Office
President, Special Libraries AssociationAbout the Candidate and Platform
Hello! My name is Caitlin and I am pleased to be running for President of the Special Libraries Association.
As president of SLA, I will strive to serve our cohort by developing programs to meet both our collective interests as well as professional goals. I would like to focus on increasing exposure to nontraditional libraries – with an emphasis on diverse programming – and appealing to a wide variety of interests. This could include field trips to Triangle-area libraries, pressure-free networking opportunities with local librarians (with food!), and arranging informational phone/Skype calls with SILS alums who work in interesting, unique, or unusual libraries. I envision SLA as a place for exploration, and I will do everything I can to facilitate the interests of SLA members.
A core mission of the SLA is to promote the interests of information professionals who serve the needs of special populations, and the organization was created to allow librarians in specialized disciplines and non-traditional careers to share advice and network. I myself have followed a non-traditional career path, so I truly take this mission to heart. After graduating with a B.A. in English (Media Studies minor) in 2014 I worked in the technology industry for a global tech consulting company. This was an invaluable experience that allowed me to expand my understanding of how libraries truly play an important role in a variety of industries. For example, I was responsible for maintaining a digital repository of the company’s marketing and communications collateral and assets, which included hundreds of case studies, white papers, brochures, client presentations, infographics, blog posts, and social media, to mention a few! With this foundation, I believe I can help our cohort discover professional opportunities that will maximize the skills we are building here at SILS.
I have held many leadership positions in the past that I believe have prepped me for this role, particularly in the area of outreach and programming. I was selected as a Trustee in my fourth year at the University of Virginia, a 5-year role upon graduation, in which I work with the Alumni Association to develop programming for young alums. I was the Alumnae Relations Chair for Alpha Phi, a site leader for Alternative Spring Break, an Educator for Honor, and a Marketing and Communications Intern at Monticello in Charlottesville, VA. Following graduation, I volunteered as a Citizen Archivist at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
I look forward to making SLA a fun, productive place for SILS!