Meet Amy Dickinson, New Regional Services Librarian

We’re very excited to welcome librarian Amy Dickinson as the Network’s new Regional Services Librarian, starting December 2nd. Amy has been working as a public librarian in Montrose, CO most recently, but has worked across various settings—in institutions of higher education, public schools, public libraries, and nonprofits. She’s a community-builder and a problem-solver, whether leading workshops on how to create new playgrounds through asset-based development, connecting authors and illustrators to rural and metropolitan classrooms, collaborating with neighboring library districts to publish a teen literary magazine, or building virtual networks with college students through online classroom platforms. She knows how the possibilities in communities multiply when resources, knowledge, and skills are shared within networks. She has an MLIS from University of Maryland – College Park, an MA in early childhood special education, and an MFA in poetry. She also geeks out on Bananagrams and stories by Ted Chiang.

Amy is going to be spending a lot of attention on collaborative inquiry teams. These are small, temporary, cross-organizational groups that wish to articulate a joint question, investigate it in a hands-on way, and record and share their findings. These groups help build relationships within and across regions, encourage experimentation and hands-on learning, create publishing or presentation opportunities for those who seek them, and invigorate practitioners’ work by addressing specific topics relevant to their work and interests. If that already piques your interest, or if you would be willing to let Amy treat you to a coffee and pick your brain, please send her a note at amy@nnyln.org.