About Me

A little bit about where I’m coming from, where I’m going, and how I plan to get there.

Where I’m Coming From:

It all probably started at the bookshelf of my childhood; one of those DIY plank and concrete block shelves that just needs to hold everything on the cheap. Between rows of old National Geographics, encyclopedia sets, and assorted classics and collections, I gained my introduction to the world of organized knowledge. This haphazard collection, housed in a ramshackle space, was good preparation for the world wide web.

Growing up alongside the Web has given me much the same perspective you get with sibling relationships: I know its secrets, its awkward phases, embarrassing moments, and greatest successes. Add to that a natural aptitude for all things technology and an interest in web-design, and me and the Web have been good friends over the years.

Why all of this eventually led to a degree in English, I don’t know, but incidentally, my university library had room for a student clerk, and thus my origin story as a librarian unfolds.

I’ve worked in libraries for seven or so years in a number of roles. I’ve shelved books, I’ve answered questions, I’ve processed, I’ve supervised, I’ve imagined and innovated. In all of these roles, I’ve tried to leverage my experience with technology, the web, and people to find better ways to serve people’s needs and creative ways to make the library more interesting.

Where I’m Going:

I currently work as a Librarian for the Pierce County Library System, as a member of their Adult Services Department. In this role, I get to do all sorts of fun and interesting things, such as:

Answering and assisting the public with every sort of question or need imaginable. Seriously, you imagine it, I’m able.
Developing the Job & Business Center Website, a resource portal for our community members in need during these dark economic times.
Thinking about library spaces in new ways, and utilizing fun tools to visualize furniture and workflow, such as with my South Hill Library Floorplan.

There’s certainly more to my job than that, but those are some of the fun parts.

My Vision for the Future:

To help engage the people I serve through new design, interaction, and technology, utilizing all of this interesting stuff I’ve picked up over the years in web-design, usability, information architecture, experience design, social media, and developing gadgetry.