Erin Steinsultz, Crab Orchard Public Library District
Statement of Concern
As the director of a rural library district in the southern area of Illinois, I understand the need for representation of libraries of all sizes and locations within the state. I have been a library director for fifteen years and have worked in libraries for more than twenty years. I have seen a great deal of changes to how we serve our patrons and the demands placed on us to provide an ever growing menu of social services to the public. Many of us need help and guidance on how to serve our public while working within the constraints of very small budgets. The ILA is a great resource for many of us, but can improve its reach and services for the libraries without large budgets or large numbers of personnel.
I look forward to being the voice of rural libraries across the state, to help strengthen our services for families with limited resources, and to be able to unite and support all libraries in Illinois to better serve the patrons. I look forward to an opportunity to hear the voices of those with greater spending abilities and resources.
As I once heard from another librarian, we all do the same things, just on a different scale.
Having members from different parts of Illinois collaborate will bring forth many ideas that can be shared and implemented to make all libraries in Illinois better for our future generation.
I have great respect for the librarians across the state doing the hard work of serving our patrons every day. The work of the ILA to keep us all informed, represented in our legislature, and encouraged, is greatly important.
Experience
Fifteen years as a library director
Crab Orchard Public Library District
Library Director 2015 to present
Benton Public Library District
Library Director 2007 to 2014
Harrisburg District Library
Assistant Library Director 2003 to 2007
Southeastern Illinois College
Circulation Clerk 1995 to 1997, 1999-2000
Education
MISLT, University of Missouri at Columbia, 2012
BS Business Administration & Marketing, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999
AS Accounting, Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg, 1997
Professional Memberships and Activities
Illinois Library Association, Member
Association of Rural and Small Libraries, Member
American Library Association, past member
Illinois Heartland Library System, past board member
Past participant in the PLA Bootcamp, SPLMI (now Director’s University), the Institute for School and Library Employees, and various other development and leadership forums
iREAD Summer Reading Programs
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