At the end of Annual Conference I concluded my three year term as president elect/ president/past president. I want to thank everyone in the association, as well as the ASCLA office staff, for their support, friendship and willingness to serve the association in so many ways.
Our association continues to grow; however, I hope that we never get so large that members feel “lost”. There is still plenty of work to be done to keep our division “small but mighty”!
Please offer the new ASCLA president, Michael Golrick, your time and talent. We will all be richer for it.
Kathleen Peiffer
State Librarian
New Mexico State Library
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Throughout the coming weeks on this blogspace, we’ll be profiling members of the ASCLA Board of Directors, and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about these amazing leaders! Does something in their replies pique your interest? Reach out to them via their contact info at the end of the post. A little networking goes a long way towards improving your personal and professional life.
Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan
Digital Reference Librarian, Library of Congress, NLS/BPH
ASCLA Designated Director of Special Populations
Why did you join ASCLA?I joined ASCLA because it is an appropriate fit to connect with library professionals who work with diverse populations of patrons.
How has ASCLA helped you in your career? Because of my familiarity with the Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, I was able to cite them while referencing my experience when applying for my new position.
What are some of the ASCLA activities you’ve participated in?ASCLA Board, Web Presence Committee, Universal Access Interest Group
What is the current hot topic in your area of library work? How can ASCLA/ALA help address this issue? NLS is about to roll out a new iOS app for the BARD service. ASCLA could help by assisting in developing methodology for ascertaining patron feedback.
Tell us about your current role at your library/institution, and maybe a little bit about your career path, too.I just started as the new Digital Reference Librarian with NLS. Currently, my role is to help update our reference publications with relevant material of interest to people with disabilities, those who work with people with disabilities, their families, or anyone one else who has a general interest. In addition, I am continuing to manage, maintain and update NLS’ reference collection of material pertaining to people with disabilities. Prior to joining NLS, for four years (from January 2009 to May 2013) I was a Library Associate (LA) with the Adaptive Services Division of the DC Public Library (DCPL). This position was unique from other LA positions in the DCPL system because it was within an NLS network library. This allowed me to be creative and innovative in my work with patrons with disabilities. I created a curriculum for teaching basic computer skills with adaptive technology, maintaining two instructional websites for students to refer to, performed individualized reader’s advisory work with patrons confined to their homes and worked with professionals in the web accessibility and assistive technology field. I hope to continue on this career path by learning from the many mentors I have met and will meet in order to better serve my patrons and become a strong contributor to the field.
Describe a particularly rewarding experience in your library career. Using the curriculum I developed with Adaptive Services, I created series of small classes for visually impaired adults. These classes culminated in a graduation ceremony where the students invited their families to celebrate with them as they were recognized for their accomplishments. I was overjoyed to observe the pride they had for themselves in their accomplishment.
What are you currently reading or listening to?I just checked out four books from the library and am trying to decide which to read: Jussi Alder-Olsen’s The Keeper of Lost Causes, David Benioff’s City of Thieves, Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum and Umberto Eco’s The Prague Cemetery.
Tell us one fun fact about yourself. I grew up playing, running and walking my dog in the same place Walt Whitman once nursed Union soldiers.
Any hobbies?Running.
Who is your hero?S. R. Ranganathan. I think it is important to remember that our’s is a service profession and we are there for the people we serve not ourselves. Whenever I forget this I look to Ranganathan’s 5 Rules of Library and Information Science:
1. Books are for use
2. Every reader his/her book
3. Every book its reader
4. Save time for the reader
5. The library is a growing organism.
Reach Chris at corrigancj -at- yahoo (dot) com or 202-707-9286.
Throughout the coming weeks on this blogspace, we’ll be profiling members of the ASCLA Board of Directors, and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about these amazing leaders! Does something in their replies pique your interest? Reach out to them via their contact info at the end of the post. A little networking goes a long way towards improving your personal and professional life.
Lori Guenthner
Youth Services Coordinator, Maryland State Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped
ASCLA Designated Director of Special Populations
Lori Guenthner
Why did you join ASCLA? I joined ASCLA because its members are like me: librarians, library agencies and staff serving populations with special needs.
How has ASCLA helped you in your career? ASCLA has given me leadership opportunities – serving on the board and chairing the membership promotion committee.
