Kara Riley, customer development librarian at the Braille and Talking Book Library in Daytona Beach, FL has been selected as the 2014 Emerging Leader for the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA). The ALA Emerging Leaders (EL) program is a leadership development program which enables newer library workers from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain insight of the ALA structure and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity.
Beginning at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, ELs will meet for a daylong introductory session followed by six months of project engagement through online learning and networking environments. At the end of the program, ELs will present their project results with a poster session display at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. As the ASCLA Emerging Leader, Riley will collaborate with other ELs on the project of their choosing. Riley will also have the opportunity to work closely with ASCLA leadership throughout the year.
Riley received her MLIS in 2013 from the University of Alabama, and her BA double major in Mass Communication: Radio/Television/Film and Theatre Performance from Auburn University in 2010. Prior to her current position she worked as an intern and Librarian Specialist at the Braille and Talking Book Library where she was quickly promoted with more responsibilities. Riley participates in endless events and activities designed to disseminate information to people who need it; and most recently she has joined the local group, One Voice For Volusia, which unites non-profits in the Daytona Beach area to achieve county-wide goals. Riley, on the EL program, said, “I am very passionate about my field, I know that having diverse experiences will allow me to better serve my community.”
On behalf of the ASCLA community, welcome, Kara! We look forward to working with you!