They’re the new people greeting you at the reference desk, shelving books in the stacks, and experimenting with fresh ideas behind the scenes. These are the new library rising stars, the generation that will move, shape, and influence the present and future of the ALA and the library profession.
These are the American Library Association’s Emerging Leaders of 2013.
Initiated in 1997 as a one-year program under former ALA President Mary R. Somerville and revived in 2006 under former ALA President Leslie Burger, the Emerging Leaders program recognizes the best and brightest new leaders in the library world. It’s open to librarians under 35 years of age or those new to the library profession of any age with fewer than five years of experience working at a professional or paraprofessional level in a library. The program allows these stars to get on the fast track to ALA and professional leadership, participate in project-planning workgroups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers.
“This very successful program has enabled a number of very talented new professionals to assume leadership positions in ALA at earlier career stage,” said ALA President Maureen Sullivan. “These individuals have brought fresh ideas, new approaches, and significant energy to the Association. I welcome this next class and look forward to working with them.”
The 55 honorees in the Emerging Leaders class of 2013 represent a wide variety of libraries and professional specialties. Their diversity is their strength, shining a bright beacon into the futures of both the American Library Association and the library world.
Frans Albarillo
Position title: Assistant Professor and Librarian for Business and Sociology
Name of library: Brooklyn (N.Y.) College Library
City, State: Brooklyn, New York
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? I would like to learn how to become a good group facilitator.
What is your primary information specialty? Business and the social sciences
What author do you want to have dinner with? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. English is my second language.
Tarida Anantachai
Position title: Resident Librarian
Name of library: Syracuse (N.Y.) University Library
City, State : Syracuse, New York
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I hope to be more involved in regional and national library associations, and to start taking on a mentoring role for other newer librarians.
What author do you want to have dinner with? Anthony Bourdain or David Sedaris, for good eats and good laughs!
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I collect keychains. The quirkier, the better!
Ellen Armstrong
Position title: Adult Services Librarian
Name of library: Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library
City, State: Columbus, Ohio
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet awesome librarians and to learn about exciting things other libraries are doing.
What are your primary information specialties? Reference and emerging technologies.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I have an irrational hatred of spiders.
Sara Arnold-Garza
Position title: Residency Librarian
Name of library: Albert S. Cook Library, Towson (Md.) University
City, State: Towson, Maryland
What is your primary information specialty? Research and instruction
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Helping university students learn to be information literate!
Who’s your hero? Gwen Ifill
What’s your favorite place in the library? The research help desk
What author do you want to have dinner with? Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I can wiggle my nose.
Christina Miracle Bailey
Position title: Information Research Specialist/Librarian
Name of library: The Library of Congress/ Congressional Research Service, Washington, D.C.
City, State: Silver Spring, Maryland
What is your primary information specialty? Providing reference services in digital formats
Who’s your hero? My mother
What author do you want to have dinner with? Toni Morrison
What is your favorite social media tool? Skype. I currently live in Maryland and I can keep in touch with my family and friends via video chat in Georgia.
Audrey Barbakoff
Position title: Adult Services Librarian
Name of library: Kitsap (Wash.) Regional Library
City, State: Bainbridge Island, Washington
What is your primary information specialty? Readers’ advisory and reference for all ages
Fill in the blank: The TARDIS is my favorite!
What inspired you to become a librarian? I have always loved building community through stories.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I play guitar and sing.
What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest. It’s beautiful.
Holli (Beckmann) Duggan
Position title: Returns Assistant
Name of library: Love Library, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
City, State: Lincoln, Nebraska
Fill in the blank: Cupcakes are my favorite!
Who’s your hero? Tina Fey
What author do you want to have dinner with? Neil Gaiman
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I’m a fairly avid CrossFitter.
What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest.
Amanda Binder
Position title: Social Sciences Librarian
Name of library: J. Murrey Atkins Library, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
City, State: Charlotte, North Carolina
What is your primary information specialty? Social sciences and history
Fill in the blank: Dessert is my favorite!
What inspired you to become a librarian? My first boss after college, who was a librarian and archivist. His love for history, libraries, and special collections was contagious.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I love to serve as a personal shopper for my friends.
