BC Library Conference 2016

Kristen Rumohr is a librarian at the Cowichan Lake branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library where she works with her community towards the goal of creating health and wellbeing for all. She is passionate about the importance investing in young children and families as a way of growing strong communities, and is interested in the ways rural communities can leverage their already strong community networks to create supportive and positive places for children to flourish. In addition to her community work she co-chairs VIRL’s children’s committee which plans and drives children’s services throughout VIRL, and is vice-chair of YAACS.

Colleen wears many hats as a library manager with VIRL. In addition to heading VIRL’s children’s committee and sitting on BCLA’s YAACs committee, she is the president of Comox Valley Lifelong Learning Association. Colleen knows the library is a reflection of its community and her work as a librarian is informed by her commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive library spaces. She is interested in the ways libraries can use community development and partnerships to knit the library into the fabric of the community, and how these relationships can improve access and outcomes for children and families.

Beth Maddigan is Memorial University’s Education Librarian. Before making the switch to academia in 2011, Beth was a children’s librarian for the Cambridge Libraries & Galleries and Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries for fifteen years. Beth Maddigan is the lead author of three professional publications focused on public library programming, including the recently released, Community Library Programs That Work: Building Youth and Family Literacy (Libraries Unlimited, 2014).