Each month, we feature a Core member for an interview profile called #IAmCore. This month, meet Beth Wallis, who Wallis is a member of the Core Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Association Dean at Oakland University.
1. Describe yourself in three words.
- Human-centered
- Creative
- Compassionatet
2. Describe Core in three words
- Pragmatic
- Educational
- Network-building
3. What do you value about Core?
By bringing together the areas of technical services, leadership, and technology, Core provides a forum for librarians from key areas of the field to gather for discussion, learning, and community. Core Forum consistently includes relevant sessions that provide information that I can take back to my library and apply right away, and the work that I have been a part of on Core committees is focused and practical.
4. How long have you been a Core member?
I joined Core in 2023.
5. What drew you to and continues to attract you to the Core Community?
As a relatively new administrator I was looking for a community of library leaders to learn from and with, and knowing that the Library Leadership and Management Association had merged into Core, I knew I wanted to become a member of Core. I stay because of the community of like-minded librarians who want to learn and grow together.
6. What are you working on now that you’re excited about?
My library recently launched a Library of Things, and I’m the lead on the project. It has been exciting to roll out the collection, and it has been incredibly rewarding to build collaborations with units across campus to market the
collections to our students in creative ways.
7. What are you currently reading/listening to/watching/making?
I finally started the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and I’m totally hooked. I’ve gotthe whole series loaded up on my Kindle and I’m tearing through them.
8. What advice can you share with others for a fulfilling and beneficial Core experience?
As with all professional organizations, you get out what you put in. Seek out volunteer opportunities that align with your values, and make as many connections with fellow members as you can.
9. Anything else you’d like to share?
If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend attending Core Forum. There are so many great sessions, and lots of networking opportunities.
