Product + Community Specialist, June 2024 – Present
Springshare – Remote
that builds
- . These 1500+ articles average almost half a million views per year
- Apprises product managers of client requests and pain points by compiling trends and highlighting “easy wins” to help clients feel heard
Customer Support Specialist, August 2021 – June 2024
Springshare – Remote
In my first position at Springshare, I focused on Tier 1 customer and tech support, specializing in LibCal, LibAnswers, LibStaffer, and Pickup Manager.
- Answered questions via email with custom screenshots and videos
- Provided one-on-one assistance via Zoom
- Troubleshot and gathered info for bug escalation to developers
- Considered and advocated for feature requests with project managers
- Created and updated knowledgebase FAQs
Librarian III, November 2017 – August 2021
Austin Public Library – Central Library, Austin, TX
An adult services reference librarian at a world-renowned urban public library, I enhanced the customer experience and enriched lives through increased education, opportunity, and engagement on the web, in the library, and in the community. I supervised four librarians, served as lead liaison with our IT division, and routinely acted as the in-charge librarian.
As librarian,
- Answered research, tech troubleshooting, and readers’ advisory questions in person and over the phone, text, email, and chat
- Taught classes, led tours, and performed off-site outreach
- Created and coordinated video content for APL+, including storyboarding, acting, and rough-cut video and audio editing
- Created book lists as well as physical and digital displays (APLTV)
- Curated and created lesson plans for a digital inclusion curriculum
- Assessed the print collection
As supervisor,
- Supervised four junior librarians: provided coaching, reviewed time sheets, updated the schedule to ensure service point coverage, and did performance reviews
- Audited reference transactions, FAQs, information guides, and other content produced by reports to monitor accuracy and provide feedback to elevate effectiveness
- Hired and onboarded three professional-level positions
- Created comprehensive New Reference Librarian Training Guide with responsibilities, expectations, checklists, and more, for use by me and other reference team supervisors
- Handled complaints and inappropriate customer behavior
As tech liaison,
- Served as a critical communication bridge between the IT division and front-line staff and end-user patrons so our IT crew better understood our needs and how staff and patrons use technology in practice. My work facilitated positive, confident technology experiences for staff by providing them timely, targeted, and coherent updates that helped them do their jobs effectively without overwhelming them
- Provided technology training and on-the-fly guidance for staff, from setting up Google Meet in our public meeting rooms to using ebooks on devices
- Created documentation for training and troubleshooting
- Worked with the Electronic Resources Librarian to keep our team current with database and app rollouts and revamps; evaluated potential new databases and beta versions of existing library products; reported product errors internally and directly to vendors and made recommendations
Librarian II, April 2013 – November 2017
Austin Public Library – Faulk Central, Austin, TX
In my first position at APL, I performed a range of reference and adult public service librarian duties:
- Answered research, tech troubleshooting, and general library questions in person, over the phone, through email, and via chat
- Taught classes and led tours
- Performed off-site outreach for library promotion and education at a variety of venues
- Created and maintained several topical information guides and FAQs, using customer-focused language and screenshots
- Trained staff for using the catalog, LibGuides, and Snagit software and maintained comprehensive how-to and style guides for each
- Developed and assessed the print collection, including purchase recommendations, weeding, and displays for the subjects computers, philosophy, psychology, and more
- Launched the class Tech Time for helping customers download eBooks to their devices and developed staff training guide for implementing the program system-wide
- As point person for APLTV, developed templates and long-range content plans for LCD screens in the library
- Evaluated potential new databases and beta redesigns of existing library apps and products, providing feedback to colleagues and directly to vendors
- Led a team for restructuring the library’s website navigation through its header and footer menus
- Co-managed We Recommend, selecting and loading books into our online portal for recommended titles
- Co-creator of the Facebook Live series, Q&APL. This included long-term content planning, creating scripts and performing live on camera to demonstrate library apps and other services
- Performed with the award-winning Bibliofiles book cart drill team
I received the following awards during my APL tenure:
- APL Team of the Year, 2017 – APL Unbound: bike-powered pop-up library outreach
- APL Project of the Year, 2016 – Tech Time: helping customers use library eBooks
- APL Above & Beyond, 2016 – Outstanding customer service at an outreach event
- APL Above & Beyond, 2014 – Leadership for the website menu redesign
- APL Above & Beyond, 2013 – Outstanding customer service at a youth event
Reference and Instruction Librarian, September 2010 – March 2013
Walden University Library, Minneapolis, MN
Performed an array of ongoing and project-based duties for a fully online academic library.
