{"id":8250,"date":"2014-03-17T00:01:39","date_gmt":"2014-03-17T04:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=8250"},"modified":"2014-03-16T00:23:39","modified_gmt":"2014-03-16T04:23:39","slug":"tim-wadham-2014-15-alsc-vice-presidentpresident-elect-candidate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/tim-wadham-2014-15-alsc-vice-presidentpresident-elect-candidate\/","title":{"rendered":"Tim Wadham: 2014-15 ALSC Vice President\/President Elect Candidate"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an effort to help ALSC members make an informed decision before they vote, the blog posts today consist of interviews with the candidates for 2014-15 ALSC Vice President\/President-Elect: Tim Wadham and Andrew Medlar.<\/span><\/span> Each candidate was given ten questions and submitted written answers.<\/p>\n

This morning\u2019s interview is with Tim Wadham:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What do you consider the most important role of the ALSC President?<\/b><\/p>\n

\"Headshot(3)\"<\/a>
Photo supplied by Tim Wadham<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the most important aspects of the ALSC\u2019s President\u2019s role is to be the face of the organization to the general public.\u00a0 Certainly, the ALSC President shapes the makeup of committees through their appointments, but more important than that is being able to be articulate as they act in the role of spokesperson.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What skills & strengths would you bring to the office?<\/b><\/p>\n

As a library director, one of my primary responsibilities is to be the face of the library in the community and to build community support in order to advocate for the library with elected officials.\u00a0 This is a strength I would bring as I filled a similar role for ALSC.\u00a0\u00a0 The office also requires someone who is an advocate.\u00a0 I would bring to the office the fact that, for me, children\u2019s librarianship has not been just a profession but rather a life long passion.\u00a0 I think I first knew I wanted to be a children\u2019s librarian when I was still a kid participating in summer reading club in my local public library.\u00a0 I would call the ALA press office at Midwinter to find out which books had won the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, then I would bike the dozen or so blocks to the library so I could be the first to tell my librarians of the winners (this was in the days before internet and the webcast).<\/p>\n

Professionally, I started out as a children\u2019s librarian and have always sought positions that would allow me to keep my hand and heart active in children\u2019s services.\u00a0 I would bring the political skills that I have developed as a library administrator, working with library boards and challenging city councils.\u00a0 One of my strengths is leading effective meetings (know when to stop and make sure that meetings result in actionable assignments and that real decision-making occurs).\u00a0 Through my experience as a deputy director and library director I have learned the skills necessary to get consensus within diverse, challenging groups.<\/p>\n

Beyond these skills and strengths, I would bring to the office a passion and enthusiasm for the work of ALSC.\u00a0 I was once asked if I could describe myself in two words, and I asked if one of the words could be hyphenated.\u00a0 Receiving a positive response, I replied: \u201cEnthusiastic book-missionary.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What area of library service to children is your favorite?<\/b><\/p>\n

I suppose that my favorite area of library service to children has to be the programming aspect.\u00a0 One of the appeals of being a children\u2019s librarian is the opportunity it affords to indulge all your artistic impulses.\u00a0 You can be an actor, a producer, a musician, a puppeteer, a storyteller and an artist.\u00a0 I love doing storytimes.\u00a0 Creating voices for the characters in picture books reminds me of the fun I had in high school doing humorous interpretations of selections from plays.\u00a0 I enjoy producing and presenting puppet shows\u2013including finding the right book, writing an adaptation, finding the background music, along with all of the other challenges such as building a puppet stage and finding the funding for custom puppets.\u00a0 And I love doing author programs and introducing kids to their favorite authors.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Why should someone choose to join ALSC? What services do you feel ALSC provides that are valuable to new members? To long-term members?<\/b><\/p>\n

Membership in ALSC is incredibly rewarding.\u00a0 ALSC provides the opportunity for like-minded children\u2019s services librarians to share ideas, and most importantly become friends.\u00a0 I was able to attend my first ALA annual conference due to ALSC and the Penguin Young Readers Group Award which helped cover my expenses to travel to New Orleans.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t hurt that Penguin was the winning publisher of the Caldecott winner that year (Owl Moon<\/i>), and that my first conference was also my first opportunity to attend the Newbery\/Caldecott banquet.\u00a0 Over my 27 years as an ALSC member, I have made wonderful friends who I look forward to seeing twice a year at conference.\u00a0 In that regard, ALSC is better than both Facebook and LinkedIn.\u00a0 It provides a network of both colleagues and friends who you can know face to face and on whom you can call for assistance or advice.\u00a0 It has also provided me, as a long-term member, an opportunity to give back by mentoring new librarians coming into the profession.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What are your ideas for reaching and involving members? What are your ideas to recruit new members?<\/b><\/p>\n

