2024 Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services

Board of Director Nominees

Thank you to all the candidates for their submissions. 

The voting period will be open from November 14, 2023 to December 1, 2023.
Please watch for the ballot in your email.

Sam Woolhiser

Catawba County Library

Newton, North Carolina

I'm thrilled to have this platform to introduce myself as a dedicated advocate for outreach and bookmobile services and to explain why I would be a good fit for the ABOS (Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services) board. I believe that in each of our organizations, whether it is an employee, program, service, resource, or all of the above, offers something unique in outreach that we can each learn from.

My journey in the field of library outreach began three years ago when I joined the team at a public library in rural North Carolina. There, I managed a small outreach team that brought the magic of books and other library resources directly to homebound individuals and childcare centers. Witnessing the transformative impact of this initiative on individuals who previously had limited access to library resources was incredibly rewarding. Currently, I am a solo outreach librarian driving my library’s Sprinter mobile library all over the county to schools, festivals, senior centers, farmers’ markets, and even a laundromat. I see daily how important access is and why our jobs are needed in our community.

My involvement with ABOS has been instrumental in shaping my professional development. As a member, I've had the privilege of attending ABOS conferences, collaborating with like-minded professionals, and contributing to discussions on best practices. This experience has deepened my understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities we all face. I am eager to serve on the ABOS board to further champion the cause of library outreach services. I believe in the power of literacy and education to transform lives, and I am committed to ensuring that these opportunities reach every corner of our communities. Through my experience and passion, I hope to contribute to the growth of ABOS, share innovative ideas, and work with fellow board members to support this organization. Together, we can continue to make a positive impact and serve the underserved.

Kasandra "Kassy" Trejo

Evanston Public Library

Evanston, Illinois

I am Kasandra “Kassy” Trejo, a library assistant with 10 years of experience in the field. I have worked as a bookmobile assistant, circulation clerk, and library clerk. I am currently a library assistant acquisitions at the Evanston Public Library.

I am a member of the ABOS Board of Directors and the chair of the Technology and Awards committee. I am passionate about libraries and their role in the community. I believe that libraries should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. 

I am applying for the Board of Directors because I want to use my skills and experience to help make libraries even better. I am committed to serving the community and ensuring that libraries are a vital resource for everyone.

I have 8 years of experience working with bookmobiles. I have worked as a bookmobile assistant, helping to maintain the collection, create events and programs, and interact with patrons. I am familiar with the challenges of serving patrons in remote areas and I am committed to providing them with access to quality library materials.

I believe that my experience working with bookmobiles, my involvement with ABOS, and my passion for libraries make me a strong candidate for the Board of Directors. I am confident that I can make a positive contribution to the board and help to ensure that libraries continue to thrive.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Audra Green

Meridian Library District

Meridian, Idaho

I started my career in outdoor education and teaching youth in backcountry settings on a trail crew and with the Girl Scouts, which somehow led to teaching English to incoming refugees and library work. Through this work, I found a passion for being a frontline agent of change in my community, which led me to outreach librarianship. I received my MLS from Indiana University Bloomington and am currently the Strategic Initiatives Manager for the Meridian Library District (Idaho).  MLD is an award-winning library known for its outreach, unique community-oriented branches, and constantly adapting to one of the fastest-growing communities in the US. Ten years ago at MLD, we started with a team of two on a bus and in expanded to multiple vehicles, over 50 community partnerships, and outreach-embedded the staffing model of every branch. 

In Idaho, I have had the privilege of working statewide with other libraries, non-profits, government entities, and local businesses on outreach services, early literacy, bookmobiles, and providing library services to the incarcerated. Just like every outreach and bookmobile stop has its own complex personality, so do libraries seeking outreach support, therefore I would like to take my professional goals to the national level by serving ABOS. I find great value in collaborating with other libraries and finding ways to support each other and lift each other up. I thrive on navigating community partnerships and leveraging community data to make informed decisions that are community and patron-focused.

