Mercedes Ana Lorenzo Hubbard

1805 West Roscoe · Chicago, IL 60657

Home: 312.735.6799

Email: mercedeshubbard@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE To create dynamic and innovative programming, share readers’ advisory responsibilities, and provide excellent reference services for kids, teens, and their parents in a Public Library.

EDUCATION Dominican University, River Forest, IL

Master of Library and Information Science, Jan 2008

Youth Services Focus

Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT

Bachelor of Arts, Studio Art/English, January 1999

Magna Cum Laude

SKILLS Conversant in Spanish

Crafting, Storytelling, Zine-Making

Extensive Customer Service Experience

Microsoft Office Suite

Y Generation, Web 2.0 Fluency (texting, podcasting,

social networking, blogging, and using RSS)

EXPERIENCE Rebecca Crown Library, Dominican University,

River Forest, IL

August 2006 – December 2007

2^nd Floor Help Desk Page

· Serve as a liaison between library, faculty and students.

· Care for computer and printer needs on 2^nd and 3^rd floors.

Sulzer Regional Public Library, Chicago, IL

May 2007 - August 2007

120 Hour Student Practicum

· Provided reference assistance to library patrons.

· Participated in Summer Reading Program implementation and documentation.

· Read to the Jane Addams Camp Group on Tuesdays and co-created a Monday Craft Program.

North Branch Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR.

January 2005 - May 2005

Computer Lab Assistant

· Facilitated creation of flyers and personal documents in Microsoft Word with teens and adults.

ADDITIONAL Chad’s Dogs, Inc., Chicago, IL.

EXPERIENCE January 2006 - Present

Office Manager

Responsible for:

· Accounting

· Customer Relations and Records

· Scheduling for personal dog service company

in the Chicago Metro Area

Gabriella’s Café, Santa Cruz, CA

June 2002 – September 2004

Server and Caterer

· Worked with Jim Denevan of Outstanding in the Field

· Designed Menus

· Served on-site and on-location

Wee Whalers, Nantucket, MA

Summers of 1996, 1997

Camp Counselor

· Worked with kids ages 5-10.

· Studied marine life.

· Took daily field trips.

The Gamut Room, Middlebury College Campus

January 1996 – May 1998

Co-Manager of Coffee Shop on Campus

Responsible for:

· Hiring staff.

· Hiring entertainment.

· Ordering baked goods and coffee.

· Reporting timecards.

PROFESSIONAL Young Adult Library Services Association, (YALSA)

AFFILIATIONS Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC)

American Library Association (ALA)

Web 2.0 Library Network at Ning.com

Breadloaf Writer’s Conference Selected Student Participant

Letter of Recommendation to follow:

October 2, 2007

Chicago Public Library

Conrad Sulzer Regional Library

4455 N. Lincoln Ave.

Chicago, IL 60625

To Whom It May Concern:

I am the department manager for the Conrad Sulzer Regional Library Children’s Department and supervised the training of Mercedes Hubbard during her 120+ hour practicum in our department. Mercedes began her work study training in May, 2007 as we prepared to promote the Summer Reading Program to our local schools. She completed her practicum commitment to our department in early September, 2007. Mercedes skillfully used the practicum as an opportunity to develop and advance her, reference and readers advisory skills, knowledge of librarianship, and familiarity with our extensive collection. We designed a practicum that would give Mercedes a broad experience of the services we provide during our most challenging and intensely busy time of the year.

The Summer Reading Program is our most complex and important initiative to reach the children in our community. Every year we begin by visiting our local schools. Mercedes accompanied Mary Frueh-Lardie, a staff librarian to make a joint promotional presentation at a group assembly at Coonley School and class room presentations at McPherson School.

During the Summer Reading Program we seek to inspire our participants to become lifelong learners, and encourage them to be regular library users. This year we served 1,618 children reporting on over 44,000 titles. Mercedes gathered statistics, did data entry, listened to book reports, and helped to supervise our 78 Junior Volunteers. We developed and presented 48 original programs. These programs included public story telling events and story times, weekly programs serving seven local camp groups, book discussions, and arts & craft programs. We hosted numerous local artists and authors as well as a massive event for the Harry Potter Knight Bus serving over 250 participants.

Mercedes Hubbard made major contributions to every aspect of the services we offered. She presented two original programs that she designed from start to finish. She also worked with a staff librarian to develop weekly programs for the Jane Addams Child Care Center. Mercedes’ programs were very special because she incorporated poetry as a unique feature. Mercedes prepared and presented dramatic readings from Neighborhood Odes by Eloise Greenfield along with other titles. We could not have served so many children without her help and dedication.

Mercedes is a talented artist. She created beautiful bulletin board displays to decorate the department and advertise the news books in our collection.

Mercedes worked on the LC cataloging and database cleanup of our historic Folk and Fairy Tale Collection. She wrote a very detailed guidelines and procedures document after completing her training on the project. We have used Mercedes’ procedure checklist to train the new intern who is completing this project. I was very impressed with Mercedes’ outstanding judgment and motivation. She always responded when she saw a need and never hesitated to ask for guidance and clarification. Mercedes volunteered to inventory and organize our craft materials and programming realia resources. She did a beautiful job with this self initiated project.

Mercedes worked very well with the staff. Mercedes learns new tasks very quickly and applies new knowledge with a very high degree of accuracy. She has outstanding communication skills. We deeply appreciated her creativity, outstanding problem solving skills, generous spirit of cooperation and her dedication to the services we strove to provide. Mercedes Hubbard excels at providing outstanding customer service. She possesses a kind nature that puts even the most reluctant reader at ease. Though Mercedes expressed a strong interest and enthusiasm for Children’s Services; her personal skills and talents would serve her equally well in an Adult Services library department. Mercedes Hubbard has earned my highest recommendation as a candidate for a position in a public library upon earning her MLIS degree.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me at 312-744-7616 Extension #3.

Karen Mariani-Mondala

Children’s Librarian IV, Department Manager

Conrad Sulzer Regional Library