What are some of the ASCLA activities you’ve participated in? I’ve participated in ASCLA LSSP (Libraries Serving Special Populations) Library Services to People with Visual or Physical Disabilities that Prevent Them from Reading Standard Print Interest Group. I am a member of the Maryland e-Content Advisory Committee so I like discussing accessible technology. I’ve also submitted webinar ideas.
Are there any hot topics in your area of library work? How can ASCLA help? A current hot topic in my area of library work is inclusion in children’s programming. I’d like to see ASCLA partner with ALSC or YALSA to offer webinars/conference programming on inclusion.
Tell us about your current role at your library, and a little bit about your career path, too. I work with children and young adults, from birth to age 21. I present story times and organize the summer reading program (and a lot of other things). I started in the public libraries as a generalist. I’m not sure where my career path will lead, but I love working with people.
Describe a rewarding experience in your library career. The most rewarding experience for me is getting a phone call or email from a young person excited about the National Library Service program.
What are you currently reading and/or listening to? I just started reading The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison and I hope it’s better than Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
One fun fact about me: I went to college to be a journalist.
Any hobbies? Running.
Who is your hero? My hero is my dad. He’s the one who would get me ready for school each morning.
Throughout the coming weeks on this blogspace, we’ll be profiling members of the ASCLA Board of Directors, and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about these amazing leaders! Does something in their replies pique your interest? Reach out to them via their contact info at the end of the post. A little networking goes a long way towards improving your personal and professional life.
Stacey Aldrich
Stacey A. Aldrich
State Librarian, State Library of Pennsylvania
ASCLA Past-President
Why did you join ASCLA? ASCLA is a great organization for meeting and working with colleagues who do similar work nationally.
Are there any hot topics in your area of library work? How can ASCLA help with these subjects? There are many hot topics in state library work. Two key topics are broadband and leadership. ASCLA is a great venue for providing leadership opportunities for state library staff to support these topics.
Tell us a bit about your career path. Currently, I am the State Librarian in Pennsylvania. Most recently I was the State Librarian of California. I also worked at the Division of Library Development and Services in Maryland. I have spent the majority of my career in state librarians, but have also worked in academic, public, and special libraries. I also worked for a futuring think tank in Washington DC. My focus has been on proactiving building the future of libraries.
What do you find rewarding about your library work? Each day is a new experience and provides a new learning and reward. Being a mentor in the Eureka! Library Leadership program has been one of my favorite experiences. Meeting and working with colleagues to build new connections, new skills, new attitudes and forward momentum for libraries has been fantastic.
Fun fact about me: I am a total space geek. I had an opportunity to meet briefly Al Worden, who flew on Apollo 15. Even got a hug from a man who has traveled to the moon.
Hobbies: I love movies and music.
Hero: Gosh, there are so many for so many reasons.
Throughout the coming weeks on this blogspace, we’ll be profiling members of the ASCLA Board of Directors, and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about these amazing leaders! Does something in their replies pique your interest? Reach out to them via their contact info at the end of the post. A little networking goes a long way towards improving your personal and professional life.
Sara Laughlin
Sara Laughlin
Director, Monroe County Public Library
ASCLA President
I joined ASCLA shortly after I became coordinator of a multitype consortium in 1980, because I discovered that all the consortia directors from around the country were there. I wanted to meet them, share ideas, and keep up with what was going on. For the next 17 years, I really enjoyed participating in lots of different ways, edited a couple of consortia publications, and eventually served at chair of the multitype consortium section (can’t remember its exact name now).
And then I became a consultant and got involved with the consultant’s section (now interest group). Over the next 10 years, many of my clients came through my friendships and ASCLA connections with state library and consortia leaders and consultants from around the country. For eight years, I served as editor of Interface, a job that introduced me to the dedicated librarians who work with people with disabilities and kept me in touch with the best practices of state libraries and consortia.
In 2007, I was asked to become interim director of my own Monroe County Public Library, a really great institution that I’d long admired. After eight months, the Board made me director. I’m now managing a budget of $10 million, 160 employees, two large facilities, and outreach, adult literacy, and community access television services. Although it’s not a picnic every day, when I look back over six years, I can see that we’ve come a long way. Every day, I use the leadership, problem-solving, communications, and process improvement skills that I learned in earlier positions, consulting and in ASCLA.