Mary Braun
Position title: Library Aide II
Name of library: Bozeman (Mont.) Public Library
City, State: Bozeman, Montana
What author do you want to have dinner with? Doris Kearns Goodwin
What inspired you to become a librarian? As long as I can remember, I’ve always liked the idea of creating order out of chaos. That is what librarians and libraries do. I wanted to be a part of that system.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I do not like peas.
Sara Bryce
Position title: Youth Services Librarian/Field Trip Adventure Coordinator
Name of library: La Crosse (Wis.) Public Library
City, State: La Crosse, Wisconsin
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To be active in ASCLA, my Emerging Leaders sponsor, and to work toward making my library’s services more accessible to our unique population.
What is your primary information specialty? Children and family services
What’s your favorite place in the library? The Youth Services desk! I love helping kids find the right kind of book.
Cristina Caminita 
Position title: Agriculture & Information Literacy Librarian
Name of library: Louisiana State University Libraries, Baton Rouge
City, State: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Fill in the blank: Brooks running shoes are my favorite!
Who’s your hero? My mother. She is a paragon of resilience and patience.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I was a member of the invited performance groups that opened Disneyland Paris in 1992.
Wei Cen
Position title: Emerging Technologies Librarian
Name of library: Gulf Coast State College Library, Panama City, Florida
City, State: Panama City, Florida
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? I want to broaden my knowledge of the challenges facing academic libraries.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I’d like to take on a leadership role in my library and strengthen my involvement in ALA, CALA, and other professional organizations.
Who’s your hero? My dad. He bravely fought cancer.
Emily K. Chan
Position title: Senior Assistant Librarian
Name of library: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, San José (Calif.) State University
City, State: San José, California
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To gain more experience in the areas of leadership, organizational behavior, and project management.
Who is your hero? My parents are my heroes. They immigrated to the United States with very little resources, but with hard work, determination, and a willingness to learn, they have achieved much.
Jessica Clemons
Position title: Assistant Librarian
Name of library: F. Franklin Moon Library, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York
City, State: Syracuse, New York
Fill in the blank: Mountains are my favorite!
What author do you want to have dinner with? Mary Roach
Name something that few colleagues know about you: I’m sometimes good at playing darts.
What is your favorite social media tool? Twitter. I used to avoid it, but now I find it’s a great way to connect with and learn from cool people and organizations.
Zach Coble
Position title: Systems and Emerging Technologies Librarian
Name of library: Musselman Library, Gettysburg (Pa.) College
City, State: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
What is your primary information specialty? Scholarly communication
Fill in the blank: PEEPS are my favorite!
What author do you want to have dinner with? Roberto Bolaño
What inspired you to become a librarian? The joy that comes with connecting people with the information they need
Ana Elisa de Campos Salles
Position title: Adult and Teen Librarian
Name of library: District of Columbia Public Library
City, State: Washington, D.C.
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To learn, meet new people while accomplishing worthwhile things, and pay it forward. Repeat.
What is your primary information specialty? Teen fiction, adult fiction, and nonfiction.
Who’s your hero? Wonder Woman, of course!
What’s your favorite place in the library? The teen space
Tyler Dzuba
Position title: Department Head, Physics-Optics-Astronomy Library
Name of library: River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester, New York
City, State: Rochester, New York
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To get to know my influential colleagues, and to come out on the other side buzzing with ideas for making the profession better
Fill in the blank: Mexican coffee is my favorite!
What author do you want to have dinner with? I think Douglas Adams would be a hoot.
Audrey Evans 
Position title: Reference Librarian
Name of library: Davis Polk Law Library, New York, New York
City, State: New York, New York
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To become an effective activist and advocate
Fill in the blank: Dancing is my favorite
What author do you want to have dinner with? Virginia Woolf
What inspired you to become a librarian? During a college internship at the Clinton Presidential Archives, I came to understand the profound connection between democracy and information.
Joe Filapek
Position title: Adult and Teen Services Supervisor
Name of library: Naperville (Ill.) Public Library
City, State: Naperville, Illinois
What is your primary information specialty? Social sciences
What’s your favorite place in the library? Children’s storytime room. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed, the smiling faces of children remind me of how beloved the library is in my community.
What author do you want to have dinner with? Michael Chabon
Alicia Finley
Position title: Library Service Specialist II (Children’s Services)
Name of library: Charlotte (N.C.) Mecklenburg Library
City, State: Charlotte, North Carolina
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To contribute to team success and implement something useful
Fill in the blank: Hello Kitty is my favorite!
