I.a. Students are able to evaluate critically, reflect, and problem-solve individually as well as collaboratively.

• LIS 5020 Foundations of Library and Information Science

  • Policy Working Group​ - Critically analyzing library policies and procedures is an essential skill for all librarians. Additionally, re-evaluating policies and adjusting the policies to the mission of the public library is a project for all library staff. In this assignment, I worked with a group of students to analyze and update a policy on computer usage in a public library. As a group, we shared insight into current issues and collaborated on ideas to revise the policy to update it for use in the library. 

        

I.b. Students demonstrate effective communication skills

•  LIS 5937 Seminar in Public Libraries 

  • ​ Advocacy Letter to the Editor - Effective communication is an essential skill for librarians. Librarians need to be able to effectively communicate to communities, governing bodies, and funding sources to advocate the needs of our libraries. During my elective course Seminar in Public Libraries, I wrote an advocacy letter to an editor of a local paper discussing the need for continuing funding of public libraries to help improve literacy rates in the county. 

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I.c. Students participate in professional and community engagement activities in the field

•  LIS 5937 Seminar in Public Libraries 

  • Government Meeting Assignment - I sat in on a virtual meeting to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for Pinellas County and documented my thoughts and take away points on the meeting. This was also a budget meeting and hearing the discussions about where the BCC felt money should be allocated was an important issue. As a future librarian, it was important to hear arguments for and against funding of various organizations and programs. Unfortunately, during this meeting members argued to cut funding to some libraries to maintain a budget due to mandates from the state. It was good to hear citizens speak up for their public libraries to keep funding as it was without cuts. This activity showed me the importance of being active participant in our local government meetings to advocate for our rights as libraries and citizens.

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I.d. Students demonstrate leadership skills and innovation in a diverse and global environment

• LIS 6409 Introduction to Library Administration

  • Sensory Story Time for ​Neurodiverse Children - Story times for children is a common program for toddlers and pre-school children. Story times can be busy, loud, and overwhelming for children for neurodiversity. As a place in the community for children to develop early literacy skills, it is essential to include children with disabilities. As a parent of a child with Autism and ADHD, story time was too overwhelming for my son to participate. In this assignment, I wrote a project proposal for the development of a sensory story time for children with neurodiversities. This plan included smaller participation size, to lower volume of videos, lower lighting, and sensory equipment and fidget toys available. 

• LIS 5937 Makerspaces and Making​​​

  • ​Youth Coding Makerspace Event Plan -  Makerspaces are popular within public libraries to allow patrons to be creative. Many libraries miss the pre-teen demographic in their development of makerspace programs. I designed a plan for a Youth Coding Makerspace Event for the pre-teen market ages 11-13. This event would allow youth in this age group to learn skills of coding in an atmosphere for them to also socialize with their peers. The goal of this plan was to develop interest in coding for potential ongoing programs, but also to introduce pre-teens to the library, its services and programs, and to elicit additional programs of intererest.​​