2018 YSS Ballot Candidates: YSS Secretary

Check out who is running for YSS Secretary!

Julie Kinney

Julie Kinney

Candidate for YSS Secretary

Tell us a little about what you do at your library.

I am currently wearing two hats; I’m officially the Adult Services Librarian, but I still have a hand in planning teen programming, creating book lists and displays for teens and generally keeping the collection. 

Why do you want to be more involved in YSS?

Overall, I’ve enjoyed my time working with YSS—I feel like I have a much better understanding of what happens behind the scenes at the local and state level.  I’ve also made some great contacts and met people who share my interest in teen books and teens in general.

Do you have a favorite library memory - either as a librarian or before?

I’ve been a library visitor forever.  I’m lucky enough to currently be working at my childhood library—which has undergone some serious changes, but still smells like my library. Libraries were my refuge through the latter half of high school, when being at home was difficult and became the place where I went to hide when I started school at UW-Madison. I’m a book lover and a reader, so I knew libraries were for me, it just took me a while to get here.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I’m a knitter and a reader.  I just moved in with my boyfriend, so there is considerably less time to do either, but we’ve played video games together, which has been interesting.  I’m also the cat mom to two kitties.

In honor of this year's WLA YSS luncheon speaker, Chris Grabenstein and his book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, what is your favorite board game?

My boyfriend and I just played “Life” recently, but hands down my favorites are “Battleship” and “Stratego.”

Susie Menk

Susie Menk

Candidate for YSS Secretary

Tell us a little about what you do at your library.

My job includes programming, collection development, and I am currently working on putting together book kits for schools, creating STEM kits that include tech toys like Bloxels, Ozobots, Snapinos etc.   I am working on developing App recommendations for parents and I do outreach to schools as often as I can.

Why do you want to be more involved in YSS?

I have been involved in YSS before and feel it is a worthwhile group.  It is such a great group for sharing ideas and creating resources for other librarians.  I have met youth librarians from all across the state by being involved in this group.

Do you have a favorite library memory - either as a librarian or before?

This summer is turning out to be a memory maker.  We are giving away free books again as we have done in the past, but we had a little girl jump up and down in excitement when we told her she got to pick a book and keep it for her very own! J

What do you like to do in your free time?

I work in my yard, take long walks, visit family and I like to do card stamping.

In honor of this year's WLA YSS luncheon speaker, Chris Grabenstein and his book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, what is your favorite board game?

We had a game night with our Youth staff a few months back.  We tried the game Snake Oil.  It was FABULOUS!  We still have jokes going around from that game night!

2018 YSS Ballot Candidates: Chair Elect

Check out who is running for YSS Chair Elect!

Julia Lee

Julia Lee

Candidate for YSS Chair Elect

Tell us a little about what you do at your library.

I’m the Youth Services Manager at Manitowoc Public Library. That basically means I get to work with a bunch of awesome people to coordinate, plan, promote, and provide services & programming for birth-age 18.

Why do you want to be more involved in YSS?

I love what I do and I want to be better at it! Being involved in YSS will help me learn and grow as a librarian as I meet new people and gain fresh perspectives and new ideas!

Do you have a favorite library memory - either as a librarian or before?

My favorite memory was the day I first felt like a true rock star. I was going to a story time at one of the local schools with my ukulele strapped to my back. Kids saw me walking down the hall with my books and uke and started shouting to each other, “DID YOU SEE? IT’S HER! MISS JULIA IS HERE!” I have never felt cooler.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Hike, Bike, Yoga, Go on Adventures, Play Board Games, Garden, Write, Cook, and READ, of course!

In honor of this year's WLA YSS luncheon speaker, Chris Grabenstein and his book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, what is your favorite board game?

Settlers of Catan

Katherine Schoofs

Katherine Schoofs

Candidate for YSS Chair Elect

Tell us a little about what you do at your library.

I'm the Youth Services Librarian/Assistant Director at Aram Public Library.  I plan and implement programs year-round, provide outreach to the schools, update and maintain the Youth and Teen collections, operate the library's Facebook page, provide customer service, patron support, and reader's advisory, and don the Director's hat when our fearless leader is unavailable.

Why do you want to be more involved in YSS?

How do I love thee, YSS?  Let me count the ways...  YSS is the bee's knees!  The cat's pajamas!  In all seriousness, I have been consistently impressed and inspired by YSS since I first joined WLA, both in terms of the innovation and idea-sharing and the community of like-minded, passionate, welcoming, and, let's be frank, kick butt youth services professionals from all around our lovely state.

I am so excited for the opportunity to advocate, innovate, and support all aspects of Youth Services--for both our patrons and our fellow librarians--with such an enthusiastic and energetic group of library superstars.  The work we do is so important.  Let's work together to explore, create, discover, and invigorate!  I'd be honored to be selected for the position of Chair-Elect and thank you for your consideration. 

Do you have a favorite library memory - either as a librarian or before?

Picking favorites is so hard!  OK, here goes...  One of my favorite memories as a librarian was the first time one of my patrons sent a picture of her daughter pretending to be "Ms. Katherine"...she was checking out materials ("booping the books" as she called it) and holding story times for her stuffed animals. <3 

Another favorite--and funny--moment was when I worked in a school library for a short time and a little girl came up behind my desk and said--completely straight-faced--"PATRON!  That's what my daddy drinks!"  I complimented her letter recognition and provided the definition of "patron," explaining that--while spelled the same--they were two different things.