- Answered student research questions over the phone and by email
- Developed and delivered webinars for students and faculty
- Provided virtual dissertation literature review consultations
- Traveled nationally to teach one-on-one and large group lectures
- Created online information literacy and subject research guides
- Investigated and proposed content organization schemes for website restructuring
- Planned and conducted user testing to capture user behavior and used this data for website improvements
- Investigated standards and developed a comprehensive style guide governing all aspects of library content creation, across all platforms, with an emphasis on link and image accessibility for ADA compliance
- Served as faculty outreach liaison for the College of Education and Leadership
- Researched topics and provided bibliographies for faculty and staff
- Assessed collection for new program development
- Evaluated new databases for content and usability
- Received staff award for website and style guide work [ read nominator comments ]
Catalog Assistant Intern, February – May 2010
Public Radio International, Minneapolis, MN
Cataloged PRI / WNYC’s “The Takeaway” radio segments into an internal digital asset management system.
- Determined appropriate data and cross-referenced authority files
- Assigned subject headings based on content analysis
- Provided consultation for taxonomy improvement
Pathfinder Development Librarian, August – December 2009; March – May 2010
Lindell Library, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
Created 10 online research guides using LibGuides software.
- Determined optimal organization and design for the guides
- Researched, selected, and annotated relevant print and online resources to meet curricula needs
- Collaborated to create a style guide for consistency and quality control
- Was offered two additional contracts after the successful completion of the first
Graduate Academic Assistant, September – December 2007; January – April 2009
Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Provided reference in the Art + Architecture + Planning and Science and Engineering Libraries as a student librarian.
- Performed basic and in-depth reference in person and over the phone
- Assisted subject librarians with bibliographic verification and environmental scans
Student Librarian (Co-op Positions), January – December 2008
McPherson Library, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
May – December: Assisted with information literacy and outreach initiatives.
- Wrote content for and designed web pages for research literacy and information discovery
- Created and updated print aids (citation style guides, How to Avoid Plagiarism, and more)
- Created an online tutorial
- Led general and course-specific classroom workshops
- Conducted tours for new and prospective students
- Provided reference service
January – April: Assisted with developing and promoting the institutional repository, UVicDSpace.
- Researched and created supporting documents for UVicDSpace, including policies, procedures, marketing materials, and more, in print and online
- Assisted with promotional and instructional presentations to faculty
- Performed environmental scans for scholarly and open access publishing
- Provided reference service
Library Assistant II, September 2005 – August 2006
Periodicals and Reserve at Wilson Library, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Coordinated the digitization of class course reserves and other duties as assigned.
- Developed and maintained course web pages with Dokutek software
- Investigated copyrights and terms of use for e-Reserve content
- Determined best practices and developed written procedures for e-Reserve
- Assisted in the supervision of 14 undergraduate student workers
- Performed scheduling, payroll processing, and training for student workers
- Negotiated and resolved overdue fines with patrons
Library Intern, June 2005 – August 2005
Utne Magazine, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Assisted in the management of the magazine’s collection of over 1,500 alternative periodicals.
- Catalogued materials and corrected faulty records
- Indexed the Utne magazine for future reference work and retrospectives
- Provided research for leads and fact checking
- Weeded and shifted the collection for ease and timeliness of use
- Attended editorial meetings and pitched story ideas
- Wrote short blurbs for articles on the magazine’s website