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April Parker

1507 Elwood Avenue │ Greensboro, NC 27403 │ (862) 588-1521

aprilparker83@gmail.com

EDUCATION Masters of Library and Information Studies Expected May 2013 University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), Greensboro, North Carolina Bachelor of Art in Sociology 2010 Kean University, Union, New Jersey Associate of General Science 2006 Graduated with honors cum laude Virginia Western Community College, Salem, Virginia PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE UNCG Harold Schiffman Music Library, Greensboro, NC Lead Student Worker (August 2012-present)

● Provide reference services, including research utilizing the Internet and

various databases ● Manage circulation functions using Sirsi Dynix system ● Curate, assemble, and arrange materials for the “Women of Jazz” display ● Organized “Women in Jazz” Program; an evening of children’s stories and

performances ● Assist patrons with the use of AV equipment (materials, laptops, cameras,

etc.) UNCG Jackson Library, Greensboro, NC Reference Intern (August 2012-March 2013)

● Assist scholars and faculty with research efforts via phone, chat, email,

and face-to-face contact ● Analyze patrons’ requests to determine needed information and assist in

furnishing or locating that information ● Provide reference and research assistance within multiple disciplines

including Health, Social Science, Business, and Humanities ● Provide excellent customer service when assisting patrons in locating

materials, using computer terminals, using microfilm and accessing digital

resources. ● Advise patrons of library policies

UNCG Women and Gender Studies (WGS), Greensboro, NC Department Library Graduate Assistant/Special Library Consultant (August 2012-

present) ● Initiated and maintained the Intersectionality Information Alliance; a

Collaborative Collection Development Program ● Served as a liaison between all involved Intersectionality Information

Alliance parties; including UNCG WGS Department and Library committee,

Guilford College LGBTQ coordinator and student staff, and The Eternal

Summer Black Feminist Mind Lending Library. ● Curated Read OUT Loud exhibit “Read OUT Loud,”, is a captured

opportunity to combine activism, books and identity through art. Using the

medium of photography, this exhibit addresses the absence of LGBTQ lives

in literacy campaigns, mainstream education, and the healing through

bibliotherapy.” Promotion, written by April Parker ● Developed library procedures, policies, and strategic planning

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● Organized collections of books and reference materials for convenient

access ● Organized Library-sponsored lectures, outreach programming which is

WGS Library specific, events, and mounting exhibitions ● Catalogued and organized display materials ● Assisted with web maintenance ● Trained and supervised new employees in regard to Library procedures

and policies ● Created a tutorial/orientation about navigating the catalog ● Organized WGS/LIS department intern program; created job description ● Organized and Committee Member of the WGS Library Advisory

Committee ● Secured $500 in funding from private donor for library budget

Guilford College Bayard Rustin Center for LGBTQQA Activism, Education &

Reconciliation, Greensboro, North Carolina Collection Manager, Intern (January 2012-Present)

● Oversee the Interlibrary Lending operations ● Create quarterly displays ● Assist with volunteer recruitment, and train potential volunteers ● Assist with website development ● Provide information literacy instruction for those interested in research

pertaining to the LGBTQQA population ● Develop strategic planning, library operating procedures, and policy ● Initiate and manage book drives by contacting and maintaining

communication with potential donors ● Grant writing ● Organized book talks, and hosted traveling exhibit

Elsewhere Museum and Living Library, Greensboro, North Carolina

Outreach/Program Coordinator (January 2012-May 2012) ● Established and facilitated reading group, Queerly Beloved: Greensboro’s

LGBTQ Literature Circle that catered to the LGBTQ people of color

population (on-going) ● Assisted with diversity initiative outreach via social media, email, and

phone ● Initiated collaborative relationships with local organization including

Glenwood Recreation Department, The Boys and Girls Club of the

Americas, and The Beloved Community Center ● Conducted local research to identify and address public service needs ● Assisted with public events, and helped staff the library

North Carolina Agricultural and Technology State University (NC A&T) F.

