Special Projects

Book a Librarian, Fall 2009 - Present, Project Co-Manager

• Book a Librarian is one of the recommendations from a people-centered usability study that a colleague and I did in a library school course. Book a Librarian (BAL) is a user-centered reference service model where patrons can reserve one-on-one sessions with librarians for research assistance. BAL allows librarians to provide higher quality reference service with the opportunity to highlight librarians’ skill sets and knowledge base beyond the usual directional and ready-reference questions. Patrons are getting information literacy and bibliographic instruction and are being empowered in today’s informational world.
• We pitched the idea to the Central Library Director and got the go-ahead to launch the pilot program at the Central Library. We formed and led a team to develop and implement the pilot. The almost 10-year service is now a core library service that is offered at the Central Library. We continue to evaluate the service through feedback from patrons and staff.
• Book a Librarian at BPL is listed as a 2010 Urban Libraries Council Member Innovation for User Experience.

Library Workers' Skill Share, Summer 2010, Event Co-Organizer

• Teamed up with two other Library Journal Movers & Shakers to organize the Library Workers' Skill Share event in an effort to provide support for all library workers in NYC who are job hunting, unemployed, facing potential layoffs or simply looking to freshen up their skills.
• Over 80 people attended the event, which included panels, workshops, one-on-one speed mentoring, resume review, speed business coaching sessions, and a networking & resource room.
• Check out the write-up in LJ (PDF) for more details.

HealthCampNYC Regional Unconference, Spring 2010, Project and Grant Budget Manager

• Formed and led a team to coordinate and facilitate HealthCampNYC: Using Collective Knowledge Improve Health Literacy and Community Health, a regional health unconference.
• Over 85 people from the NYC metro area as well as Connecticut and Philadelphia, attended this event and participated in 24 discussions sessions throughout the day. While it was a regional event, the event wiki was visited by over 800 people from over 200 cities during the three months leading up to the day of the event.
• Check out the summary report (PDF).

Sibshop Training Workshop Series, Spring 2009, Event Co-Organizer

• Working with the Librarian at The Child's Place for Children with Special Needs, we organized a two-day Sibshop training workshop conducted by Don Meyer. Sibshops are support groups for children and teens who have siblings with special needs.
• The training workshop was the first one held at a library. Over 60 people from the NYC metro area as well as New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut, attended the workshop series.
• We also developed a sibling support resource wiki and a LibraryThing sibling booklist.

BPL ThinkTank Unconference, Spring 2008, Project Manager

• Inspired by the LibraryCampNYC 2007 unconference, I formed a team to organize BPL ThinkTank, an unconference style staff development event attended by over 50 people. After the event, management hosted a few forums to address staff concerns and ideas. Since then, the unconference concept has been integrated into staff meetings and trainings.
• Check out our PLA conference presentation for more details.
• BPL ThinkTank is listed as a 2010 Urban Libraries Council Member Innovation.