, it’s all one big flexible jumble and I’m okay with it. It’s okay to leave early with a sick kid, but it’s also okay to take a work call on an evening boat ride.

What are some challenges that today’s information professionals will face? And tomorrow’s?

As always right now, COVID seems top of mind. In the immediate future, we will have to constantly balance community need and want with safety. Tomorrow’s information professionals will have to adjust to a post-pandemic world. I think there will be an incredible need for everyone to be together again. How does the library fill that need and fill the need safely?

How can the library remain important to the community?

Serve on committees, attend events, and talk about the library with everyone you meet. People often think that the library is outdated, so it’s up to us to get out there and tell them all of the awesome things happening at the library! No amount of social media marketing can do this.

What websites, apps, podcasts, or other resources would you recommend to explore?

Well, if you live in or around Stark County, Ohio, I would tell you to tune into the “What’s Up Stark” podcast. Admittedly, it’s self-promotion, but this a podcast collaboration with two library employees (I’m one of them) where we interview and get to know the movers and shakers in our community and discuss exciting things that are happening.

Otherwise, I would recommend anything local – podcasts, newspapers, radio stations, etc. It’s really important that the library knows what is going on in the community, because we talk to so many community members each day!

What is a book you like that you have to defend liking and what is a book you dislike that you have to defend disliking?

I’m a Star Wars junkie, so I’ve read through almost all of the new canon. I’m super excited for the High Republic novels and I’m usually defending this interest.

So, I typically don’t keep reading, if I don’t like the book, but I read the Southern Reach Trilogy. I really liked Book 1 – “Annihilation,” but I really did not enjoy books 2 and 3.

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Special thanks to the Kent State University iSchool Alumni Network for coordinating these profiles. Learn more about the Alumni Network on their Facebook page and group. Students are welcome to join and participate.

iSchool Graduation Date

2003

Professional Organizations/Affiliations

• American Library Association
• Association for Library Service to Children
• Currently serving on the 2021 Randolph Caldecott Committee

Current responsibilities/How are you using your information skills?

• Collection Development Specialist for Cuyahoga County Public Library in the area of youth selection

• Presenting at the South Central Library System (WI) virtual staff development day in October on the topic of Partnering with Parents for Early Childhood Success

• Adjunct Professor at Kent State University’s iSchool.  Taught the Selection and Acquisitions class in Spring semester 2020

• Published a professional development book, Partnering with Parents: Boosting Literacy for All Ages through ABC-CLIO.

What is the best professional advice you can give?

Always return emails and voicemail in a timely manner.  I shoot for 24-48 hours even if the response is simply that I’m still working on getting an answer or finding a solution.  Your co-workers and community partners will really appreciate the courtesy.

How do you encourage innovative ideas?

We’ve had a lot of retirements over the last few years, so there are many new librarians and support staff working in the branches.  It can be a challenge to get to know everyone, but I feel it is important to keep the lines of communication open so branches know they can ask for materials to support their programming idea.  For example, when Baby Club was started, the branch staff asked to have reference copies of the board books they would be sharing with families.  This was something I could happily do.

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?

I’ve had several mentors throughout my career.  Some have been formal mentors that have helped me make decisions about next steps in my career.  These were set-up through my library’s mentoring program.  Others have been more informal, including managers who were strong and supportive leaders and were examples to me when I was a supervisor.  I’ve also been informally mentored by ALSC members through the various committees I’ve served on.  This has expanded my network and comes in handy when my library is looking for outside advice on new products or services.  Specifically, I learned how to work with a board and leadership team when I served on and co-chaired the ALSC Public Awareness Committee and was involved in creating board proposals and the Championing Children’s Services toolkit.  I’ve also served as a mentor and learned a lot from my mentees.  Their creativity and enthusiasm inspires and energizes me.

What do you wish you had done earlier or more often?

Taking a little time to think before saying yes to an opportunity and knowing it’s fine to say no when a project doesn’t really interest you or the timing isn’t right. If it’s meant to be, they’ll ask again.  If it’s a must do for your job, then speak up to your boss and ask for guidance.  It is okay to ask for help prioritizing projects when what you’re hearing is that everything is top priority.  They can’t all be #1 and a good boss will help you manage your to-do list so you can get them what they need when they need it.  I’m stilling working on this one. 

