2019 Presenters
Amanda McKay
Effingham Public Library
Director
Amanda McKay has worked in the library profession for 15 years. She began her career as a library consultant, working with the regional multitype library systems in Illinois. Her focus was primarily on marketing and helping libraries serve their communities. She worked with the library systems during a time of transition as they moved from nine systems serving the entire state to just two. Amanda worked on projects to help facilitate a smooth transition. In 2011, she was named the director of the Effingham Public Library. She came during a time of transition for that organization as well as they were about to embark on a campaign to raise funds for a new facility. Amanda successfully led the $3.5 million campaign as well as the subsequent construction project. The community now enjoys a modern 27,000 square foot facility, and in less than 10 years, circulation has doubled. Amanda received an MLS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Library and Information Sciences. She also holds an MA and BA from Eastern Illinois University, both in English. Amanda is a member of the American Library Association and the Illinois Library Association, serving on the latter’s board for three years.
Anna Behm
Reaching Across Illinois Library System
E-Content Specialist
Anna Behm has worked in public, special, and academic libraries. She is currently the E-Content Specialist at the Reaching Across Illinois Library System.
Betsy Mahoney
Six Mile Regional Library District
Branch Manager
Betsy Mahoney is the branch manager at the Six Mile Regional Library District. She purchases materials for the mystery and science fiction for the library as well as develops adult programming at the library. Before working in the public library realm, Betsy was the Law Librarian for Madison County. She spearheaded a number of projects to increase access to free legal information to self represented litigants. When not working, Betsy is usually listening to audiobooks while working in the garden.
Bobbi Perryman
Vespasian Warner Public Library District
Executive Director
Bobbi Perryman has worked in libraries for 19 years and has her MLS from the University of Illinois. In addition to serving in various roles in her library, from page to director, Bobbi has served as chair of the SHARE Bibliographic Services Committee and as president of the SHARE Executive Council.
Carol Inskeep
Urbana Free Library
Adult Services Librarian
Carol Inskeep has worked at Urbana Free Library, doing adult, family and teen programming for about 18 years. She has hosted several Drag Queen Story Hour events at the Library and looks forward to talking about why a library might do this program, concerns people might have, and the surprising response to the program at her library
Cheri Schuler-Faust
Illinois Heartland Library System
Cataloger
Cheri has been with the Illinois Heartland Library System since 2008. She serves on the Bibliographic Services Team in the Edwardsville office. Cheri is your first stop for questions with CMC original cataloging of genealogy, local history, local authors, and special collections.
Diana Brawley Sussman
Carbondale Public Library
Director
Diana Brawley Sussman is the Director of the Carbondale Public Library, and co-chair of Nonviolent Carbondale, a coalition that organizes and supports activities that foster nonviolent and compassionate interactions in the community (www.nonviolentcarbondale.org). Diana has served on multiple local committees addressing issues of homelessness and poverty. Her library partners with Southern Illinois University to place MSW social work interns in the library, and in 2018 she assisted with the opening of an overnight winter warming center in Carbondale.
Erica Hanke-Young
Six Mile Regional Library District
Youth Services Manager
Erica Hanke-Young has been the youth services manager for the Six Mile Regional Library District since 2016. She previously served as the the assistant director for the Marion Carnegie library. She is also active with SWAYS(Southwest Area Youth Services) and served as chair during 2018-2019 term.
Jeanne Urbanek
Illinois State Library
Public Library Per Capita/Equalization and Read for a Lifetime
Jeanne Urbanek began at the State Library as a member of the Library Develop Group in June 2007. She is the consultant for the annual Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Grant program. She provides outreach for the Illinois Veteran’s History Project and Read for a Lifetime, the first statewide reading program to target high school students.
Jonathan Hamlit
Drag Queen Story Hour
Co-Founder
Jonathan Hamilt is a co-founder of Drag Queen Story Hour and his drag persona “Ona Louise” was the first storyteller to read in New York City. Jonathan has been featured in BBC Worldwide, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and Cosmopolitan Magazine. He has presented at the ALA, PLA, Children’s Institute, School Library Journal, Hunter College, and the New School. When Jonathan is not organizing and onboarding New DQSH Chapters worldwide, “Ona Louise” hosts drag shows raising money for various charities around New York City.
