Resume

Connect with me on LinkedIn!

Education

Master of Science in Library and Information Science
Simmons College, Boston, MA 5/98

Bachelor of Arts in Humanities: Creative Writing Concentration
Bradford College, Bradford, MA 5/96 Cum Laude

Work Experience

Assistant Director 10/10-present. Haverhill Public Library, Haverhill MA.
Responsible for adult programming, marketing and PR, and acts as interim director in director’s absence. Serves as head of collection development, head of technical services, and volunteer coordinator. Lead implementer on a number of library-wide initiatives, including re-design of a 15-year-old website, email notification campaign, and bringing staff into the 21^st century with use of blogs, wikis, social media, and automated, pre-processed acquisitions. Doubled summer reading registration and participation in FY ’12. Doubled number of volunteers and hours of service in FY ’12. Doubled adult programs and attendance in FY ‘12 Initiated a “face-out” bookstore marketing of collection to increase circulation.

Independent Library Trainer/Consultant 7/07-present, Information Goddess Consulting, Haverhill, MA.
Past projects include providing training to librarians and paralibrarians in topics of youth services, technology, and gaming; speaking at ALA state chapter conferences; delivering online classes for YALSA and Simmons; administering a Verizon grant for ALA; and evaluating an LSTA grant for the Glendale (AZ) Public Library.

Adjunct Lecturer 2/14/04; 10/05-present Simmons College, Boston, MA
Instructed library students in programming for young adults; lecture included developmental assets of teenagers, presentation of programming successes and failures, and dealing with behavioral issues. Currently providing online continuing education classes for the Graduate School of Library and Information Science on topics such as book reviewing, game design, and children’s literature.

Trainer/Consultant for Youth Services 9/04-7/07 Metrowest MA Regional Library System, Waltham, MA (defunct)
Provided support and continuing education to academic, public, school, and special librarians in the Metrowest region; conducted continuing education workshops on topics such as collection development, database training, customer service, virtual reference, children’s and young adult services, technology and more; liaison on local and various statewide committees; planned and executed MA Statewide Summer Reading Program with team of youth services consultants; planned and executed $25,000 LSTA grant for an after school storytelling club at regional member libraries in 2006/2007.

Young Adult Librarian 9/98-9/04 Haverhill Public Library, Haverhill, MA
Developed young adult collections; supervised Teen Cyber Center computer area (including training/supervising 20+ teen volunteers a year); provided reference and reader’s advisory for teens, adults and children; facilitated library programs; maintained library website and teen website; produced and distributed all library PR; wrote and executed grants; staffed circulation and youth services desks as needed. Increased YA book circulation by 11% in FY 02-03 and increased assignment notification and reserve materials for middle school projects in FY 03-04.

Children’s Literature Adjunct Professor 1/02-6/02 Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, MA
Designed curriculum and prepared lectures, assignments and exams for college students; incorporated classic and current children’s literature titles for class discussion; introduced students to children’s literature resources on the Internet; evaluated students performance for semester grades.

Children’s Room Assistant 9/96-12/98 Haverhill Public Library, Haverhill, MA
Functioned as member of children’s room team to select and purchase juvenile fiction and nonfiction in a variety of formats; planned and implemented story time for ages 1-5; developed innovative programs for ages 5-12; created/maintained children’s room website.

Professional Memberships & Activities

Member, MA Library Snapshot Day Committee, 2011
Chair, YALSA Alex Award Committee, 1/10-6/11
Member, YALSA Alex Award Committee, 1/09-6/11
Chair, YALSA Advocacy Committee, 1/09-6/10
Member, YALSA Social Event Task Force, 2/07-1/08
Member, YALSA Selected Lists Task Force, 1/07-6/07
Founder and Co-Chair of YALSA Teen Gaming Interest Group, 1/06-10/10
Founder and Moderator of LibGaming listserv, 1/05-present
ALA/YALSA Division Member, 5/98-5/11: Research, Technology, and Organization & Bylaws Committees
MLA Member, 5/03-5/11: MLA conference Committee, State Standards for Library Service to YA Revision Committee, YSS at-large member
MA Statewide Summer Reading Program Steering Committee Member, 9/02-8/04

Accomplishments

Featured in Library Journal’s “Movers & Shakers” issue, 3/15/06
Awarded MBLC Open Grant for After School Storytelling Club, 8/05
Graduate, Library Leadership MA Institute, (LLMA) Beverly, MA, 6/05
YALSA Serving the Underserved Trainer Certificate, 1/05
Graduate, Youth Services Leadership Conference (YSLead) Beverly, MA, 8/02
Awarded BWI/YALSA Collection Development Grant, 1/99