D Bluford Library, Greensboro, North Carolina Library Intern (October 2011-August 2012)

● Handled and digitized historic archival material ● Created bibliographic MARC records, abstracts, subject heading for original

works ● Catalogued records into an Integrated Library System ● Conducted “Lift Every Voice : A Needs Assessment of LGBTQ services and

collection at a HBCU Academic Library.” Assessment of LGBTQ literature

quality and quantity and overall cultural climate of the university. ● Assisted in the design of NC A&T’s Safe Zone outreach materials, created

Library Safe Zone exhibit that was shown within Bluford Library January

2012 through May 2012 ● Assisted in grant research and proposals for $5,000 and $10,000

respectively

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● Created purchasing lists to improve LGBTQ collection holdings VOLUNTEER WORK Queer People of Color Collective of the Triad (QPOCC), Co-founder and

Lead Organizer (October 2010-present) ● Organized and collaborated with national organization, Sistah Sinema and

local Geeksboro Coffeehouse Cinema to host a monthly LGBTQ movie. ● Founder and Facilitator of monthly meetings of Queerly Beloved:

Greensboro’s LGBTQ Literature Circle. Focus is primarily readings

pertaining/written by people of color. ● Creator and Facilitator of Rainbow Readings Program: Storytime that is

inclusive of LGBTQ children’s literature. ● Organize and facilitate monthly general assembly meetings at Glenwood

Recreation Center ● Partnered with Protect ALL NC Families for fundraising events (April 2012) ● Organize community based projects and events: Meet and Greet, Story

Telling, ● Represented QPOCC at many meetings

UNCG Student Chapter of the Progressive Library Guild, President Recognized student organization (September 2012- present)

● Secured and awarded post proposal, $175.00 in funding from the UNCG

Multicultural Resource Center to organize a Human Library. ● Organized Fundraising Ventures ● Collaborated with several organizations, and student groups, to build

relationships, provide community service. ● Proposed and Partnered with Glenwood Neighborhood Association to host

Book Swap events (December 2012, March 2013) ● Organized Book Drive for Reading Connections, Interactive Resource

Center and Prison Books ● Organized, facilitated and collaborated with the student group Library and

Information Studies Student Association (LISSA) to host a discussion

forum, “Dinner, Dessert, and Discussion”, to create a platform for critical

discourse regarding library issues. ● Initiated and organized grassroots advocacy launched on behalf of the

UNCG Jackson Friends of the Library.

Greensboro Public Library-Glenwood Branch, Greensboro, North Carolina Volunteer (November 2010- June 2011)

● Organized collection and shelved books ● Provided customer service

Reading Connections, Greensboro, NC ESOL & Adult Literacy Teacher (August 2010- June 2011)

● Organized field trips, taking monthly excursions to Greensboro Historical

Museum and Greensboro Downtown Central Library ● Assisted participants in acquiring library cards ● Taught weekly English and grammar instruction to non United States

natives ● Attended volunteer trainings ● Kept current records of classroom attendance and updates

AWARDS Academic and Cultural Enrichment (ACE) Scholar 2011-2013, UNCG

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Joanne B. Craft Adult Student Scholarship 2012 IDeal Summit Poster Presentation 3rd place, 2012. Poster Presentation: Don’t

Confuse my Discomfort for Information Illiteracy: How Culturally Competent

Librarians Can Foster and Information Literate Society Warrior Healer Scholarship (Community Award) 2013 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS UNCG Student Chapter of the Progressive Library Guild, President and Founder UNCG Jackson Library Student Library Advisory Committee, Secretary Queer People of Color Collective of the Triad, Lead Community Organizer/Co-

founder American Library Association Black Caucus of the American Library Association Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Round Table Progressive Library Guild Nations Organization Southerners on New Ground (S.O.N.G) PRESENTATIONS/CONFERENCES North Carolina Library Association (NCLA) 59th Biennial Conference: Libraries: The

Next Generation (October 2011). Panellist: Transforming the Education of

Diverse Students: Learning Through Dialogue with the Next Generation of

Librarians North Carolina Agricultural and Technology State University, Masters Level Social

Work Class (March 2012). Panellist: Discussion about Intersections of

Oppression. University of North Carolina at Greensboro Graduate Student and New

Professionals Research (April 2012). Poster Presentation: Lift Every Voice: A

Needs Assessment of LGBTQ Services at Bluford Library, NC A & T State

University. 2nd Annual Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC), Kansas City Missouri,