As vice president last year and president this year, it’s been a great pleasure to witness the creativity and passion of ASCLA members and given me a chance to meet more members.
On the personal side, I love to canoe, hike, knit, sew, and read. I get more opportunities now to share discussions about reading and recently joined a book group for the first time. This week, my husband and I moved from our home of 25 years to another a few miles away. Our plan is to build a house next door to the next one, in the beautiful, five-acre, wooded ridge overlooking a lush ravine. That ought to keep us busy for the next year or so.
My heroes: Betty Martin (retired director of the Vigo County (Ind.) Public Library); Marcia Capuano (retired assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at Lawrence Township (Ind.) Schools); Dorothy Crenshaw (retired chief information officer at Indianapolis Public Schools); and Sharman Smith (retired state librarian of Mississippi and Iowa before that).
Contact Sara at laughlin -at- mcpl (dot) info or 812-34-3056.
Throughout the coming weeks on this blogspace, we’ll be profiling members of the ASCLA Board of Directors, and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about these amazing leaders! Does something in their replies pique your interest? Reach out to them via their contact info at the end of the post. A little networking goes a long way towards improving your personal and professional life.
Kathi Moeller-Peiffer
Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer
Deputy State Librarian for Lifelong Learning
New Jersey State Library
Kathi is also ASCLA’s President-Elect, and completed a different Q&A session back in the spring–you can read it here.
Why did you join ASCLA? I joined ASCLA as it was the best professional “fit” within ALA once I began my work at a state library.
How has ASCLA helped you in your career? ASCLA has helped me in my career by the ability to meet so many talented and interesting people from which I have learned so much, especially about leadership.
What are some of the ASCLA activities you’ve participated in (committee volunteering, etc.)? I’ve participated in the State Library Agency Section, the Membership Committee, the President’s Program Committee and as Secretary on the ASCLA Board.
What is the current hot topic in your area of library work? How can ASCLA/ALA help address this issue? Ebooks are a hot topic for everyone. ASCLA can help by the discussions we have at board meetings on this and a variety of issues.
Tell us about your current role at your library/institution, and maybe a little bit about your career path, too. I currently work with three project specialists with expertise in such areas as youth services, diversity and outreach to small business. I worked in public libraries for most of my career which was excellent preparation for State Library work.
Describe a particularly rewarding experience in your library career. My most rewarding experience in my library career was being part of the team that brought up staff and public Internet access at the Durham County Library in Durham North Carolina.
What are you currently reading or listening to? I just finished Jill McCorkle’s book Life after Life and am saving other favorite authors for my upcoming August vacation.
Give one fun fact about yourself. I trained for a sprint triathlon that I never got to participate in, but I will finish one in my lifetime!
Any hobbies? See “fun fact” above!
Who is your hero? My heroes are my children as I watch them each find their own path in the world.
Reach Kathi at kpeiffer -at- njstatelib (dot) org.
Throughout the coming weeks on this blogspace, we’ll be profiling members of the ASCLA Board of Directors, and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about these amazing leaders! Does something in their replies pique your interest? Reach out to them via their contact info at the end of the post. A little networking goes a long way towards improving your personal and professional life.
Liz Bishoff
Liz Bishoff
Consultant, The Bishoff Group
ASCLA Division Councilor, 2012-2015
Why did you join ASCLA? I was the chair of an unaffiliated organization of people who managed statewide and regional digital collaboratives, we saw ASCLA and ICAN (former Interlibrary Cooperation And Networking Section of ASCLA) as a natural home for us.
How has ASCLA helped you in your career? As with other ALA organizations, it provides a means of networking with people who have common interests. As a consultant I can share interests and challenges and opportunities with other consultants
What are some of the ASCLA activities you’ve participated in (committee volunteering, etc.)? ASCLA board, preconference presenter, task forces, Councilor, leadership sessions
Describe a particularly rewarding experience in your library career. Too many rewarding experiences–it’s been a fantastic career–the development of the digital environment has offered exciting opportunities to work with other cultural heritage organizations as well as all types of libraries
Who is your hero? My mom is my hero–she refused to fit into the mold of the 50’s mom.
Reach Liz at liz (dot) bishoff -at- gmail (dot) com, or catch her in person at the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia where she’ll be presenting at the ASCLA Midwinter Institute “Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to be a Successful Library Consultant.