Publications

“Get Your Game On: Games to Inspire Writers” VOYA 4/11
“This Gaming Life: First Amendment Rights” with JP Porcaro. School Library Journal, 1/11
Get Your Game On! (Neal Schuman, 2009)
“After School Program Success” VOYA 10/10
This Gaming Life: Readalikes. School Library Journal, 9/10.
“Make It Count: Advocacy And Teen Read Week.” YALS, 5/10.
“This Gaming Life: The Future of Gaming.” School Library Journal. 11/09
“Get Your Game On: Series, Sequels, and Ports.” VOYA 12/08
“Get Your Game On: Seen the Movie? Play the Game.” VOYA 8/08
“Get Your Game On: PC Games Vs. Console Games.” VOYA 4/08
“Get Your Game On: Video Games in Education: A Timely Topic.” VOYA 12/07
“Get Your Game On: Core Collections.” VOYA 4/07
“Get Your Game On: Game On.” VOYA 12/06
“Get Your Game On: What Makes a Good Game, Anyway? VOYA, 8/06
“I Can’t Dance Without Arrows: Getting Active @ Your Library with Video Game Programs” (co-authored with Alissa Lauzon), YALS, 6/06
Contributor, YALSA Blog http://blogs.ala.org/index.php?blog=5, 3/06-present
Administrator, Hip Librarian’s Book Blog, 1/06-present
“Turning the School Library into an Education Arcade” and “Love Sara, A Virtual Author Visit,” Media Forum Online, 9/05
Contributor, Our Future Blog, http://www.noblenet.org, 7/05
Owner, Game On: Games in Libraries Blog, http://www.libgaming.blogspot.com, 6/05
Contributor, PLA Blog: ALA Midwinter Conference, 1/05, 6/05, http://www.plablog.com
Contributor, Metrowest News Blog, http://www.metrowestnews.blog-city.com, 12/04-1/06
Administrator, Hip Librarian’s Book Blog, http://www.hiplibrariansbookblog.blog-city.com, 6/04-1/06
Featured in Connecting Young Adults and Libraries, 3rd edition (Neal Schuman, 2004)
Haverhill Gazette newspaper columnist @ your library, 2/03-8/04
Featured in New Directions in Library Service to Young Adults (ALA/YALSA, 2002)
Science Books and Films reviewer, 7/02-present
Reviewer, Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), 10/01-1/07
Reviewer, NMRLS Youth Services Book Review Group, 9/00-9/04
Featured in Talk it Up! Book Discussion Programs for Young People, NYLA, 5/99

Presentations & Workshops

Presenter, “Serving the Underserved Training: Pain in the Brain,” numerous MA locations, 2006-2011
Instructor, “Getting Beyond It’s Good: Evaluating and Reviewing Books for Youth” Simmons GSLIS CE, 8/12, 2/12, 10/11, 8/10, 2/10
Instructor: “Reel In Readers Connecting Youth to Books through Video” Infopeople, 10/11
Webinar Presenter: “Video Book Trailers as a Way to Reel in Readers,” Information, 9/11
Instructor, “Creative Writing Programs for Youth” Simmons GSLIS CE, 2/11
Instructor, “Technology Programs for Youth” Simmons GSLIS CE, 1/11
Panelist, “Fail! Learn! Share!” Internet Librarian, 10/10
Presenter, “Facebook As A Learning Management Tool” Internet Librarian, 10/10
Presenter, “Get Your Game On,” CYPD Conference, Indianapolis, IN 8/10
Presenter: “Gaming in the Library,” INCOSLA, Indianapolis, IN 8/08
Instructor, YALSA, “Pain in the Brain,” 2/08 (online)
Presenter, NHLA (CHILIS), “Teen Technology Programming,” Portsmouth, NH, 10/07
Presenter, CT State Library, “Equal Access: Teen Trends,” Farmington, CT, 10/07
Instructor, YALSA, “Reaching Teens with Gaming,” online class, 10/07
Instructor, SWFLN, “Evaluating & Reviewing Children’s Books,” Naples, FL, 10/07
Panelist, NELA, “Second Life,” 10/07
Panelist, Missouri Library Association, “Second Life,” Springfield, MO, 10/07
Presenter, ALATechSource, Games Learning & Libraries Symposium, “Core Collections,” Chicago, IL, 7/07
Presenter, ALATechSource, Games Learning & Libraries Symposium, “Digital Downloads for Gamers,” Chicago, IL, 7/07
Instructor, “How to Teach the Public Social Software,” Infopeople, 7 CA locations, 7/07-10/07
Instructor, Infopeople, “Get Your Game On,” 7 CA locations, 3/07-5/07
MA Library Trustees Association, “Web 2.0 Library Applications,” Boxborough, MA, 3/07
Presenter, CCILA, “Get Your Game On” and “Top 25 Technology Websites,” West Barnstable, MA, 3/07
Instructor, Infopeople, “Get Your Game On,” San Francisco, San Jose & Sacramento, CA, 1/07
Presenter, YALSA, “Teens and Technology Preconference,” Seattle, WA, 1/07
Instructor, CT State Library, “Podcasting,” “Book Discussion Groups,” “Graphic Novels & Manga,” “Web 2.0” “Romance Readers Advisory,” “Grant Money for Your Library,”
“Serving the Underserved Training: Pain in the Brain,” various dates & locations, 2006
Presenter, NELA, “PodPeople (Podcasting),” Burlington, VT, 10/06
Co-Instructor, Simmons GSLIS, “Manga, MP3s, & MMORPGs, Oh My!” online, 10/05, 5/06, 10/06
Presenter, Urban Libraries Council, “Game On: Are Libraries in the Game?” audioconference, 9/06
Panelist, PLA Tech Comm, “Exploring the Technology of Gaming,” ALA Annual Meeting, New Orleans, 6/06

Hobbies & Interests

Creative writing/editing, cooking, container gardening, playing board games, reviewing books and films, sign language.