(September 2012). Ignite Session/Speaker Presentation: Cultural Competency

and Librarianship. University of North Carolina at Greensboro 4th iDeal Summit: Information Literacy

Across the Lifespan (November 2012). Poster Session (collaboration

presentation), 3rd place winner: Don’t Confuse my Discomfort from Information

Illiteracy: How Cultural Competent Librarians Can Foster and Information Literate

Society. Created handout. Rainbow Readings Program Series of LGBTQ story time throughout the Triad

(November 2012-present). Creator and Presenter. Hosting Locations:

Glenwood Branch Library and Winston Salem Central Library (November 2012),

High Point Public Library (May 2013). Assisted the Director of Children’s Literature

in GPL in developing LGBTQ literature suggested reading list to illuminate LGBTQ

holdings found in their collection using an unpublished assessment I co-authored

titled, Out and Loud in the Library; a Study of the accessibility, existence, or

absence of LGBTQQ literature within Greensboro NC Public Libraries. Created

supporting handout and exhibit (viewing/distribution April 2013) Parker, A. (March 2013-May 2013). Read OUT Loud exhibit. Greensboro, NC;

UNCG Multicultural Resource Center. Shown at the UNCG Multicultural Resource

Center Curated and Presented Artist Talk

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Parker, A. (March 23, 2013; April 1, 2013) . Artist Talk, Hosted: Queer Covers

traveling exhibit. Lesbian Herstory Archives; Brooklyn, NY Upcoming: University of North Carolina at Greensboro ACE Scholar Un-Hushed Conference 2:

From Talk to Walk: A Multicultural Information Skillshare (upcoming April 6,

2013) Chair of Planning Committee, Organizer of the Human Library

Session, and sole-fundraiser secured $2,000.00 (including monies and

gift donations). Lecture Series (Future Date April 11, 2013). Guilford College, Bayard Rustin

Center. Designed and presenting an Information Literacy Instruction:

Information Literacy for LGBTQ Research Methods: How to Get Resourceful to get

to the Resources. SEWSA Conference (Future Date April 20, 2013). Workshop/Self-Guided Tour:

We Are a Part of the Story: A LGBTQ Legacy Literacy Campaign. The Conference for Entrepreneurial Librarians Social Entrepreneurship in Action.

(Future Date May 2013). Panellist: How to Provide Cultural Competent Service

to LGBTQ students. “Lift Every Voice : A Needs Assessment of LGBTQ services and collection at a

HBCU Academic Library.” Assessment of LGBTQ literature quality and quantity

and overall cultural climate of the university. Poster Presentation. ● Poster was accepted into the international conference LGBTI ALMS 2012

The Future of LGBTI Histories. ● Poster will be presented at the BCALA 8th National Conference of African

American Librarians. (Future Date August 2013). CERTIFICATIONS/TRAININGS Daring to be Powerful Community Organizing Training of the Audre Lorde Project,

New York (May 2011) UNCG Multicultural Resource Center inaugural year of the Reclaiming Ourselves

Organizing Together for Social Justice (R.O.O.T.S) Institute (April 2012) OTHER EXPERIENCE Prudential, Roseland, NJ

Short-term Disability Claims Manager (May 2010 – October 2006)

● Managed national accounts; Processed disability claims and oversaw

distribution of funds; Maintained on-going contact via email and/or

telephone for both clients and customers; Resolved customer service

issues

Home Shopping Network, Roanoke, VA

Customer Service Representative (October 2006 – July 2004)

● Received inbound calls and obtained order information; Provided Product

Information; Troubleshot shipping arrangements; Negotiated payment

arrangements

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Honey Tree Learning Center, Roanoke, VA

Lead Teacher (July 2004 – June 2003)

● Provided daily academic and social enrichment to a classroom of 15

toddlers; Acted as a liaison between parents and administration; Ensured

maintenance of property and classroom; Supervised assistant teachers

Discovery Childcare, South Orange, NJ

Teacher (June 2003 – March 2000)

● Began as Assistant Teacher, later promoted to Lead Teacher of

preschoolers; Constructed components of curriculum; Created semi-annual

choreographed performances for youth