Resume / CV
Education
PhD | Spring 2021 - present | The University of Alabama
Currently pursuing a PhD in Communication and Library and Information Science
Graduate Research Assistant for the Department of Communication and Information Science
Research interests specific to sustainability of public libraries in rural communities.
Master of Arts| 2017 | The University of Alabama Library and Information Science
Master of Arts | 2011 | The University of Alabama Birmingham
English and Creative Writing
Related coursework: Completed a thesis short-story collection.
Bachelor of Arts| 2009 | The University of Alabama
Major: Journalism
Minor: English
Minor: Blount Undergraduate Initiative and Creative Writing
Currently pursuing a PhD in Communication and Library and Information Science
Graduate Research Assistant for the Department of Communication and Information Science
Research interests specific to sustainability of public libraries in rural communities.
Master of Arts| 2017 | The University of Alabama Library and Information Science
Master of Arts | 2011 | The University of Alabama Birmingham
English and Creative Writing
Related coursework: Completed a thesis short-story collection.
Bachelor of Arts| 2009 | The University of Alabama
Major: Journalism
Minor: English
Minor: Blount Undergraduate Initiative and Creative Writing
Employment History |
Instructor, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 2021 - Present
Instructor of Journalism and Mass Communication Reporting Lab Teaching class of 20 students in hybrid setting. Instructs basic writing and reporting skills. Assists students with developing reporting skills for a variety of journalism related careers, including public relations, newspaper, broadcast and magazine writing. Grades papers, meets with students about assignment development Provides academic advising. Responsible for developing lab in class assignments and providing hand-on learning activities to give students real world learning experience. Adjunct Instructor, Calhoun Community College, Huntsville, AL, Aug. 2021 – Present Teach English 101 in hybrid setting with both in class and online components. Teach English Technical online Instruct basic writing skills for essays, argument writing, reaction writing and rhetoric to students. Responsible for creating assignments within these essay elements. Developed a full Blackboard course that can be taught both in class and in an online setting, if need be. Enters grades, meets with students about grades Director, Scottsboro Public Library, Scottsboro, AL, 2013 - Present
Managed staff of five-six while developing and implementing new communication/accountability systems for employees. Handled all aspects of library business and finances, prepared budgets, maintained monthly accounts payable, financials and more. Developed professional working relationships with elected officials, community organizations, local media outlets and school teachers and officials for library development and for the betterment of community need. Expanded all aspects of programming for children, teens and adults. Upon arrival children’s programming was four programs in a year, now the library has thirty to fifty programs for each age range that come in a variety of ways (in-person, online, take and make, ect) Developed a teen department for the library. Prior to arrival no department nor any books for these readers were present in the library. Significantly increased library programming for all ages by providing innovative programs to enrich lives. Developed creative ways to partner with local school systems, civic organizations, municipality groups and non-profits to establish programs and partnerships. Saw significant increases in circulation, program attendance, library card holders over a two-year initial period at the start of the career. Earned over $700,000 in various grant funding for library programs and projects. Among those include YALSA’s IMLIS funded Future Ready with the Library, a career readiness project that earned the 2018 EBSCO Excellence in Rural Library Service Award. Served as a peer advisor for all three cohorts that took place with this project. Other grants include Google Community grants, LSTA state grants and local grants and partnerships from community members and organizations. Served on various civic and library related organizations to promote library partnerships, including the Scottsboro Rotary Club’s Drop Everything and Read initiative, which provides literacy enrichment to pre-k - 6th graders in Scottsboro. Oversaw continued remodeling of various departments of the building annually, including repainting, shelving installations and staff work station redevelopment. Developed The DEWEY LAB: The first STEAM learning lab in Jackson County for all ages. Reporter/Magazine Editor, The Daily Sentinel, Scottsboro, AL , 2010-2013 Reporter for a weekly newspaper Covered education, features, lifestyles and county government Editor of “Jackson Magazine,” a monthly lifestyles magazine that featured articles about individuals and