I am the Assistant Director at the Princeton Public Library where I am involved in managing all aspects of the library’s day-to-day operations including: collection development, technical services, and coordination of services to children, teens and adults, and oversight of information
technology.

In my previous role as Assistant Director of the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative, I helped create and grow QandANJ.org, New Jersey's 24/7 virtual reference service --the first 24/7 collaborative virtual reference service in the United States.

My ALA activities include Chairing and Co-facilitating the Emerging Leaders program in 2009-2011 and serving as a planner/facilitator since its inception. I have done a three year stint as Secretary for ALA's Learning Round Table (LearnRT), where I also served as membership chair and webmaster. I developed the Round Table's first blog CEBuzz (now ALALearning), a collaborative blog that addresses continuing education and staff development.  Locally, I have served as Chair of NJLA's Professional Development Committee, and have collaborated and worked on numerous state and regional committees and projects.

I enjoy speaking and presenting, and have previously served as President of a Toastmasters club for librarians.   I'd be happy to talk to other librarians who are interested in setting up their own local chapter. 

In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing, keeping up with trends, playing tennis, learning to play guitar. 

COACHING

I have been offering formal and informal personal coaching services (sometimes called life coaching, or executive coaching) since July, 2006. I am still learning how to do it, but seem to have a natural ability for it and enjoy it quite a bit. I received training on how to be an effective coach from one of the best -- a former President of the NJ Coaches Association--through a grant to CJRLC.

If you are interested in learning more about coaching, or think you may find value in being coached, check out my coaching page, or get in touch with me.

LEADERSHIP

I have been involved with library leadership issues in one way or the other for the past ten years. 

• In 1998 I had the honor of attending the Leadership Institute at Snowbird. 
• In 2001 I was selected to attend a "recall" session of the Leadership Institute at Snowbird. 
• In 2004 I participated in (and helped plan) the New Jersey Library Leadership Academy. 
• In 2006/2007 I served as a Mentor to a group of ALA Emerging Leaders.
• In October, 2007 I served as a Mentor for the Maryland Library Leadership Institute.
• 2007-2011: I served on the Emerging Leaders Planning Committee, a select committee which is charged with instituting the Emerging Leaders program, securing funding, creating a sustainable structure and planning future programs.

My ideas about leadership revolve around authenticity and honesty, self-awareness, courage to act, the ability to stand in the future, and a deep respect for the power of strong visions, healthy systems and  organizational cultures, and the integrity and wisdom of individuals to choose right action and exert influence in any given moment.

In addition to continuing education and staff development, I am very interested in customer service (aka customer experience) and the idea of "library as place". These interests and ideas are often informed by my experience working at Nordstrom.  Sometimes I blab about these and other topics at my blog, CuriousKind.  I have also blogged about learning and staff development at alalearning.org.  I previously created and blogged at Library Garden.