Long years of doing outreach have convinced me that the best way of reaching and involving anyone in an organization or institution is to go where the people are rather than waiting for them to come to you.\u00a0 That may not be practical on a national scale, but I would certainly consider ways of reaching and involving members by finding them where they hang out virtually, rather than expecting them to come to the ALSC listserv or other official methods of communication.\u00a0 Reaching out to them first may bring them to tools such as ALA Connect.\u00a0 This outreach can also be a focus for recruitment efforts.\u00a0 Perhaps there needs to be a way for ALSC to have ambassadors at state library conferences who can do recruiting\u2013passionate members who know the value of being involved professionally.<\/p>\n

The emergence of virtual committees has gone better than I ever anticipated when I was on the ALSC board working on the idea.\u00a0 With the right chair, a virtual committee can be the perfect way to involve more members and to make them feel more a part of the association.\u00a0 Recruitment of new members has to emphasize that there are more opportunities than ever to be a fully participating member of ALSC.\u00a0 Our ALSC ambassadors can promote how important professional involvement is for career advancement.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How has ALSC membership impacted your life?\u00a0 How has your membership in ALSC impacted library service to children?<\/b><\/p>\n

ALSC membership allowed me to fulfill a dream I have had since I was a child, which was to be on the Newbery committee.\u00a0 That alone was a huge accomplishment for a kid who was first challenged to read all the Newbery Medal winners by his middle-school librarian.\u00a0 The level of discussion on the Newbery committee forever changed the way I think about and evaluate books and share books with kids.\u00a0 ALSC membership gave me the motivation to apply for and host two May Hill Arbuthnot lectures: Lois Lowry at the St. Louis County Library, and Ursula K. LeGuin at the Maricopa County Library in partnership with the Arizona State Library.<\/p>\n

My many committee assignments have impacted my library service to children in ways as simple as providing me with information on titles, such as my service on the Notable Videos and Carnegie Medal committees, which gave me invaluable help with video collection development and exposed me to wonderful films I might not have known about otherwise.\u00a0 Many librarians value the \u201cstamp of approval\u201d\u009d that comes with the notable lists and other award lists and rely heavily on titles recommended by ALSC committees in their collection development.\u00a0\u00a0 Beyond that, my experiences as a participating member of ALSC have given me tools to be a better librarian.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Changes in the economy and advances in technology are dramatically impacting libraries. What are your thoughts on how ALSC can best continue to be a positive force for librarians, for libraries, and for children?<\/b><\/p>\n

My experience as an adjunct professor for the University of Arizona teaching children\u2019s literature and youth services in public libraries taught me that what new professionals most want is practical education about what they can expect in the field.\u00a0 They don\u2019t want abstract theory.\u00a0 ALSC can be most effective by providing practical information to children\u2019s librarians on the front lines.\u00a0 When I began my first job in the Dallas Public Library system, I was never given a mentor to demonstrate best practices for storytimes, and I had to learn what worked on my own.\u00a0 The best way ALSC can continue to be a positive force is to find ways to disseminate practical information to practicing professionals.\u00a0 We can be creative in the ways and locations we put out this information, and equally inventive in prioritizing the kinds of information that can come from ALSC.\u00a0 As an example, the association can disseminate information on best practices for using technology in the day to day work of children\u2019s librarians.\u00a0 My staff are experimenting with creative new ways of using tablets for storytimes and finding that this technology allows us to think of storytimes in a way we never had previously.\u00a0 We are able to project books that formerly we couldn\u2019t share with a large group because of their size.\u00a0 We can show films, or even use book apps in storytime.\u00a0 These are the kinds of things that should be shared as widely as possible.\u00a0 Focusing on this will result in librarians with more tools in their tool belt, able to advocate articulately for their libraries, and ultimately enriching the lives of children who come in to their libraries.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What strengths would you bring to help ALSC attain the goals of the ALSC Strategic Plan?<\/b><\/p>\n

