PuLL Fellows Cohort 1 (2014-2015)

My love for libraries began at an early age and ever since I have strived to build skills and develop relationships that will help me further my passion. Experiences as a library patron, library student, and library employee have all been key in generating understanding and a drive to ensure that any library environment I am a part of operates at the best of its abilities. Being a PuLL fellow will allow me to continue to develop these skills, ideals, and more as I prepare to start a career in library leadership.

I consider it rewarding to have fifteen years of experience working in several departments for the Kansas City Public Library. However, the most valuable opportunity this organization has provided for me is the time I spent helping to shape library services for young adult patrons.

Kathryn Brockmeier is a Research Analyst at the Nebraska Library Commission, where she manages an IMLS 21st Century Librarian grant which provides scholarships to library science students and internship grants to public libraries. Her academic and professional interests include survey research, strategic planning, evaluation, diversity in the workplace, and grant writing.

Libraries are the incubation space for innovation and collaboration for new ideas and technologies; they improve the lives of individuals in the community through engaged learning and literacy efforts. In this endeavor, libraries face many challenges to adapt to rapid technology growth and distribution channels for access to information and ideas, as well as constantly changing communities and audiences —having to do more with smaller budgets and less staff time. One avenue to inspire this lasting, positive change is through intentional, data-driven, and collaborative efforts.

Jill Frasher practically grew up in her public library, always having a passion for reading and books. She is now turning that passion into her career and hopes to instill a love of books and knowledge into her community. Jill is currently honing some of her library skills as a library assistant in the circulation department at Daniel Boone Regional Library. Her academic and professional interests include youth services, literacy skills and development, and bringing diversity into the library. Jill will graduate in May 2015.

I want to provide a fulfilling library experience, much like the one I grew up with, by planning and developing my ideas, and the ideas of library staff, to help libraries evolve to continue to support the people it serves. I want to instill the same passion I have and to make the library the heart of the community. As a PuLL fellow, I will gain the skills to be a library leader in order to support the library in creating a positive environment, in and out of the institution.

Claire Presley Marks graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Anthropology and minors in English and Medieval & Renaissance Studies. Although the majority of her work experience involves archives – most recently with the statewide WWI digitization project Over There: Missouri and the Great War – she is very excited to venture into the world of public librarianship. She will graduate with an MLS in May 2015.

In the last nine years I have worked for the St. Charles City-County Library District in a variety of positions, mostly recently as a Children’s Reference Paraprofessional where I answer questions at the Information Desk as well as plan and perform weekly preschool storytimes. I am excited to begin coursework as a PuLL fellow and expect to gain invaluable experience in terms of determining community needs and how the library can meet those needs as well as building mutually beneficial partnerships within the community. In participating in this program I hope to better myself as an advocate for the public and to then take what I have learned and apply it to real-life situations successfully.