Chrissie McGovern

I’ve worked in libraries for over 25 years, starting as a page at the East Brunswick Public Library in 1998. I have extensive experience with community outreach, staff development, local partnerships, collection development, strategic planning, county library systems and programming.  I believe if you like 80% of what you do on a daily basis, it makes that other 20% much easier. 

Until 2015, I was a Youth Services Librarian in a few different LMXAC libraries in New Jersey. I was heavily involved with summer reading in New Jersey libraries for many years, chairing the NJLA Summer Reading Committee for several years which included presenting workshops for library staff throughout the state, as well as working with authors and illustrators to provide conference programs on behalf of the committee.  I also presented on various topics at NJLA conferences and the Youth Services Forum.

In 2015, I began to serve on the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s (CSLP) Board of Directors, serving as President from 2018-2019. During my involvement, I worked with illustrators to provide summer reading artwork and was instrumental in the organization establishing itself as a sole vendor.  

I relocated to North Carolina in 2015 and became the Manager of a small branch in a walking community in the Charlotte suburbs where I fell in love with working in rural libraries. I was focused on bringing the library into the community and beyond the building's four walls through unique outreach opportunities as well as developing partnerships with other county departments and local businesses to further the reach of literacy. After a short stint at the South Carolina State Library (my passion is to work on the front line), I came back to the Northeast in 2021 and am now the Branch Manager of the Warren County Library’s Southwest Branch where I currently focus on outreach and mentoring staff.

For more detailed information, check out my professional portfolio:https://sites.google.com/view/chrissiemcgovern/home