2018 CLA ELECTIONS
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Candidates for President:
Candidates for Secretary
Candidates for Board
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Shawn Thrasher, Ontario City Library
Board at Large
 Shawn Thrasher has been working in libraries since high school. He earned his Masters in Library Science from Emporia State University (Kansas) in 1998, and worked as a Youth Services Librarian at Johnson County (Kansas) Library for five years. In 2001, he moved to California and started working at Pasadena Public Library as teen librarian. In 2005, he took a position as Monrovia Public Library’s Senior Librarian, which he held until 2011. For the last six years, he has worked at Ontario City Library, first as Assistant Director, and since March 2018 as Director. Shawn has been active in American Library Association and California Library Association. He is a Eureka! fellow (2010). He has co-presented the annual Serving With A Purpose conference for library friends, trustees, volunteers and the staff who work with them for six years. He currently serves on the advisory board of the California Center for the Book.
Candidate Statement
Before I moved to California in 2001, I was working at the nationally well-regarded, locally well-used, and (at least then) well-funded Johnson County Library system. I was also very active in American Library Association. My (now) husband finished his doctorate in 2001, and a tenure-track college job re-located us to California. I have to admit, that first year I was lost. All of my Kansas connections were gone. I didn’t understand anything about California; schools were different, taxes were different; traffic was WAY different. But gradually, I came to know and then to love California.
Right off the bat, I became active in what eventually became the Southern California Library Cooperative, meeting and networking with other teen and youth services librarians throughout southern California. After a few years, I joined the board of the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California, and met more public librarians, as well as school librarians and authors. Eventually through conferences and workshops, I gradually built and strengthened my knowledge of California libraries. I asked many questions and paid attention to how our public libraries in southern California operate, how we are funded, and how libraries and librarians interact at the state level.
One thing I quickly learned was that money is California is always tight; the Great Recession made it even tighter, but that librarians throughout the state are ingenious in making their budgets stretch and grow to serve patrons in strong, good and unique ways.
Over time, I became less active in the national library association because I thought (and still think) that California Library Association, as an instrument for change and growth, has the greater power and potential to make change and help our libraries thrive, especially in times of need.
More than ever in our history, libraries are being much-used by our communities and much talked about by our politicians and thought leaders. Millennials love us. Every major city and many smaller cities have brand new library buildings. This is a prime time to build leaders for the future. In 2010, I attended Eureka! Leadership Institute, a move that changed my professional life. Eureka! gave me renewed energy and confidence in my abilities as a leader and change agent. I learned hard lessons about my professional flaws, and found out new things about my strengths and abilities. I firmly believe that in order for our association to thrive, and our libraries to thrive, we need to continually build leaders through personal mentorship and in-person experiences; the next generation of leaders need constantly adaptive “eureka” moments that CLA can provide and nurture.
I believe in the power of volunteerism and advocacy. I have worked closely with Friends of the Library for seven years, including co-presenting a conference in Ontario for friends, volunteers, trustees, foundation members, and volunteer coordinators. I’ve discovered that there is a network of library lovers throughout our state who love and support the library. They are not necessarily untapped, but I believe their power should not be taken for granted; they can be harnessed in times of need, and should be nurtured in times of plenty.
Finally, I know that our library world is always morphing and changing. Our storytimes have become miniature classrooms; our libraries have become spaces for makers to gather and create; our service to groups such as veterans has changed what we do. I think we should remain open to and adopt new ideas – but remain cognizant of our past. Stop and ask someone on the street about libraries, and inevitably “books” will come up first. Even your own family members probably still match books with libraries automatically. I don’t think this is negative thing. Books are our brand; we should continue using the branding power of books and reading as hooks into all the other amazing things our libraries can offer.
As a CLA board member, I will use my knowledge and experience of our libraries in California to encourage the growth of new leaders, work with our friends and volunteers, assist our libraries throughout the state in adapting to change, honor our great past, and support the many communities of patrons that make up our great state.
Questionnaire
- How do you define leadership?
I always think about President Harry S Truman whenever I think about leadership. He was a small town guy from the Midwest (like me; he from Missouri, me from Kansas) who made it big in the world, but tried to stay grounded and not get a swelled head. He made some of the most difficult decisions that that a president has ever had to make in our history, which he agonized over - but once made, slept well and didn’t linger over regrets. He was capable of change; he had the small town racial & ethnic prejudice of his time, but also rushed to recognize the new nation of Israel and desegregated the US Army. He said two things that define leadership: the famous “The buck stops here” and “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Those two quotes define leadership for me.
- Why are you interested in this position?
I believe in the power of California Library Association to make a difference in the professional lives of working librarians throughout the state. I love this organization, I’m proud to be a member, and feel that the opportunities the organization has provided for me in leadership, learning and professional development has helped me grow and thrive in our field. I’m interested in taking an active role at a statewide level to help other California librarians experience the same benefits I have received from being a CLA member.
