WebJunction

Hi, I'm Karen Egan from Springfield, Illinois.

It doesn’t seem possible, but I’ve been at the Illinois State Library for nearly 16 years. I started as the Youth Services Consultant, but about 5 years ago, my duties shifted to grants. I coordinate the LSTA grant program, teach grant writing skills and administer the Opportunity Online grants program provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to public libraries in Illinois. IL is in round 3 and by the time we meet, we will have issued all of the phase 1 checks. YEA! I also help coordinate numerous educational opportunities including an annual week-long, summer "library camp".

I’m co-chair of the Illinois Library Association’s 2010 Conference that will be held in late September at Navy Pier in Chicago. I’m always twisting arms for volunteers, speakers, grant reviewers, and ‘turn about is fair play’ so when I was asked, I couldn’t say no.

On a personal note, I am a new Grandma! Gunnar will be 4 months old when we meet in Portland, and he’s adorable. I’ll bring pictures. :-)

My 89 yr old father-in-law recently moved in with us, and we are spending most weekends getting his house ready to sell. Besides the cleaning and trips to Goodwill, it’s like a treasure hunt, because as we unearth boxes and pictures that haven’t been seen in decades; he shares stories of growing up and about family. We found boxes and boxes of rug and quilt making supplies in the attic and now I’m itching to learn how to quilt.

I’m an Illinoisan born and raised. I enjoy hiking and water sports like fishing and boating. Morel mushroom season is right around the corner! I prefer to read fiction and appreciate anything with a good, suspenseful plot. I'm open to all suggestions of good books to read, so if you read a good book on the plane, please let me know!

I look forward to seeing everyone in Portland!

BTW - Springfield is home to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum. If you haven't visited yet, it's pretty amazing.

Yes, a great introduction, Karen! I can't wait to hear more about "library camp!" I recently led my daughter's girls scout troop on a field trip to the downtown Seattle library and it gave me all sorts of ideas about how we really should start recruiting for the profession when kids are in elementary school! And I know many adults who would sign up for library camp!

I've been working with the WebJunction community for the past 4 1/2 years and with library folks from around the country on the Spanish Language Outreach and Rural Library Sustainability projects. I love to be a part of all the collaboration that goes on at WebJunction, both on the site and in our online events, including the recent online conference and our webinar series.

I look forward to our time together and to the outcomes of our collaboration. In these challenging times, libraries around the country will surely benefit from the knowledge you share and the partnerships you foster as a part of the project!

On a personal note, I share the pleasure of parenting, along with my husband (a postal historian and math tutor), 2 outstanding children (9 and 11) who love reading and thrift stores as much as I do!

See you soon in Portland!

Hello! I’m Raye Oldham and I’m part of the Project Compass Team from the State Library of North Carolina. I became the Continuing Education Consultant in 2003 and my role in this position has truly evolved due to technology and budget influences. One thing that has remained constant is that each year I enjoy many opportunities to meet new people and work on exciting projects – just like this one!

I grew up in MI then moved to AZ, MS, CA and AK before moving to NC in 1996. I am a wife, mother of three adult children, and a recent (and joyful) empty nester. Did I mention joyful?!

Authors I’m fond of are Jan Karon, Debbie Macomber, and Nicholas Sparks. I usually prefer feel good stories (I think that’s a real genre) and historical fiction; but I’m in two book clubs to push me into reading authors and genres I probably wouldn’t choose for myself.

I look forward to seeing/meeting each of you,
Raye.

Shelley and Laura,

I can see that you will both have a lot to share and, I hope, plenty to take away as well. The subject of economic gardening came up at the Atlanta summit. I look forward to hearing more about it.

.....Betha