Lisa Hechesky

Parkersburg & Wood County P. L

Parkersburg, West Virginia

I became the Bookmobile Librarian at Parkersburg & Wood County Public Libraries in May 2023. Before taking this position, I had zero experience with bookmobiles or outreach services. In the few months I have been aboard the bookmobile, I have found this the most rewarding library job I have ever had. My past library experience includes 11 years at Marshall University's Graduate College Library and 6 years with the West Virginia Library Commission as it’s Youth Service Consultant.  When I was at the WV Library Commission, I was active in our state's library association and the Collaborative Summer Library Program's board. I understand the importance of an organization's governing board for both its mission and its service to members. I would greatly enjoy giving time to this association and the important work we do every day outside of our libraries.

Charity Lees

Manatee County P. L. System

Manatee County, Florida

Hi, I’m Charity Lees and am running for Board Member-at-Large. I have a real passion for outreach services and working with others so that everyone benefits and the profession as a whole thrives.

I have worked in libraries for thirteen years. I started in a small independent library and worked my way up to a large system. After obtaining my MLIS, I was hired to create the outreach department for a system in Florida, and am currently in the final stages of ordering a bookmobile for them. As soon as I signed up for ABOS, the information I was able to find through webinars, Driven Discussions, and the listserv helped empower my efforts to create a solid foundation for my current and future outreach and community engagement endeavors. 

If you were able to attend the ‘22 or ‘23 ABOS conferences, you may have seen me around. For this year’s conference, I presented “Pants Optional: My Experience Building Homebound Services from the Ground Up”. I believe passionately in reaching out to underserved communities and making resources available to those with barriers to the physical library. Working as an ABOS board member will help me give back to the community that has helped me out so much.

Stephanie Mayeux

Ascension Parish Library

Gonzales, Louisiana

Hello! My name is Stephanie Mayeux and I am the Outreach Librarian for Ascension Parish Library! In 2023 I served as the ABOS Secretary, Communication Committee Co-Chair, and participated in the ABOS Executive Committee as well as the Strategic Planning Committee. I look forward to the possibility of serving on the 2024 ABOS Board of Directors! 

Humberto "Chip" Nieto

Tolleson Public Library

Tolleson, Arizona

I was put in charge of our library's bookmobile and managed to get it out to the community and built all the connections to be able to attend events without any guidance, as this was the first time our library had a bookmobile. I would love to join the board to make even more wonderful connections and help others who might be going through similar things.

Katie Reineke

Evansville Vanderburgh P. L.

Evansville, Indiana

My name is Katie Reineke, and for the past 10 years, I have worked for the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library (EVPL). In 2013, I joined EVPL as a circulation clerk and quickly realized that working within the library was where I wanted to spend the rest of my career. 

I have held various positions over the years, but in 2021, I was given the opportunity to manage EVPL’s newly developed Outreach Department. 

Prior to discovering the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services, I knew I wanted to prioritize my department’s efforts in communities that experience barriers to traditional library service, including low income, lack of internet access, high crime, and marginalized communities, to name a few. Discovering a national organization that shared the same mission I firmly held in my heart for several years was both thrilling and affirming.

After attending ABOS 2022 and meeting current Vice President Jenn Koetz at a Driven Discussion, I was excited by the unique opportunity to share the skills and knowledge I had acquired on the job with the larger library outreach community through the Continuing Education Committee. I have greatly enjoyed facilitating Driven Discussions and providing a platform for others to do the same. 

It is my firm belief that ABOS was a key factor in the success that EVPL’s Outreach Department has found over its first two years. 

I believe I can apply the same skills I have developed to the ABOS community to further advance this valuable organization’s mission, assisting the staff members who bridge barriers to traditional library services. Therefore, I am declaring my candidacy for the Member-at-Large position on the ABOS Board of Directors.

I appreciate your consideration of my candidacy and invite you to reach out to me personally with any questions you may have.

