Meet …
June 21, 2007
Alumna Jodi Mitchell is a key leader in developing a new teen services center at Durham County Library.
Jodi Mitchell graduated in December 2006 and hit the ground running. She was immediately hired as Young Adult Services librarian for Durham County Library's new North Regional branch in Durham, North Carolina. She was given free rein to build and promote this newly created position to teens, the community, the schools and other staff. She writes:
With an awesome Young Adult room, a supportive director, and a huge teen population, I soon had an active teen advisory council, wonderful teen focussed programs, middle and high school class tours and library research instruction, groovy displays, ongoing collaborations with schools and teachers, and lots of teens utilizing the new library. The director conferred with me on strategic planning for the future of teen services, I assisted him in revising an outmoded computer use policy to better accommodate youth, and I publish an ongoing teen page (TLC: Teen Loving Care) on the Durham County Library Strategic Planning wiki.
She is also a regular reviewer for the "Adult Books for Young Adults" column in School Library Journal. Mitchell says she "loves teen services, outreach services, instructional services, and plans to become increasingly involved in teen advocacy."
Student Leslie Wolf attended the 2007 SLA Conference after winning a $1,200 SLA Business & Finance Division Student Stipend award.
Leslie Wolf attended the 2007 SLA Conference in Denver, Colorado in June. This three-day conference was filled with workshops, learning forums, and networking sessions.
I was very pleased to receive a $1,200 stipend to attend the 2007 SLA Conference, awarded by the Business & Finance Division. I had to submit an essay, a resume, and a letter of recommendation from my advisor. There were four student winners from around the country, as well as a student from Germany. The Division is certainly generous, and serious about nurturing the new librarians.
As recipients, we assisted with Continuing Education courses the weekend before the conference, and are expected to serve on a Division committee during the year. We were honored at a Division awards ceremony and got to meet many of the Division leaders.
The conference was a great event. I met new people everywhere: on the airport shuttle; walking to the conference center; going to various evening parties; and attending the learning sessions. I'm looking forward to serving on a committee and giving back to the Division for their generosity.
I was happy to find that much of the information in the sessions was not new — we are learning the right things in class. It's good to know we'll be prepared to go out into the world!
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