MLIS 2018
Outreach Services Librarian​
St. Helena Public Library​
St. Helena, CA USA

What I am doing now.

I am the Outreach Services Librarian for the St. Helena Public Library. I am the liaison between the library and the community. My job includes collection development, programming, reference and reading advisory within and outside of the library. I maintain our website, conduct tours, create relationships between community organizations and the library. I run adult programming and create publicity materials. After seeing the need I started a Breakfast the Library program for students during the summer. The response was overwhelming and we are preparing for our second summer of Breakfast at the Library. My job is the best of both worlds, I get to be strategic and creative.

What are the most valuable skills I use in my job?

The leadership skills I gained from the iSchool are invaluable. Whether it’s talking to a board member, city council or a potential donor I feel prepared and confident, especially in part because of all the presentations I did at the iSchool. I never thought I would feel comfortable doing public speaking, but after hours of addressing entire classes and professors, it’s now a breeze! Collaborating with my fellow students and faculty while at school prepared me for everyday aspects of my job, especially communication. I worked in libraries while going to school so it was incredibly fulfilling to learn about something in school and then be able to apply it to my job. I enjoyed being able to see the whole picture of librarianship, from theory to method to practice.

Contact Permission

It is OK to contact this alumni.

Send email to: Mariah McGuire