I have over ten years experience in public library operation with a specific focus on children, teens, and their families. My expertise includes designing and facilitating innovative learning experiences that reflect both community needs and national trends, dynamic, thoughtful and inclusive collection development, meaningful collaboration within the organization and in the broader community, and everyday advocacy on behalf of the library and area families.
Youth Services Librarian, Homer Public Library, 2010- 2021
The Homer Public Library serves a rural community of 5,200 people plus the surrounding population of 7,000. Library staff take pride in meeting local needs through responsive, innovative programs and resource collections. Early literacy efforts and children’s services are a focal point. My position, youth services librarian, was created as a result of community advocacy efforts. Duties:
- Design and facilitate year-round experiences for children, teens, and their families in and out of the library – emphasis on early literacy, media literacy & computational thinking
- Act as a community media mentor connecting families with relevant media, including both traditional and new media
- Select, purchase, weed, and catalog the children’s and teen multimedia collections, including new media for program use and anytime access
- Create passive and active family learning experiences, including early literacy workshops
- Collaborate with local, state, and national organizations on issues and topics relating to children, teens and families
- Supervise volunteers, teen interns/mentors, guest program leaders, and other staff (as acting director in director’s absence)
- Author and manage regional and national grants pertaining to youth services initiatives
- Represent the library at national events
Coordinator, Friends of the Homer Public Library, 2003-2007
Coordinated $7.2 million community supported, capital campaign for a new library with an all-volunteer committee. The campaign was successfully completed in May of 2005 and the library opened in September of 2006. I also served as the organization’s first coordinator after the campaign and building construction were complete; designing, implementing and garnering financial support for library programs, maintaining the robust membership, and managing volunteers.
Education
- University of Washington’s iSchool, Seattle, WA: Master’s in Library & Information Science, 2013
- The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA: BS Environmental Studies, 1993
- The American University, Washington, DC: International Service major, 1989-91
Professional Memberships
- Alaska Library Association (AkLA)
- American Library Association (ALA)
- Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
- Public Library Association (PLA)
- Young Adult Library Association (YALSA)
Professional Learning
- Facilitating Creative Learning Online Course, PLIX-MIT Media Lab, April to May, 2021. (participated as a learner and featured in the week 1 conversation starter)
- COVID-19 Podcasting & Digital Storytelling: Culturally Responsive and Social Emotional Best Practices, See Stories, January to May, 2021.
- Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Youth, Alaska State Library, January to August, 2020. (included grant-funded local community project – September, 2020 to April, 2021)
Awards
Southern Alaska NCWIT Educator Award, 2019
Claudia Haines 