Kate Kite

I started at Wood River Public Library as a page in 2002 while pursuing my B.S. in English at SIUE. After a couple years at the library, I realized I was much better suited to a career in Library Science than in High School English education. I graduated from SIUE in 2005 with a B.S. in English, and from GSLIS at UIUC with a MSLIS in 2007. I was an on-campus GSLIS student, and through fortuitous timing I was able to return to Wood River Public Library after graduating. I was the Youth Services Librarian for both Wood River and neighboring East Alton Library until May 2008, when I became a full-time staff member at Wood River.

ABOUT YOUR JOB

I am the Assistant Director/Youth Services Librarian for Wood River Public Library. My responsibilities include all programming for youth, collection development for books in the Juvenile and Young Adult sections, cataloging all print and nonprint materials for the library, coordinating Homebound services, and numerous other duties. I am currently a member of the Illinois Library Association's Youth Services Forum, the iRead Summer Reading Program Committee, and an active member of my regional Southwest Advocates for Youth Services (SWAYS) group. No two days are ever the same!

Who is your greatest ally and why?

Wood River Public Library's Director, Diane Steele. She aided me in my pursuit of a Library Science degree, and her values of collaboration, cooperation, and involvement in the library community have shaped my views as a professional. Diane's support of new ideas and programs at the library challenges us to grow as an organization and staff. She welcomes outreach relationships within the community, encourages staff to be active in regional and state committees, and her guidance in pursuing grants has been indispensible.

How do you measure success?

When measuring success, I opt for qualitative rather quantitative. Every time I have a positive interaction with a patron, that is a success. Every time a child or teen has a great time at a program, that is a success. Every time I am able to find the answer to a patron's question, or connect a patron with a book or author, or provide a service to our community, I consider that a success. By measuring accomplishments in these terms, I almost always feel like a day has been successful!

What's the best part about working with young people?
The best part about working with young people is their honesty and creativity. If they are enthused, you'll know it, and if something isn't grabbing their attention, you'll know that, too! I try to choose crafts and activities that allow children and teens to express themselves creatively, and I am constantly amazed at what they come up with.

ADVICE

How do you decide what's important?

Anything that directly affects the patrons is important - programming, new materials, outreach, services.  Providing these things to the best of your staff's ability should be the highest priority at your library.

How can you get the most out of attending conferences?

Get social! One of the best things about going to conferences is the face-to-face time you get with colleagues. Take advantage of the social events and mixers and don't be afraid to take the initiative in talking to people. Also, learn the watch words in the program descriptions to find what will be beneficial to you. For example, sessions that advertise innovative programming using "creative staffing" may not be beneficial if you're the only staff member in the Youth Services department. 

JUST FOR FUN

What fictional character would you most like to be for a day?

Harriet M. Welch from Harriet the Spy, BEFORE everyone finds her notebook. I've always wanted to ride in a dumbwaiter, and wouldn't mind living on the Upper East Side in New York City.

How do you hope to spend your retirement?

I hope to purchase an RV and spend my retirement travelling around the country and world with my husband. That's a long way off, though!

E-mail Kate at kate@woodriverlibrary.org

Angela Dubinger

What’s your current job?

I am the new Youth Services Manager at the New Castle-Henry County Public Library in New Castle, Indiana.  Previously, I worked 10 years as the Adult Fiction/AV/Teen Services manager at the same library, and received my MLS from SLIS at IUPUI in 2007.  Our 2004-6 new building project allowed for a sorely-needed teen space and shelving room - taking the teen books out of the adult collection and into it’s own designated space.  My old position - formerly a paraprofessional job - is morphing into Public Services manager, and I am now in a new role as well, managing both the children and teen services.

How do you manage your time?

I’ve been responsible for lots of collection development over the years - adult fiction, audiovisual materials and teen materials.  In that time, I could spend all day holed up in the office and doing order entry, reading journals, scheduling staff, emailing.  I think it really comes down to making time to be out on the floor and in the collection, talking with kids and promoting reading and our services.  Especially if, for instance, I’ve just read Legends of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke and want to share Zita’s latest adventures with someone!

How do you stay current?

I read blogs like John Schumacher’s Watch. Connect. Read. and Joyce Valenza’s NeverEnding Search to keep me focused on new technology and to inspire me, for instance, to take that plunge with a new presentation on Prezi.  I also take time to read School Library Journal, The Horn Book, many more blogs, and I follow library associations, authors, journals and librarians on Twitter.  I am also grateful for the storytime programming and early literacy practices shared by Abby the Librarian and Mel’s Desk, who are ALSC members and share conference information when I don’t have time to attend.

What’s worth fighting for?

The rights of kids!  Bending the rules for a child who needs a printout for a report but who had no pocket change.  Advocating for and supporting the teen who just got the evil eye from another employer even though s/he was not breaking rules or disrupting the library.

How do you measure success?

Making connections - I can justify programs with my director and crunch numbers all day, but when a former library Teen Animanga club member stops in on college break to bring me a present from her recent trip to Prague, it’s all worth it.  Or, heck, even when a preschooler tells me during storytime that she has new pants.  

How do you defy the librarian stereotypes?

I must say that I do rock a bun now and then but I never shush.  I tell all the adults who whisper to their kids “shhhh, you’re in a library” that they can most certainly talk above a whisper and - if I’m feeling snarky and the timing is right - that we are not the library of yore.

Angela Dubinger

Email - angelad@nchcpl.lib.in.us

Twitter - adubinger