Jennifer Baker has served as City Librarian for Benicia, CA since January 2022. Her 30+ year career includes pivotal, leadership roles in communities ranging from 10,000 to 1 million. Having worked in all areas of public, support, and administrative services in both public and school libraries, she frequently says of her career that she has done everything “except get up on the roof—yet”. Highlights include collaborating on statewide projects with the California State Library such as the Student Success Card Initiative, teaching with Infopeople, serving as a CLA board member for four years, including three on the executive board, and serving as director of the first library in California to be named a Best Small Library in America Finalist. Jennifer earned her MLS from Texas Woman’s University and a master’s in public administration from CSU, Fresno. She is also serving her third term as Trustee of Napa Valley College.
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CANDIDATE STATEMENT Hello California Library People! I am excited to run for President of CLA because, like you, I am passionate about libraries. Our libraries are havens for respite and life-long learning and support, committed to empowering our users. We specialize in building connections and regularly claim the moniker of community hub. In this increasingly high-pressure, demanding world, it’s easy to forget we are not alone. This is why, if elected, I want to focus my energies on our membership. I want to do this for two reasons: 1) CLA will never thrive without strong member engagement and 2) we deserve a professional organization that serves as a community hub for us. Every day, I navigate tasks “they didn’t teach in library school,” yet I’ve succeeded, thanks in large part to the colleagues and friends I’ve made along the way. There is always someone ready to help. I want to rethink how we connect and share with each other, exploring new ways to engage members at every level. Being part of a professional organization isn’t simply about adding a line to your resume or getting a discount to conference —it’s about opening doors to opportunities, forming meaningful connections, deepening your expertise, leveraging resources, and shaping a career that aligns with your goals and aspirations. Beyond conference, I want to work with members to create fresh opportunities to celebrate our achievements, learn from our challenges, and develop strategies for overcoming common hurdles. Together we can unlock the treasure trove CLA membership provides. |
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