I was part of the 2010 meeting that resulted in the strategic plan and I strongly support the three strategic goals that resulted from the process.\u00a0 1) Advocacy.\u00a0 Being an advocate is one of my strengths.\u00a0 I love libraries and I believe in children\u2019s books.\u00a0 I am happy to tell anyone at any time why they should read out loud to their child and why libraries are important and not pass\u00e9.\u00a0 Advocacy begins with the education, training, and mentoring of new librarians coming into the profession.\u00a0 2) Education.\u00a0 ALSC plays an important role in the ongoing education of professionals who serve children in libraries.\u00a0 ALSC can expand that role and find new ways to accomplish it.\u00a0 As someone who has taught children\u2019s services to prospective professionals, I have a clear vision of what effective teaching can accomplish.\u00a0 3) Access to Library Services.\u00a0 I have always believed that libraries are the great equalizer.\u00a0 I can bring my experience expanding library and book access for children speaking languages other than English.\u00a0 Parents from cultures where there is not a strong tradition of public library service need to feel that they\u2019ve been given permission to come into the public library along with their children.<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is your motivation in running for this position?<\/b><\/p>\n

I have been inspired watching many past presidents serve with class and with grace and I\u2019ve seen the impacts that they were able to make in their presidential years.\u00a0 My three years of service on the ALSC board gave me insight into how the board works, and taught me how I can be an effective president.\u00a0 Being asked to run for ALSC President has given me the opportunity for some introspection as to the issues that I truly and deeply care about.\u00a0 I am motivated by the opportunity that being ALSC President would give to focus on these priorities: 1) Building a better relationship between ALSC and our sister youth divisions.\u00a0 2) Advocating for the rich legacy of books that should be part of every child\u2019s life, to keep them from being slowly weeded from our collective memory, and encouraging children to appreciate the value of fiction in their lives.\u00a0 3) Library service to Spanish-speaking children has been a strong professional interest of mine, and I want to advocate for the provision of multi-cultural literature (and library service) to all children and families that equitably bridges the barriers of culture and language.\u00a0 4) I am concerned that we may be neglecting our middle graders and I believe that we can build on the success of our early literacy efforts to provide literature-based programs for 8-11 year-olds.\u00a0 Finally, I am motivated by the opportunity of a national platform to speak out about the power that books and stories have in the lives of young people to whoever will listen.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What else would you like the voting ALSC membership to know about you before they vote?<\/b><\/p>\n

My ultimate goal when providing any library service is always to make a difference and to change the lives of those served in some small way.\u00a0 Following are two of the many experiences that I feel have achieved this goal:<\/p>\n

In partnership with Childsplay Children\u2019s Theater, I commissioned and participated in the writing and development of a play based on the children\u2019s book Tom\u00ed\u00a1s and the Library Lady<\/i>, which was performed for over 70,000 children within the Maricopa County Library District.\u00a0 Since that time, the play has been performed before countless other children on national tour and in productions by children\u2019s theater companies across the country\u2013including a performance in Hampton, Iowa, where the original story actually took place.\u00a0 To this day I feel that this has been one of the most important things I have done in my career in terms of the number of children impacted by it and the way it impacted them.\u00a0 This was encapsulated by the simple response of one child after seeing the show: \u201cI speak Spanish, just like Tom\u00ed\u00a1s!\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n

I commissioned Bill Harley, James Deem and Wendelin Van Draanen to write original novels for which I developed interactive websites, creating the concept of the \u201conline novel.\u201d\u009d\u00a0 New chapters were put up on the web on a regular basis, and the websites included curriculum connections for teachers using the novel in their classrooms.\u00a0 This project won the John Cotton Dana Public Relations Award, the NAACO (National Association of County Organizations) Best of Category Award, and Highsmith Award for Library Innovation.\u00a0 Two of the novels were later published for the trade market, after appearing first exclusively on our library website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In an effort to help ALSC members make an informed decision before they vote, the blog posts today consist of interviews with the candidates for 2014-15 ALSC Vice President\/President-Elect: Tim Wadham and Andrew Medlar. Each candidate was given ten questions and submitted written answers. This morning\u2019s interview is with Tim Wadham: 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What do you consider the most important role of the ALSC President? One of the most important aspects of the ALSC\u2019s President\u2019s role is to be the face of the organization to the general public.\u00a0 Certainly, the ALSC President shapes the makeup of committees through their appointments, but more important than that is being able to be articulate as they act in the role of spokesperson. 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What skills & strengths would you bring to the office? As a library director, one of my primary responsibilities is to be the face of the library in the community and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[52,144,372],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alsc-board","category-blogger-mary-r-voors","category-elections"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/63"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8250\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}