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Current Reference Work
Nova Southeastern University's joint-use library public and academic patrons in South Florida comprise an extremely diverse user group. Approaching each interaction as unique and using solid reference interview skills are my keys to consistent reference service success. Bibliographic instruction to undergraduate, graduate, and public users in a variety of formats is also a rewarding challenge of my position. In addition to these main duties, I serve users by creating Web pages, creating subject guides, creating handouts to simplify common procedures, and collecting materials in social science, international relations, statistics, and geography. Ongoing professional development in many forms, including SEFLIN workshops, Broward County Library reference gatherings, and state and national association opportunities, is also one of my core activities. September will be my three-year anniversary with NSU.

I also work part-time as a reference librarian for a small, liberal arts university called St. Thomas University in North Miami. I provide reference and instruction to undergraduate and graduate students.

Previous Library Work
A six-month librarian internship for the United Nations in Nairobi, Kenya preceded my work at NSU. Two of my major projects included assisting with a compendium of publications for a UN Habitat conference in Tokyo and instructing the local librarians at the UN offices in Nairobi in the use of databases.

While earning my MLIS at San Jose State University part-time, I gained library paraprofessional experience working full-time for almost 3 years in technical services at a community college in California. My major responsibility was overseeing the ordering process from beginning to end including ordering materials from vendors, copy cataloging, and processing the item to be shelf-ready. This technical services and acquisitions background has proved immensely helpful in my reference work.

Committees and Professional Associations
Working on committees in my library and in outside organizations is a professional priority of mine. I volunteer for library-wide committees, such as the upcoming faculty reception, and those in my reference department, such as developing a reference collection policy. I am a member of ALA, FLA, and ACRL. Currently, I am becoming active and will start work on two committees for 2005-2007; interning for the International Relations Committee and member of the International Relations Round Table International Exchanges Committee. I am also serving as the Assistant Web Editor for the IRRT.

Working with my supervisor and a San Jose State University librarian, I hosted a round table application about reference work in joint-use libraries at ACRL 2005. Collaborating with four other Florida librarians from the Sunshine State Leadership Institute, I participated in a poster session for FLA 2005 about generational diversity in libraries. At the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago 2005, I presented how to become an international librarian for the IRRT Chair's Program. At the upcoming ALA conference in New Orleans 2006, I and other IRRT colleagues will present a poster session.

Public Programming
Collaborating with the young adult librarian of Public Library Services in my library, we applied for and received a We the People "Freedom" Bookshelf grant from the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2005. We presented four programs and three reading incentives. My favorite program was a panel of professors and teens that I put together to discuss the contemporary implications of George Orwell's work 1984.

Collaborating with the adult programming librarian of Public Library Services in my library, we applied for and received a joint ALA/NEH/Library of America program grant in 2004. I worked with community members to create a photographic exhibit for Assimilating America: The Life and Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer.

I have also represented the library at booths for various conferences, on and off campus.

Writing
Writing is key to becoming a leader in our profession. In addition to contributing to my MLIS alumni publication, I have published two articles in online journals in 2004, “International Librarianship: Getting There From Here” in LIScareer.com and “Sensibilities and Sense: Communicating Professionally Online” in Info Career Trends, LISjobs.com's newsletter. An article of mine on international librarianship appeared in the ALA-IRRT newsletter in 2004. In 2005, I contributed to the Florida Library Association journal, Florida Libraries. One of my articles was included in the Whole Library Handbook 4 edited by George Eberhart in 2006. Developing my writing and contributing to the research in my field are skills I am cultivating and, hopefully, will naturally evolve.