How and where do you find inspiration?

I read a lot and get inspired by books all the time.   Listening to authors and illustrators talk about their process brings additional joy to favorites.  I also find professional development rewarding.  Whether it is attending an ALA or OLC Conference or a webinar, I love to learn from others and then see how I can bring at least one thing back to my library to implement. 

To what values are you committed?

As a selector of materials, I’m committed to intellectual freedom and access of information.  I work to find and add a wide variety of diverse titles to the collection.  I feel it’s very important to have books that reflect and expand a child’s experiences with the world.

How do you balance your work and home life?

In the past, I have not brought work home much, and tried to limit out of work time spent checking email.  Using the out-of-office feature lets people know when they can expect to hear back from you.  Since March, I’ve been working more from home and so I’ve been pretty strict about turning off my work computer at 5:00 and staying off email in the evenings.  I enjoy spending time with my family, reading (the lines are a little blurry on this one), and traveling when I’m not working.

What are some challenges that today’s information professionals will face? And tomorrow’s?

With the pandemic it has really highlighted the importance of digital access and broadband for all.  I think this is an area that library professionals will be working with their communities to expand and improve.  There will also be a need to see how it permanently influences libraries.  Will people permanently move to ebooks?  What will programming look like once large in person groups are safe?  Will there still be some author/storytime events online?

I’ve worked in libraries for 25 years.  Services, programs, formats, and technology have changed and shifted to the point where some areas of librarianship are almost unrecognizable to the libraries of my childhood.  I’m glad the library is more of a community space rather than a quiet, sacred space.  I think being flexible and embracing change are characteristics information professionals will continue to need in the future.

How can the library remain important to the community?

As COVID-19 has shown, libraries are where people go when they need reliable Internet and computer access.  They go to libraries for job searching and for help applying for benefits.  I gained firsthand knowledge of the challenges of applying for unemployment when my library went on Shared Work Ohio for a couple of months this Spring.  Libraries are perfect partners for community organizations like senior centers and schools to support reading and lifelong learning.

What websites, apps, podcasts, or other resources would you recommend to explore?

I like the Mile High Reading blog and Heavy Medal Mock Newbery blog. To keep in the know about what’s being published, I subscribe to the Shelf Awareness and Book Pulse e-newsletters.  

What is a book you like that you have to defend liking and what is a book you dislike that you have to defend disliking?

I was a huge Babysitters Club fan as a child and a librarian told my mom that she should make me read “better” books.  Thankfully, my mom didn’t listen.  This has made me a champion for kids having access to the materials they like – graphic novels, comic books, cartoon/superhero beginning readers, video games, etc. Caregivers can set limits for their kids, but library staff never should.

I never was able to make it through Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.  I tried reading and listening to the first book, but just couldn’t get into it.  When asked, I say that teens know about the series and they’ve never really needed me to recommend it.  I also read the reviews so that I would have good background knowledge for parent concerns.  Twilight was hot right before I left branch life and moved to collection development.  With Midnight Sun arriving in August, I purchased many copies to meet the customer demand and in lots of formats.

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Special thanks to the Kent State University iSchool Alumni Network for coordinating these profiles. Learn more about the Alumni Network on their Facebook page and group. Students are welcome to join and participate.

iSchool Graduation Date

I graduated with my MLIS in 2006. I was part of a scholarship cohort guided by Dr. Carolyn Brodie and Dr. Greg Byerly through the Laura Bush: Librarians for the new millennium IMLS scholarship grant. If memory serves me correctly, half of us aspired to teen librarianship in a public library (that was me!) and the other half of our scholarship cohort planned to do the same in a school library setting. I’ll always be thankful to Drs. Brodie and Byerly for the wonderful experience I had in the program! I’m happy to say that I still see a few folks from our cohort around the library community and it’s always wonderful to catch up.

Professional Organizations/Affiliations

OLC, ALA/PLA, American Association of University Women, and Chi Omega

Current responsibilities/How are you using your information skills?

I am presently the Director of the Medina County District Library (Ohio). We’re a county library with six branches and a bookmobile. I’ve held the position since February of this year. What a wild six months it’s been! Prior to that I was the system’s Assistant Director starting in July 2018. Is it just me…or do you also find yourself relying on both basic and advanced information literacy skills sometimes even more in your personal life than at work (some days) as a library professional? I’ll blame the relentless 24/7 news cycle.