Danny Rice

Gail Borden Public Library District

Elgin, Illinois

My name is Danny Rice, and I am the Director of Mobile Library Services at the Gail Borden Public Library District in Elgin, IL. I began working in outreach more than 11 years ago at the Bloomington (IL) Public Library, where I helped a great team with everything from Home Delivery to buying a new bus-style Bookmobile and just about everything in between. After obtaining my MSLIS degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I transitioned to a Children’s Librarian position at the Bloomington Library and later the Normal Public Library where I ran story times, STEM programs, and visited local schools to promote the Summer Reading Program. 

Gina Roberson

Santa Clarita Public Library

Santa Clarita, California

I am so excited to be running for a board position for ABOS. I have been serving libraries in Southern California for the past 15 years, seeking to reach the most underserved and underrepresented in San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties. I am currently leading a physical branch as well as heading up our mobile library acquisition project. From popup library programming in preschools to serve daycare families like my own to doing teen outreach specifically to LGBT youth, meeting people where they are is truly my biggest passion.

I began my involvement with ABOS just three short years ago and have been inspired by the work that this organization and its amazing members do and immediately knew I wanted to give more. Previously, I have served on the Stonewall Book Award Committee for ALA, and it was an unforgettable experience.  

I want to serve on the ABOS board to help contribute to the amazing efforts and mission of the organization, to assist in its growth, and to grow personally in this community. I believe that my passion for outreach, my newfound love for bookmobiles, and my experience leading teams and planning programs will allow me to contribute greatly to the success of ABOS in the coming years. 

I live in the City of Santa Clarita with my family, where I volunteer, sew, make vinyl crafts for friends and coworkers, and listen to my audiobooks.

Kat Robinson

Rockingham County Public Library

Reidsville, North Carolina

I was able to attend the 2023 Connections and Confections Convention. There I found the people I have been looking for since I started in outreach. Empathetic, energetic, and enthusiastic people who were all drawn together to learn from one another. After the first day of the convention, I was convinced that ABOS was just what I needed to continue on my path. After the second day, I knew that my leadership would only get better and by the end of the conference, I knew that I was a better programmer. I would love to help ABOS grow and provide to others what I was able to gain. I feel I can do this best by being on the board. 

I have three people in my department and run a Bookmobile and an Outreach program. I have worked in this department for 3 years and have been in charge for about a year and a half. With little training and a post-COVID world, I have had to make up much of my programming and refocus the resources and energies of my department to care for the bookmobile and outreach needs of my community. ABOS has already helped with resources and ideas and I feel like that will continue as time goes on. 

My goal is to help others as I have been helped. Thank you for considering me for a position on the board.

Lexxi Romero

The Putman County Library

Cookeville, Tennessee

My name is Lexxi Romero. I would like to be considered for one of the Board Member-at-Large positions with ABOS. I am the Marketing & Outreach Librarian for the Putnam County Library in Cookeville, Tennessee. This is my first role as an Outreach Librarian, but I also conducted several outreach endeavors as a Children’s Librarian for the Maury County Public Library in Columbia, Tennessee. In my current position, I perform many outreach projects. I provide rotating libraries at seven different nursing homes, the local jail, the regional juvenile detention center, and three other county jails in our region. I have implemented several pop-up libraries at local businesses. The thing that I am most proud of is my community engagement project that involved providing 240 hygiene kits to the un-housed or low-income populations. This project was sponsored by our lovely Friends of the Library. 

I have been a member of ABOS since 2022. The 2023 Connections & Confections Conference in Hershey, PA was the first ABOS conference I have attended. I was a presenter at this conference along with Director Kathryn Wisinger, and Vicky Draper from the Book Lover’s Club. Our presentation was titled “Books Behind Bars.” We discussed how we started our local jail outreach project and steps to support other libraries in the process.

I would love to serve on the ABOS board because this organization is one of the most supportive organizations I have ever been part of. I absolutely love the Outreach part of my job, because it allows me to make a difference in the lives of others. I believe by serving on the ABOS board, it will further my abilities to impact my community in untraditional ways. 

I would appreciate your consideration for a 2024 Board Member-at-Large position.

Thank you for your participation in the ABOS election process!

Voting for our elected officials is a benefit of membership in ABOS.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Lori Berezovsky, nominations@abos-outreach.com