Consultant Alumni Interview: Jackie Hawes

Dr. Rusty Carpenter recently had the chance to catch up with Jackie Hawes, a Noel Studio consultant alum. Originally from Marshall County, Kentucky, Jackie Hawes obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Murray State University.  In August 2009, she moved to Richmond, Kentucky to attend graduate school at the University of Kentucky.  While working on her Master of Science in Library Science, she worked at UK’s Agricultural Information Center and as a consultant at Eastern Kentucky University’s Noel Studio for Academic Creativity.  In 2011, she moved to Maysville, Kentucky to serve as the Library Coordinator at Maysville Community and Technical College.  Recently, Jackie began her new role as Director of Washington (MO) Public Library. 

What is your current role, institution, and research interest?

I’m the Director at Washington (MO) Public Library.  My current research interests are public libraries, collection development in public libraries, working with a Board of Trustees, children and young adults, and public library programming. 

What led you to this phase of your career?

A desire to enjoy going to work every day and to feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from doing that job.

How did your experience and training as a consultant in the Noel Studio prepare you for your current role?

Working as a consultant allowed me to enhance my communication skills while helping others with their communication projects.  Communication plays a key part in my administrative role.  I must be able to communicate with my staff, patrons, board of trustees, service organizations I’m involved with, the Friends of the Library organization, newspaper, and city council. 

How did consulting in the Noel Studio help shape your career goals? Short-term (3-5 years) and long-term (5-10+ years)?

Short term:  I knew that I wanted to work in an atmosphere that nurtured creativity and critical thinking. 

Long term:  I wanted to become an administrator, so I could have a hand in shaping the culture of an organization. 

What’s the most interesting project you plan to be involved in (or are involved in) at your current institution?

In January, we will be changing to an open source Integrated Library System called Evergreen and joining a larger consortium (MOBIUS). 

What skills did you learn in the Noel Studio that have been helpful for you as an administrator?

Strengthening my critical thinking skills and learning to be more open-minded and “think outside the box” which creates a desire to try new things

What advice would you give to current consultants?  Any advice for future consultants?

Soak up every Noel Studio experience (consultations, seminars, conversations with staff and other consultants, etc.) and look for innovative ways to apply those experiences, or what you learned from those experiences, to your education, career, communication methods, and life in general.

Contact Information

Becky Grandgeorge
rebecca.grandgeorge@eku.edu
859-622-7403

Published on January 27, 2014