What is the best professional advice you can give?

The following was shared with me many years ago, and I think it’s still evergreen. Change can be achieved by either evolution or revolution. There’s a time and place for each. Choose wisely.

How do you encourage innovative ideas?

By not being afraid to admit mistakes and change course when needed. I always put in the honest work to research, plan, and exercise due diligence. However, when things run amuck, I try to be frank about it. Don’t point fingers, just fix the problem and move on! Nothing kills innovation more quickly than fear of blame. That’s not to say I don’t hold myself and others accountable for inadequate planning or poor decision-making if that occurs. It’s all about honesty. I just try to encourage creativity by reducing the fear of failure by being open and honest with mistakes. Of course, when things DO end in success, shine the light on all those who were involved. Make sure that kudos are given to the entire team – not only those who were directly responsible for the innovation, but also those who supported the work in ancillary ways. Recognize “the village” that contributed to the success.

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?

The library director who gave me my first management position (20+ years ago) still takes my calls. I’ve kept in touch with her through professional good times and tough periods, even though I only ever actually worked for her for less than a year. She was also the adjunct professor who taught my KSU library management class. I’m not sure she knew I unilaterally appointed her as my mentor way back in the day, but she’s certainly lived up to the role. She’s influenced me by her professional example as she’s directed several library systems in our region and been actively involved in OLC and ALA leadership roles. I’ve been particularly thankful for her willingness to listen and talk through complex situations…always offering insight and guidance but never advice.

What do you wish you had done earlier or more often?

I wasn’t aware of the practice of mindfulness until fairly recently. I’m still very much a work in progress in that regard, but I do wish I had started thinking about that much earlier in life.

How and where do you find inspiration?

Professionally, my staff is the biggest inspiration to me at this stage in the game. Their ingenuity, dedication, and tenacity are the reason that I look forward to doing my own job. Ensuring that they have access to the resources they need to get the job done today and in the future is my number one priority. And not just in a pandemic.

To what values are you committed?

Speaking on an individual level, I strive to live with personal integrity, empathy and kindness. Thinking about values organizationally, last year our library’s staff developed a Culture Statement – and I have to admit that I kind of love it.

How do you balance your work and home life?

Most times I would say that I categorically do NOT have a balanced work and home life. It depends on what’s going on and where, really, which way I lean at any given time. For me the key to long-term sanity is knowing when to unplug long enough to recharge. If you’ve got the secret to balancing work and home, please give me a call!

How can the library remain important to the community?

As we always have: by staying responsive to our local community’s needs. By providing the services and resources they need – not that which we think they ought to want. By listening. And 2020 of course is putting a whole new twist on connecting with our communities in the ways which are safest for patrons and employees alike.

What websites, apps, podcasts, or other resources would you recommend to explore?

Right now I’m enjoying Higher Ground: The Michelle Obama Podcast on Spotify (including the free version) as it is focusing on the relationships that make us who we are.

What is a book you like that you have to defend liking and what is a book you dislike that you have to defend disliking?

Back in my very first library job, when I was a high school sophomore, my manager could hardly bear to include “trash romances” in the library collection. I think she may even have described them that way and said that at least they (the paperback romances) got some folks in the door who otherwise wouldn’t come in. She just hoped that sometimes they also grabbed some “decent reading” while they were here, too. I must have internalized that judgement because some years later I accidentally read Jude Deveraux’s Knight in Shining Armor (1989), which started me on romance reading, and I became a fan of the genre – but certainly wouldn’t mention it at work! (Yes, I made sure she didn’t see me borrowing “those” kinds of books.) I originally picked up the title because I thought it was time travel fiction (it is) rather than a romance (it really is). At the time I was support staff working through my undergraduate education, and in hindsight it still surprises me how long I carried that attitude. I think in the long run it made me super sensitive not to do that to any of my own library patrons! What book do I dislike? I just can’t stomach any kind of horror. Even the most basic. But I’m not going to defend that…because I know you won’t judge me for it!

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Special thanks to the Kent State University iSchool Alumni Network for coordinating these profiles. Learn more about the Alumni Network on their Facebook page and group. Students are welcome to join and participate.