Rachel Seidner, MLIS
Mundelein,USA
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
1
1
Certificate
Work History
Librarian Specialist
McHenry County College
08.2024 - Current
- Design and implement engaging library programs to increase student participation and resource utilization
- Conduct 180+ information literacy courses with the Library Team, improving students' research skills and academic performance
- Wrote successful grant proposal, securing funding for library program initiatives
- Developing strong relationships within the MCC community and McHenry County through outreach efforts
- Research support and information literacy instruction
- Reference services and circulation support
- Archival work, including the creation of 3 displays each month and digital preservation
- Received grant award of $1,000+ for program development
- Community outreach and engagement
Research Librarian
McHenry County Historical Society & Museum
05.2023 - 07.2024
- Managed research requests, improving processing efficiency by 50.7% in 9 months
- Supervised digitization projects, enhancing resource accessibility and preservation
- Led successful Giving Tuesday campaign, raising over $7,000; established oral history project
- Drove collection development through inventory management, weeding, and donation assessment
- Developed and implemented Research Center policies, including digitization and pricing guidelines
- Secured funding through grant writing for research, digitization, and community engagement initiatives
Library Services Assistant
College of Lake County - Southlake Campus
01.2022 - Current
- Assisted with cataloging, shelving, holds, and inter-library loans using ILL/OCLC services
- Managed library displays, creating engaging showcases to increase patron interest
- Led initiatives to boost material usage through resource tours and interactive displays
- Developed innovative features like 'Word of the Week Balderdash' to encourage dictionary use
- Implemented 'Idiom of the Week' in the ELL section to enhance language learning
- Provided excellent customer service to CLC students and staff
- Coordinated distribution of 400 laptops, hotspots, and 2,000 calculators across campuses
Reference and Information Literacy Librarian
TutorMe
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Provided comprehensive support to students and faculty from diverse backgrounds in accessing information resources, conducting thorough research, and navigating the library's catalog and databases remotely
- Chat reference averaging 16.1 questions per day,
- Designed and facilitated information literacy workshops and research skills sessions tailored to remote learning environments, empowering students to access and critically evaluate information sources
- Information Literacy Instruction: 1-2 sessions per day
- Fostered collaborative partnerships with faculty to integrate research assignments seamlessly into courses, ensuring student success and engagement in online learning environments
- Delivered personalized assistance and guidance to students and faculty exclusively online, effectively meeting their information needs and enhancing their research capabilities in virtual settings
Education
Grant Writing Certificate - Continuing Education Unit
DePaul University
Chicago, IL09.2024
Master's - Library and Information Science
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL12-2020
Bachelor of Arts - Cultural Anthropology, Politics and Government
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ05-2017
Skills
- Digital preservation and technology skills
- Research and analytical skills
- Preservation and conservation techniques
- Cataloging and organizational skills
- Attention to detail
- Excellent communication skills
- Project management & Responsibility
- Information retrieval & Records management
Certification
- Adult Mental Health First Aid, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 10/2024, 10/2027
- Grant Writing Certificate, DePaul University, 09/2024
- How to Research & Write Using Generative AI Tools, LinkedIn Learning, 08/2023
- Paraprofessional Educator Endorsement, ELS(PARA), Illinois State Board of Education, 06/2022, 06/2027
Timeline
Librarian Specialist
McHenry County College
08.2024 - Current
Research Librarian
McHenry County Historical Society & Museum
05.2023 - 07.2024
Library Services Assistant
College of Lake County - Southlake Campus
01.2022 - Current
Reference and Information Literacy Librarian
TutorMe
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Adult Mental Health First Aid, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 10/2024, 10/2027
- Grant Writing Certificate, DePaul University, 09/2024
- How to Research & Write Using Generative AI Tools, LinkedIn Learning, 08/2023
- Paraprofessional Educator Endorsement, ELS(PARA), Illinois State Board of Education, 06/2022, 06/2027
Grant Writing Certificate - Continuing Education Unit
DePaul University
Master's - Library and Information Science
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
Bachelor of Arts - Cultural Anthropology, Politics and Government
University of Arizona
Summary
Organized Archivist with 3-year background in acquiring, managing and maintaining papers, records and collections and a 5-year background in academic librarianship, information literacy instruction, and policy writing and development. Committed to making information easily accessible and following digital industry rules and regulations. Inquisitive and methodical with proficiency in operating content management software such as PastPerfect and ContentDM.
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Professional Working
German
Limited Working
Grants
- Illinois State Archives (ISHRAB), Historical Records Grant, 04/2024
- McHenry County College Community Foundation Grant, 11/2024
Committees
- Collaborative Programming Committee, 08/2024, Present
- Community College Archive Committee, 09/2024
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