What I Do

I take a Family Place Libraries approach to my storytime where the whole family is involved in learning and promoting early literacy. This includes caregivers participating along with their children during storytime and also teaching caregivers ways they can continue early literacy practices at home. When planning and running my storytimes I use the "Every Child Ready to Read® 2nd Edition Five Practices of Early Literacy": Reading, Writing, Talking, Singing, and Playing.

Special projects include:

• Developed and installed in partnership with city departments the FADL Story Trail in Martin Road Park

  • Continue to project manage the purchases, maintenance, and updating of the FADL Story Trail (2022-present)

• Manage and facilitate the TPL Storybook Trail through book selection, sign preparations, 

• Organized, coordinated, and led a team for the Letters to Santa station at Polar Express annually.

• Collaborated with the Head of Adult Services to design and run an annual themed escape room.

• Each year I planned and ran a Women in HERstory program for school aged children.

• Helped pick the books, organize, and run Battle of the Books for 5th graders each year.

Special projects include:

• Run a preschool storytime in partnership with the local school district.

• Create and maintain Facebook event pages and posts for Youth programs each quarter.

I think it is important to stop and listen when kids need help finding a library item. By taking the time to listen, I am better equipped to ask follow up questions to learn what exactly they are looking for. There is nothing quite as wonderful as seeing the light bulb moment when a child fully articulates the item they are searching for. I see it as my job to help facilitate and support this journey of intellectual exploration.

Regular duties include:

• Conducting readers’ advisory for all ages, advise ILL usage, and place holds.

• Teaching library patrons how to find library materials, sign up for events, and identify resources.

• Updating book displays, bibliographies, record sets, and website information.

• Regularly open and close the department and/or library.

• Provided other support: issued library cards, circulated materials, and updated patron accounts. 

Special projects include:

• Worked on a committee to design and implement a FAQ list for a library.

In addition to regularly ordering books for ages 0-12 I have completed several collection projects. 

• Partnered with two youth librarians to create a Holiday Collection.

• Created a new Non-Fiction Reader section which I collect and manage.

• In collaboration with Tech Services improvements were made to enhance the discoverability of the Easy Readers collection in the catalog by adding guided levels to the bibliographic records.

• Worked with coworkers to create a new Beginning Chapter Book collection that I now manage and maintain.

• Established a new backpack kit collection called Giraffe Travel Buddy.

• Assessed, researched, and submitted an order for Youth Services toy collection.

I also regularly evaluate and maintain several collections by repairing, withdrawing, and/or replacing materials.