Who’s your hero? My mom
Regina Gong
Position title: Head of Technical Services and Systems
Name of library: Lansing (Mich.) Community College Library
City, State: Lansing, Michigan
What is your primary information specialty? Collection management, library systems, and technology.
Fill in the blank: Watching Filipino telenovelas is my favorite!
What author do you want to have dinner with? Oprah. I’d like it to be in my house so I can cook lots of Filipino food.
Krishna Grady
Position title: Children’s Librarian
Name of library: Darien (Conn.) Library
City, State: Darien, Connecticut
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To increase librarianship awareness to a diverse population and get to know others in this amazing field
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I was in an American Express commercial in 2004.
What is your favorite social media tool? Twitter. It forces one to be succinct yet share so much.
Sarah Granville
Position title: Teen Services Librarian
Name of library: Barberton (Ohio) Public Library
City, State: Barberton, Ohio
What is your primary information specialty? Teen and adult fiction
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I would like to be on a book award committee.
Who’s your hero? Buffy Summers
What inspired you to become a librarian? I grew up surrounded by books. I want to help people feel the way I feel when I read a book I love.
Nathan Hall
Position title: Digital Repositories Librarian
Name of library: Virginia Tech Libraries, Blacksburg, Virginia
City, State: Blacksburg, Virginia
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? Accomplish a project that can lead to a publication, and become a resource for solving a particular kind of problem.
Fill in the blank: Wild berry foraging is my favorite!
What’s your favorite place in the library? The stacks. I love walking among countless printed volumes and seeing what title or author catches my eye and forces me to do a double take.
Katlin Heidgerken-Greene
Position title: Library Associate
Name of library: Anoka County (Minn.) Library, Crooked Lake branch
City, State: Coon Rapids, Minnesota
What is your primary information specialty? Youth services
What’s your favorite place in the library?: The young adult section
What inspired you to become a librarian? The opportunity to work with a diverse public in informal teaching and learning situations.
Maegan Heindel
Position title: Library Media Specialist
Name of library: Marquette (Wis.) Elementary School Library
City, State: Madison, Wisconsin
Fill in the blank: Vintage clothes and local foods are my favorite!
What author do you want to have dinner with? Mo Willems. I think he’d be a hoot!
What inspired you to become a librarian? This career allows me to combine my love of teaching with a passion for literature and technology.
Margaret Heller
Position title: Digital Services Librarian
Name of library: Cudahy Library, Loyola University, Chicago
City, State: Chicago, Illinois
What is your primary information specialty? Digital services and scholarly communication
What author do you want to have dinner with? Alain de Botton
What inspired you to become a librarian? I grew up in the library. It was my first volunteer job, my paid job, and only profession I seriously considered.
Jennifer Himmelreich
Position title: San José (Calif.) State University SLIS MLIS student
City, State: Shiprock, New Mexico
What are your primary information specialties? Digital services (library services, archives, etc.) for indigenous communities
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I’d like to be working with an indigenous community to help them find new ways to archive and curate their knowledge in ways that draw their community members back to their culture.
Fill in the blank: BEETS are my favorite!
Susan Hoang
Position title: Reference and Instruction Librarian
Name of library: Gould Library, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
City, State: Northfield, Minnesota
What author do you want to have dinner with? Beverly Cleary
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I love roller coasters.
What is your favorite social media tool? Diaspora, for its promise as a distributed open social network.
Nzinga Holley-Harris 
Position title: Librarian
Name of library: Department of Justice, Quantico, Virginia
City, State: Quantico, Virginia
What is your primary information specialty? Information technology
Fill in the blank: My family is my favorite!
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I am an enormous fan of Japanese anime.
What is your favorite social media tool? Twitter, because it tells you what people are thinking right now.
Margaret Howard
Position title: Librarian
Name of library: Chesterfield County (Va.) Public Library
City, State: Chesterfield, Virginia
Fill in the blank: Dogs are my favorite!
Who’s your hero? Scarlett O’Hara
What’s your favorite place in the library? The nooks with comfy chairs.
What author do you want to have dinner with? Judy Blume
What is your favorite social media tool? Tumblr. It’s an easy and awesome way to connect with people professionally and personally.
Anna Johnson
Position title: Ready to Read Specialist
Name of library: Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library
City, State: Columbus, Ohio
What is your primary information specialty? Early literacy and parent education
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself as a leader in the field of public service, particularly serving low-income families.
