Consultant Profiles

Meet your STLS consultants!

Don’t let the title “consultant” in our job titles and descriptions put you off. The Southern Tier Library System was formed by forward thinking librarians in Allegany, Steuben, and Yates counties to share not just material resources – but intellectual resources as well. They knew no one library could have all the skills in-house that a library needs.

As STLS gained its charter, it was funded through the Department of Education to support a staff of professional librarians who would create a culture of equitability between our service communities. Included in our mandated staff because of their vitally important role in library service to community were Outreach Consultant & Resource Sharing positions.  For quick contact reference, visit the STLS Staff Page. Consider clicking the Consultation Directory tab so you can match your consultation interest with the perfect STLS Librarian.

As ever, remember that consultation from STLS is free of charge to our membership. It is funded through the annual state budget. If you value our service to you, join us when we advocate for state funding. We can’t support you if we can’t support our consultants in the impactful work they do.

Ken Behn – STLS Assistant Director – Director of Information Technology

In 2019, Ken celebrated twenty years with STLS. Having been hired as an Automation Consultant in 1999, Ken now acts as Assistant Director and the Director of Information Technology.

The Division of Information Technology, which he oversees, includes the ILS (the catalog which contains all of our member library collections AND the database which contains all of our member library patrons), E-Rate (the federal reimbursement program that subsidizes member library internet costs), website servers, IT procurement and support, and STLS email.

Ready Consultation / Presentation Topics:
• Business Continuity Planning after Disaster
• IT Planning & Policies
• IT Security Practices and Security Awareness Training

Lorie Brown – Manager, Division of Professional Development

Since Lorie Brown joined STLS in 2000, she has worked tirelessly on behalf of the cooperative’s members. Before arriving she received her Masters in Library Science from the University of Albany, and has served in many public and school library capacities. People at your library will know Lorie as the force behind the system’s annual Summer Learning Open House. As the head of our largest division, the Division of Professional Development & Outreach, her team is responsible for the incredible programming you and your library staff may attend.

Ready Consultation / Presentation Topics:
Programming
• Early Literacy Programming & Family Support
• Youth Programming
Out-of-System Inter Library Loan (ILL)
Collection Management
• Weeding
• Buying from Library Vendors
• Community Aligned Selection

Keturah Cappadonia – Outreach Consultant

Keturah joined STLS after nearly a decade of service to community libraries in our greater region. Keturah’s mission-driven librarianship has led her to creating new outreach opportunities between agencies and member libraries, as well as unprecedented support to our historically under-served community members: those incarcerated, experiencing homelessness and poverty, as well as those for whom physical boundaries limit access.
Consider joining her to staff a County Fair booth!

Ready Consultation / Presentation Topics:
• Health & Wellness Literacy in the Library
• Programming & Resources for Independent Learning
• Building & Strengthening Agency Partnerships
• Services to historically under-served community members

Mandy Fleming – Manager, Integrated Library System

Mandy has long been recognized as the go-to person at STLS for directors and staff throughout our membership. A 2015 Professional Achievement Award winner from the NYS Section on Management of Information Resources and Technology, Mandy never slows down in her efforts to support member libraries as they provide the best collection experience to their communities.

Ready Consultation / Presentation Topics:
Cataloging
• Local cataloging process & system-wide impacts
Workflows
• Tips to improve service & accuracy
BlueCloud Analytics
• Data analysis for selection, weeding, & open hours
Policy Development
• Circulation – fees, item types, loan periods
• Patron registration

Brian Hildreth – Executive Director

Brian works with STLS member libraries to help with all administrative and governance consulting (see the long list below). Did you also know that for years he has been the voice of our region in statewide regulatory conversations? He has submitted evidence to all legislative committees relating to libraries and library funding. He serves on the Regents Advisory Council for Libraries, as the President of the Public Library Systems Directors Organization, and over the years on the NYLA Legislative Advocacy Committee. He’s a small library unmasked crusader, and we are so thankful.

Ready Consultation / Presentation Topics:
Administration:
• Budgeting, Tax Compliance, Personnel
Governance:
• Policy Development, Director Hiring & Evaluation
Funding:
• Advocacy, Public Vote Referendums, Capital Campaigns
Facilities:
• Construction Aid Program Administration

Erika Jenns – Engagement Consultant

As the Engagement Consultant, Erika takes the lead system-wide marketing, manages digital resources, coordinates the Annual Report for Public and Association Libraries for all library outlets, and enjoys working with libraries on projects ranging from policy development to newspaper digitization.

Ready Consultation / Presentation Topics:
Digital Marketing & Interfaces:
• WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
Digital Library Platforms
Annual Reporting to the State
Preservation Planning & Book Repair

Haleigh Mikolajczyk – Program Consultant

Haleigh joins STLS with a background in public services and program coordination stemming across both Academic and Public Libraries. We are looking forward to her impacts as she begins to assist members in system-wide public awareness events, youth services, program resource kits, and interlibrary loan.   

Ready Consultation / Presentation Topics:

Youth Services (all ages), Passive/Self-Directed Programming, Shelving for Programming, Shelf Appeal, Weeding, ILL, Delivery, Program Resource Kits