- How would you describe your personal leadership / communication style?
There is a quote from Lao Tzu about leadership that is in heavy rotation all over the Internet, but I still think it best describes the kind of leader I want people to think I am. “A leader is best when people barely know that he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worst when they despise him. Fail to honor people, they fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aims fulfilled, they will all say, ‘We did this ourselves.’ ” Leadership is the art of inspiring the best in others. As for communication style: I try to listen, offer comfort and advice, play the devil’s advocate as needed, and laugh as loudly and much as I can.
- What strengths do you bring to this position?
I think people would say I’m honest, amiable, and smart. I like everyone. I try to create win/win situations. J.R.R. Tolkien, who is one of my favorite writers, wrote in The Hobbit: “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” I think I’m good at considering “dragons”; I like to think deeply and long about challenges and dislike making rash decisions. Tolkien also wrote, in the same novel: “Never laugh at live dragons” – I also think I can be politically savvy.
- What experience do you bring to this position?
I have been a librarian for 20 years. I started as a children’s librarian in the suburbs of Kansas City, MO, a job I held for five years; became Teen Librarian for Pasadena Public Library for four years; was Senior Librarian for Youth Services at Monrovia Public Library for six years; and was Assistant Director of Ontario City Library for five years. I’ve recently been promoted to Director of Ontario City Library. I have been active in American Library Association (chairing two YALSA committees) and CLA (presenting at numerous conferences; serving on program planning committee and conference planning committee in 2016, and chairing the successful 2017 Night Track committee). I’ve also been active in the past for MCLS/SCLC children’s committee (president 2010), served on the board of the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California (2005-2009). Currently on advisory board for California Center for the Book. I attended Eureka! Leadership Institute in 2010. I’ve also been one of the organizers of the annual Serving With A Purpose one day conference in Ontario, which draws between 200-300 Friends, foundation members, trustees and the librarians who work them for a one day networking and learning opportunity.
- What issues or trends are particularly informing you at this time?
The maker community excites me and I have been instrumental in the development and opening of Ontario City Library’s new Lightspeed makerspace in the last year. I care deeply about literacy, especially early literacy, and have challenged Ontario’s youth services librarians to rethink and retool storytimes to fit early literacy models. Friends of the Library and volunteerism are also important to me. I think STEAM is an important concept for libraries to adopt in programming, but (as someone who will testify that high school art classes saved my life), I strive to make sure that the Arts part of STEAM remains as important as the science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
- Who are thought leaders who interest you?
In the library world, I follow Patrick Sweeney and have attended one of his advocacy workshops; I like seeing what he is up to and hearing what he is saying about advocacy and being political in our actions as librarians. Outside the library world, I think RuPaul is probably one of the most underrated but influential thinkers and rule breakers we have in our culture right now; his truths “we’re all born naked and the rest is drag” and “everybody say love” are as leadership driven as Harry S Truman’s life lessons I mentioned above. He also has much to teach us as librarians about the importance of branding – he almost single handedly rebranded drag queens in the last ten years from fringe elements to front and center in much of our culture.
- Who are the regional leaders and statewide stakeholders libraries need to be in communication with?
There are partnership opportunities with colleges and university, particularly community colleges (literature teachers, art and music teachers, and university librarians) that remain mostly untapped. I definitely think we need keep reaching out to work with various maker and tech communities throughout the state.
- What do feel are the most critical challenges and opportunities facing California libraries right now?
I think we need more leadership opportunities for librarians in all stages of their careers. I also think the popularity of libraries among millennials is an opportunity for libraries. Finally, we need to have regular CLA meet-ups and meetings outside of the annual CLA conference that allows our members to come together. Professional leadership is grown through little gardens of opportunities like this.
- Describe your experience serving on Association committees and/or interest groups?
Although I had attended CLA conferences in the past, I feel that my involvement really came to fruition with my Eureka! Fellowship in 2010. In 2016, I was involved in conference planning and program planning. In 2017, I was involved in conference planning, specifically leading the Night Track committee. Since 2016, I have been on the advisory board for California Center for the Book. In 2016 and 2017, I hosted Orange County meet ups for CLA members.
- Describe your network of connections with library professional and library stakeholders in California.
I love networking and chatting with people about what is going on in their libraries. In 2015 and 2016, I volunteered at the check-in for conference so I could “meet and greet” as many people as I was able. My involvement in boards and committees at various levels and in a variety of leadership roles has introduced me to many people throughout the state. I’m active on California Libraries Facebook page. I consider my Eureka connections to be greatly important. Over the years, I’ve encouraged my library school students as interns or volunteers to become active in CLA and watched their careers grow and thrive.
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