Joseph Natale
Illinois State Library
Executive Assistant to the Director
Joe Natale is the Executive Assistant to the Director of the Illinois State Library. He focuses on grant writing, and grant management. He serves as the administrative rules coordinator for the State Library, and he is the State Library’s Freedom of Information Act officer. He has a Masters Degree in Library Science and Bachelors Degree in Journalism from Eastern Illinois University.
Karina Almeida
Mississippi Valley Library District
Circulation Supervisor
Karina Almeida is the Circulation Supervisor at the Fairmont City Library Center. Karina started working for the library as a part-time clerk in 2011. She was born in Long Beach, California and moved to Fairmont City at the age of six. Karina has been visiting the libraries ever since she was a kid. She was one of the kids who has seen the Fairmont City Library grow since its founding. In her spare time she usually watches TV shows. Another thing she really enjoys is traveling; she tries to take at least one trip somewhere new each year.
Kevin Walsh
Indian Trails Public Library District
ESL Coordinator
Kevin is the ESL Coordinator at Indian Trails library in Wheeling, northwest of Chicago near O’Hare airport. He started the program 5 years ago and he continues to lead classes, help students use online ESL resources like Rosetta Stone and supervises the volunteer tutor program which enables ESL students to meet one hour, once a week with a native language speaker to improve their English. Since graduating from SImmons College with an MLS in 2002, Kevin has split his time as a librarian and ESL instructor, working at the Boston Public library, Brookline public library, New England School of English, Showa University and most recently as an instructor and librarian at Truman College in Chicago. Kevin got his start teaching English when, fresh out of library school, he went to Siberia and taught English at a prestigious, but little known, university in Tomsk, Siberia.
L. Dietz
Sit Service Dogs
Program Administration
TBA
Larisa Good
Warren County Library District
Director
Larisa Good has been the Director of the Warren County Public Library since 2007 and has her MLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a committee member for Reaching Forward South.
Leander Spearman
Belleville Public Library
Director
Leander Spearman is the Director of the Belleville Public Library, Interim Director of General and Community Assistance for the City of Belleville, and an ILA Board Member. His library offers a creative range of services, including cards for temporary and homeless residents, and assistance with accessing area resources. In 2019 he organized a region-wide simultaneous viewing of The Public in area theaters.
Michael Baumann
Toulon Public Library
Director
Michael Baumann holds a BA in English and Business Administration as well as Master’s degrees in English and Teaching. He taught academic writing courses at Western Illinois University and later Monmouth College. He has been with the Toulon Public Library since 2008 serving as Director since 2011. He oversaw the fundraising and construction of a new 7200 square foot facility. In addition to managing the day to day operations of the library he has served on the Reaching Forward South conference committee since 2010. He is an active participant in the Rural Directors continuing education group.
Pat Burg
Illinois State Library
State Data Coordinator and Delivery
Pat Burg has been at the State Library since 2016. She is the State Data Coordinator and liaison to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the Public Library Survey. She also monitors delivery. Pat previously was the library director at various special libraries, including the Illinois State Museum.
Terry Pierson
Mississippi Valley Library District
Marketing Coordinator
Terry Pierson is the Marketing Coordinator for the Mississippi Valley Library District. He is responsible for all of the programming and marketing in the Collinsville and Fairmont City Library Centers. Since starting with the District in 2012, Terry has advanced from Page to Clerk to Marketing Coordinator. In his spare time Terry is an avid gamer, a passion he was able to unite with work when he helped bring video game collections and programs to the District. Terry received his Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Media Studies from Arizona State University.
Vince Andrzejewski
Illinois Heartland Library System
Cataloger
Vince has had a lifelong career in libraries and performed many duties from preschool story hour to audiovisual selection to his current duties as a cataloger. He serves on the Bibliographic Services Team in the Edwardsville Office.
Ryan A. Franklin
Illinois State Library
Outreach Coordinator
TBA