Mary Wilkins Jordan
town: Springfield, IL
Research Interests: Public library administration and training, international and comparative libraries, digital divide.
Work Experience: After working as an attorney, I became the director of a public library where I was able to work with many different community groups to bring them to the library. I later moved to a larger public library, where I was involved in planning and opening a new building for the main library. In both libraries I worked extensively with recruiting new students into the library profession, particularly with expanding the diversity of the profession.
Publication: "Surviving Your First Year as Library Director" Public Libraries July/August 2003.
Career Goals: I want to become a professor at a research university, where I can teach and do research on public libraries and how to help them operate better. I also want to become involved in professional library organizations so I can help bring other librarians along in the profession that I love so much.
Teaching Experience: I have been an adjunct instructor in the MLS program at Dominican University in River Forest, IL, designing and teaching management and international libraries classes. I am currently a TA at UNC-Chapel Hill teaching management.