I  am currently the Assistant Librarian at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I begin my day with several gallons of coffee and the friendly faces of our students trickling in for morning their morning caffeine fix and homework review. As the Assistant Librarian, I am the first face that greets students and faculty into the library, and I take this responsibility very seriously because forging positive connections with students is the groundwork for a successful library. I also aim to be a reading leader in our community, and I plan several events each month to get students excited about reading. For example, each month a Raider Reader of the Month is selected to be recognized for their love of reading. There are no requirements for the award, I simply keep an eye our for students with a love for stories and books.

 

I have previously worked as a library assistant in the Young Adult services department at the Charleston County Public Library in Charleston, South Carolina. While my position involved readers' advisory and day to day library duties, I was also the programming specialist for the YA department. As the programming specialist, I planned, advertised, and implemented special events and programs for young adults at the Main Library with the assistance of my manager and the YA staff. Past programs have included a candy sushi station, movie marathons, a week long Book Camp, holiday parties, and back to school bashes.  

 

With the help of my co-workers and our teen advisory board, I also coordinated larger events, such as Star Wars Reads Day, the annual Doctor Who premiere party, Harry Potter Night, the YALLFest Red Carpet preview and SherLOCKED in the Library. At advisory board meetings, I hoped to make sure each voice and idea was heard so each teen will felt valued and appreciated. By working closely with the teens and valuing their opinions, the YA staff developedinnovative and worthwhile programming for the teens, their peers, and the community.