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time, you can often find me spending time with my family, reading and creating stories with my daughter, participating in impromptu song and dance parties, singing karaoke, hanging out with friends, rocking out the thrift store, and incorporating shenanigans and pop culture references into everyday situations.

In honor of this year's WLA YSS luncheon speaker, Chris Grabenstein and his book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, what is your favorite board game?

My favorite board games are Scrabble, Boggle, Scattergories, Clue...  I dig anything word, trivia, or mystery-related.

2018 YSS Ballot Candidates: Directors at Large

Check out who is running for YSS Directors at Large!

Ann Hamland

Anne Hamland

Candidate for YSS Director-at-Large

Tell us a little about what you do at your library.

As the Public Library Services Consultant, I provide consulting in Children's, Teen, and Adult services, coordinate digital resources and the digital library, and assist member libraries with websites.

Why do you want to be more involved in YSS?

I want to be more involved as YSS members are active, passionate, and driven. YSS members work together to accomplish great work, provide excellent resources, and support youth services librarians across the state and nation. I have benefitted from YSS resources, been thankful for support, and attended every YSS event I could get my hands on. I want to give back and contribute to this wonderful section and profession.

Do you have a favorite library memory - either as a librarian or before?

This may not sound like a favorite memory, but it is! In elementary I broke my arm riding an antique bike with one brake to the library, but that didn't stop me! I packed a lunch and road my bike to the library every day each summer.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I spend my free time chasing my kiddo around and finding fun things to do outside. Wisconsin is a great place to live!

In honor of this year's WLA YSS luncheon speaker, Chris Grabenstein and his book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, what is your favorite board game?

Parcheesi of course! It's the grown-up version of Sorry! and the only game I can beat my husband and father in.

Emily Zorea

Emily Zorea

Candidate for YSS Director-at-Large

Tell us a little about what you do at your library.

That would be everything related to kids, families, and books... and I love the variety and spontaneity. Between answering the phone, shelving returned materials, adding items to my cart for next month’s book order, planning STEM/Storytime/Family Events/Lego Club/Book Club/School visit programs, talking with kids and teens that need someone to listen as I also staff the circulation desk, I also have taken the time to build in moments of reflection into my day. What worked well? How can I keep making the best…better?

Why do you want to be more involved in YSS?

Every time I attend a YSS meeting or event I am blown away by the passion of the youth services librarians that I am proud to call colleagues. They have made a profound difference in my librarianship as I take the ideas they share and run with them at my library. As a new-er member, I want to especially represent the voice of young librarians and encourage them to be active and share their voices and experiences. 

Do you have a favorite library memory - either as a librarian or before?

A new mom comes to the library every week to check out a backpack filled with board books which she then reads to her infant son. After a month of visits, her son began to cry when his mom tried to return the library books to the book drop! He really loved them and did not want his mom to bring them back! So, now she knows that she can’t return all the library books at once, and has to keep a few books back for him to hold on the drive home. Early literacy in action!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to listen to audio books as I walk to the library and just finished "Legend" by Marie Lu. I also really enjoy experimenting with new recipes, especially for my slow cooker. And, in the evening, I usually am editing photos or watching TV re-runs of Psych; Murder, She Wrote; or Good Eats with Alton Brown with my husband and two sons.

In honor of this year's WLA YSS luncheon speaker, Chris Grabenstein and his book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, what is your favorite board game?

Risk! My older brother was obsessed with that game and being competitive, I always tried to beat him. It rarely happened, but now that I have sons of my own, we play together and I hold my own in the game for world domination!

Sara Christopherson

Sara Christopherson

Candidate for YSS Director-at-Large

Tell us a little about what you do at your library.

I have been the Youth Services Assistant at the Grantsburg Public Library since April 2018.  This is a new position at Grantsburg Public Library - previously the youth services tasks were shared among the staff.  As with most YS staff, I facilitate story time and Summer Reading performers, perform readers advisory, help patrons with all types of requests, check out books...Specific to this position, I am a member of a committee formed to rejuvenate the children's area at the library.   I have been advocating for a space and materials for teens - including but not limited to applying for and receiving a YALSA Top Teen Teen Books Award for the library.

Why do you want to be more involved in YSS?

I would like to be more involved in YSS because I am passionate about small rural libraries having a voice in larger conversations.  Libraries of all sizes do amazing things - it is important for libraries of different sizes to learn from each other.

Do you have a favorite library memory - either as a librarian or before?

My favorite library memory is probably one from my childhood - the library I am currently employed with.  Due to distance and time, I was not allowed to visit the library much as a child but I remember finding books in the children's area - it was like an alcove or four season porch area with windows on all three sides, librarian knowing me by name and checking out my books with old fashioned library cards.

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time, I like to read thrillers and YA books, knit, spend time with my family, and travel.

In honor of this year's WLA YSS luncheon speaker, Chris Grabenstein and his book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library, what is your favorite board game?

My favorite board game is The Game of Life.