Fill in the blank: English bulldogs are my favorite!
Who’s your hero? Jesus Christ
Susie Judd
Position title: Elementary Library/Media Specialist
Name of library: Butler (Mo.) Elementary Library
City, State: Butler, Missouri
What is your primary information specialty? Children’s services
What’s your favorite place in the library? The reading carpet where I have story time with the pre-K thru 3rd graders
What inspired you to become a librarian? I wanted to be able to connect readers with “the book” that hopefully will turn them into lovers of books!
Julie Judkins
Position title: Digital Librarian
Name of library: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
City, State: Ann Arbor, Michigan
What is your primary information specialty? Digital humanities, English literature, creative writing, children’s literature, special collections
What inspired you to become a librarian? I was raised in a library-loving family and had many positive library experiences growing up.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I’ve never been to New York City.
Jeff Lambert
Position title: Technology Instructor
Name of library: Sierra Group Academy, Philadelphia
City, State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
What is your primary information specialty? Instruction and outreach
What author do you want to have dinner with? Ray Bradbury
What inspired you to become a librarian? I wanted to work on the front lines of the digital divide.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2010.
Ted McCoy
Position title: Library Assistant
Name of library: Oakland (Calif.) Public Library
City, State: Oakland, California
What is your primary information specialty? Children’s and youth services
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working in a public library and serving diverse groups in the children’s and youth services context
What inspired you to become a librarian? I wanted a career where being nice to people was part of my job.
Caitlin Moen
Position title: Catalog Librarian
Name of library: LAC Group, on contract to Tulane University, New Orleans
City, State: New Orleans, Louisiana
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working in acquisitions
What author do you want to have dinner with? Harper Lee
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I read super-fast. I can finish a book in just a few hours (depending on the book of course).
What is your favorite social media tool? FriendFeed. I like to lurk and learn.
Kathleen Monks
Position title: Assistant Professor, Reference and Instruction Librarian
Name of library: University of Idaho Library, Moscow
City, State: Moscow, Idaho
What is your primary information specialty? Agriculture and life sciences
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Continuing to challenge myself with new opportunities and expanding my service to the Idaho Library Association and ALA
What’s your favorite place in the library? I love the group study areas.
Kathleen Riopelle Roberts
Position Title: School Librarian
Name of Library: Rivers Edge Elementary, Henricon, Virginia
City/State: Henricon, Virginia
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To travel, meet, and work with different kinds of librarians
What is your primary information specialty? Teaching 21st century library skills using elementary curriculum
What’s your favorite place in the library? The checkout desk
Eugenia Schatoff
Position title: Director
Name of library: Watervliet (N.Y.) Public Library
City, State: Watervliet, New York
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To become an active participant in ALA, to learn a lot, to meet new people and to broaden my horizons
What is your primary information specialty? Public libraries, leadership and management, and Eastern European area studies
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? As the director of a public library, continuing to challenge myself and to grow
Annie Schutte
Position title: Middle and Upper School Librarian
Name of library: Maret School, Washington, D.C.
City, State: Washington, D.C.
What’s your favorite place in the library? The circulation desk—it’s the crow’s nest where I can keep track of everything going on in the library
What author do you want to have dinner with? Junot Diaz
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I spent a summer in college working for a baseball team in rural New York despite knowing nothing about sports.
Yasmeen Shorish
Position title: Science Librarian
Name of library: Rose Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia
City, State: Harrisonburg, Virginia
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To be a more effective communicator and bring people together towards a common goal.
Fill in the blank: S’mores are my favorite!
Who’s your hero? Wonder Woman
What author do you want to have dinner with? Vladimir Nabokov
Bonnie J. Smith 
Position title: Assistant Program Director for Human Resources
Name of library: George A. Smathers Library, University of Florida, Gainesville
City, State: Gainesville, Florida
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Traveling the world to help start small libraries in developing countries
Who’s your hero? Kenyan environmental and political activist Wangari Maathai
What author do you want to have dinner with? Tasha Tudor
Paul Smith
Position: Community Programming Manager
Name of library: Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, Missouri
City, State: Independence, Missouri
Fill in the blank: The A.V. Club is my favorite!
Who’s your hero? Robert F. Kennedy
What author do you want to have dinner with? Ernest Cline
Name something that few colleagues knows about you. I belong to a support group for redheads.
