Panel Discussion: Moves and Transitions: Fulfilling Career Pathways

Join us for a panel discussion and Q&A featuring current and former library staff who will share where their careers have taken them and the steps they took to get there. In addition to providing a look at the work they do in their current roles, panelists will discuss their career paths so far, share their best tips and advice with attendees, and provide a peek at the tools, connections, and actions that have helped along their journey. Registrants will have an opportunity to submit questions in advance of the panel, and Q&A will be available during the live session.

Panelists include:

Deadra ( Dee ) Brown is currently one of the Research and Instruction Librarians for Haverford College in Haverford, PA. She holds an MLIS from Drexel University and received her bachelors’ degree from Georgian Court University. It was at this Catholic University that Dee reaffirmed her foundational values that would follow her throughout her library career: Justice, Integrity, Respect, Compassion, and Service. After spending many years serving the community as a public librarian, she went back to her first love of academic libraries hoping to inspire and serve a new community. At Haverford, along with Research and Instruction roles, she is the Student Liaison Coordinator. It is in this role she mentors student workers and helps navigate them through the world of academic research and customer service. Deadra believes that libraries are the heart of any community and the role of the librarian is pivotal in making that community grow. One of the things she tells her students is, “Be authentic–We have to mindfully make the choice to serve in a way that is authentic to ourselves, that is the only way we can spark passion and love what we do.”

Lynn Hoffman has worn a wide variety of hats throughout her public library career, but has found her niche in administration, with over a decade of experience in organizational development, project management, and implementing big ideas through hands-on service. Lynn is currently Director of Operations at the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, and she presents frequently on leadership development and organizational culture topics for regional, state, and national learning events.

Chelsea Woods-Turner has held many library roles: teen volunteer, intern, associate, and librarian. She started her career in 2008 in law libraries and school libraries, going on to earn her MLIS from Rutgers University in 2013. She has worked for both the Paterson Free Public Library as an Adult Services Librarian and the New Brunswick Free Public Library as a Tween Librarian. She is also a sewist, writer, musician, and dog mom. You can view her work at www.cjwoodscreates.com.

Moderated by: 

Jessica Trujillo
Head of Youth and Teen Services at Montclair Public Library
1st Vice-President/President-Elect of NJLA (2021-2022)

This series is co-sponsored by:
New Jersey Library Association (NJLA)
LibraryLinkNJ
MentorNJ