events in Jackson County. Met daily deadlines for various needs in the newsroom. Photographer, responsible for daily layout of magazine and newspaper Editorial Intern, Trucker’s News, Randall-Reilly, Tuscaloosa, AL, 2008-2009 Wrote for the Advocate feature story section of Truckers News, www.rrpub.com Worked with editors to develop writing skills and editing of stories Wrote the October 2008 Truckers News cover story, “Highway Haunts: A look at haunted highways around America” Editor, The Corolla, The University of Alabama, 2007 - 2009Served for two consecutive years as editor of UA’s yearbook Oversaw and trained a staff of 15-20 UA students Implemented marketing and selling of the yearbook to UA students Advised writing and design styles of staff members Conducted weekly full staff and individual staff meetings to ensure progress of the yearbook. |
Library Involvement |
Alabama Library Association President, 2021- present
Alabama Library Association, Member, 2013 - present Alabama Library Association, Member at Large for the North, 2017 – 2019 Association of Small and Rural Libraries, Member, 2014 - present Alabama Authors Awards Committee, 2015- present Alabama Public Library Service LSTA Grant Council Reviewer, 2017 - present YALSA Blogger Library Management Network, Board Member, 2013 - present Alabama Library Association President- Elect, 2020 |
Library Presentations |
Alabama Library Association Annual Convention, 2016 “Librarian’s Guide to Newspapers.” Gadsden, AL
Association of Small and Rural Libraries Annual Convention, 2016, “Librarians Guide to Newspapers.” Fargo, ND. Association of Middle Level Education Convention, 2017, “IMLS/YALSA Future Ready at the Library,” Philadelphia, PA. Alabama Library Association Annual Convention, 2017, “Community Reads: Racing and Reading,” Montgomery, AL. Alabama Library Association Annual Convention, 2017, “STEM in Libraries,” Joint presentation with North Shelby Library, Montgomery, AL. Alabama Library Association Annual Mid-Winter Convention, 2018, “STEM LAB on a Budget.” Homewood, AL. YALSA’s Future Ready with the Library Cohort 2 Presentation, 2018, Denver, Co. Alabama Library Association Annual Convention, 2018, “Making the Case for Your Library,” Florence, AL. Alabama Library Association Annual Convention, 2018, “Future Ready with the Library @ Your Library,” Florence, AL. American Library Association Annual Convention, 2018, Aligning the Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff to Your Day-to-Day Work, a presentation with YALSA, New Orleans, LA YALSA’s Future Ready with the Library Cohort 3 Presentation, 2018, Salt Lake City, Utah Alabama Library Association Annual Convention, 2019, “Basic Burned Out Unicorns – Burnout in the Workplace,” Point Clear, AL. Alabama Library Association Annual Mid-Winter Convention, 2019, “Basic Burned Out Unicorns – Burnout in the Workplace,” Homewood, AL. Public Library Association Annual Convention, Small Talks Session, “Basic Burned Out Unicorns – Burnout in the Workplace,” 2020, Nashville, Tenn. |
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Publications |
Pitts, L. (2018). Building Better Leaders- A Future Ready with the Library Project. Young Adult Library Services, 16(3), 26–
28. PITTS, L. (2017). A Dance of Organized Chaos: Using a Village to Run a Children’s Program. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 15(4), 15–18. https://doi-org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/10.5860/cal.15.4.15 Pitts, L. (2017). Answering the Call for Middle School College and Career Readiness: YALSA “Future Ready” Project Kicks Off: Learn how rural, small and tribal libraries are helping middle schoolers with college and career readiness. Young Adult Library Services, 15(3), 8–9. |
Community Involvement |
Scottsboro Rotary Club - Board Member, DEAR Day Coordinator
Scottsboro Association of University Women – Member, STEM Grant Coordinator Leadership Jackson County Kids and Kin – Board Member AAUW of Alabama, State Communication Chair Alabama Humanities Foundation Young Professionals Board Member |
Awards / Recognition |
• Alabama Library Association's 2017 Distinguished Service Award.
• Jackson County “20 under 40” • Public Library Association’s EBSCO Excellence in Rural Library Service Award, 2018 •2ND place, Business Reporting, Alabama Associated Press Media Editors Award, 2012 • 1ND place, Best Human Interest Column, Alabama Press Association Better Newspaper Contest, 2011 • Chairman’s Special Recognition for Dedication and Service, awarded by the UA Media Planning Board, 2009 • 3rd place, Personality Profile for Newspapers, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, 2008 • James E. Jacobson Award for Journalistic Writing, awarded by the UA Media Planning Board, 2006-2007 |
Computer Skills / Library Software |
All Microsoft Office Products
Proficient in InDesign, Photoshop, Quark, basic HTML Various content management systems Quickbooks Autographics ILS, OCLC Worldcat, Evergreen Extensive knowledge of tablet computers in both Apple and Android operating systems |