Amy Jo Southworth
Position title: High School Librarian
Name of library: Bay Shore (N.Y.) High School Library
City, State: Bay Shore, New York
What is your primary information specialty? Research, the teaching of writing and grammar, technical communication, teaching all aspects of secondary English
Fill in the blank: Fair trade dark chocolate is my favorite!
Who’s your hero? My husband
Lenore St. John 
Position title: Children’s Services Coordinator
Name of library: Tulsa City-County (Okla.) Library
City, State: Tulsa, Oklahoma
What is your primary information specialty? Children’s services
Fill in the blank: Carbs are my favorite!
Who’s your hero? My border collie Maya. She is always happy, loves everyone unconditionally, and is ready to help with anything.
What’s your favorite place in the library? The children’s department
Yvonne C. Stephenson 
Position title: Branch Librarian
Name of library: Amarillo (Tex.) Public Library
City, State: Amarillo, Texas
Who’s your hero? Felix Campos, my grandfather. He was a hardworking Mexican immigrant who sacrificed for his family so that generations to come could prosper in the U.S.
What inspired you to become a librarian? There is a community need for librarians of color to serve, so I decided to step up and do just that.
Brittney Thomas
Position title: Learning Commons Coordinator
Name of library: The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City
City, State: Iowa City, Iowa
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working in an urban academic or public library teaching information literacy and technology skills to young adults
What inspired you to become a librarian? As a child I knew that the librarian was the gatekeeper to all of the wonderful stories that reside in the library. I wanted to be that gatekeeper.
Stephanie A. Thomas
Position title: Teacher Librarian/ Media Specialist
Name of library: Parkrose High School Library, Portland, Oregon
City, State: Portland, Oregon
What is your primary information specialty? K-12 education, educational technology integration
What inspired you to become a librarian? The internet ca. 1998. As it changed the information landscape, it was clear to me that the librarian would lead the charge and be the guide to make sense of it all.
Megan Threats
Position title: Information Professional Graduate Student at Syracuse (N.Y.) University
City, State: Syracuse, New York
What is your primary information specialty? Information literacy
Fill in the blank: Spotify is my favorite!
Who’s your hero? Wangari Maathai
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I love musicals.
What is your favorite social media tool? Instagram. I love being able to document my travel adventures through photographs in real time.
Julie Watson
Position title: Research Librarian
Name of library: Marywood University Library, Scranton, Pennsylvania
City, State: Scranton, Pennsylvania
What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet interesting people and find opportunities to give back to the profession
What’s your favorite place in the library? Any quiet corner with a comfortable chair
What author do you want to have dinner with? David Sedaris
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I had a flock of sheep when I was growing up.
Kirsten Weaver
Position title: Teen Services Librarian
Name of library: Frankfort (Ind.) Community Public Library
City, State: Frankfort, Indiana
What is your primary information specialty? Teen services
Fill in the blank: Doctor Who is my favorite!
What inspired you to become a librarian? My love of the library and the services and resources it offers. There’s nothing better than seeing a person’s face light up when you find them something great!
Berika Williams
Position title: Web Services Librarian
Name of library: Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria (Tex.) Library
City, State: Victoria, Texas
Fill in the blank: Zumba is my favorite!
What’s your favorite place in the library? Somewhere in the LC Call Number Class “H” section–business inspiration
What author do you want to have dinner with? Attica Locke. She’s from my hometown and I’ve watched her grow as a writer.
Name something that few colleagues know about you. I have a penchant for screenwriting.
Marci Zane
Position title: Library Media Specialist
Name of library: Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Flemington, New Jersey
City, State: Flemington, New Jersey
What is your primary information specialty? Inquiry learning, information literacy, and emerging technologies
Fill in the blank: The Phillies are my favorite!
What author do you want to have dinner with? Paulo Coelho
Name something that few colleagues know about you. When I was ten, I had an Abraham Lincoln birthday party.
Fallon Zschiegner-Bleich
Position title: Circulation Assistant
Name of library: Bentonville (Ark.) Public Library
City, State: Bentonville, Arkansas
What is your primary information specialty? Digital technologies/library and web 2.0 programs
What’s your favorite place in the library? The new book area. I have way too many new authors on my favorite list because of browsing it.
What author do you want to have dinner with? Libba Bray
