Brodie Austin Email & Phone Number

Portland, Or, Us

Chicago, Illinois, United States

I work with small business owners and non-profits to create modern, flexible websites to meet organizational goals. I also conduct freelance usability research for clients. My skills focus on Craft CMS, Django, and WordPress.

Manage the Virtual Community Engagement department to create engaging web products and content for the library’s users and community. Manage and mentor three full-time and two part-time staff, including a web developer, content strategist, informatics librarian, and two production specialists. Participate in the senior management team and related committees to provide vision and leadership in the areas of digital strategy, technology, marketing, and online library services. Use analytics, user research, and testing to design effective online presences and services.AccomplishmentsLed the internal redevelopment of the library’s website through an iterative design process using wireframes, functional prototypes, and user testing. Streamlined information architecture and content to improve findability and user experience. Increased user engagement on the site, including 3x increase in chat sessions.Incorporated regular user testing into the design and development the library’s web products. Advocated and trained other teams in the library to use these approaches in their own work.Led an effective evaluation process to sunset a community information site (skokienet.org) and launch a new community site using the LocalWiki platform (skokiewiki.org). Created and hired a new position to lead this project.

Des Plaines, Illinois

Provide strategic thinking and direction to the library’s administration and board about the Web and consumer technology. Serve on the library’s iTeam and Communications teams that report on technology and marketing matters. Develop and maintain the library’s website, staff intranet, Des Plaines Memory digital archive, and other library-related project sites using modern web design practices like web standards, progressive enhancement, user-centered design, and version control. Monitor and analyze usage statistics across the library’s web properties using tools like Google Analytics. Train staff and write documentation for new web based products and procedures. Lead classes for the public on social media and technology. Create and curate content for blogs, social media, and Youtube. Accomplishments:Led the redevelopment of the library’s website on a content management system using user-centered design thinking.Customized the user experience of OCLC's widely ContentDM online digital collection management system and have been invited to present that work by OCLC at ALA and online webinars.Built tools with our catalog's application programming interface (API) to make using cataloging that other libraries have looked to for inspiration and code.Created a webmasters’ networking group for the Cooperative Computing Services (CCS) consortium that meets quarterly to discuss website design, development, and usability.Led a monthly lunch-time technology discussion for staff called “Byte Club”.Facilitated an active creative writing group and National Novel Writing Month events for the library.

Provided superior customer service and maintained quality partnerships with over 60 schools and other cultural organizations. Responsible for overall operations for the department and the direction and management of the Newberry Teachers’ Consortium, a professional development program for Chicago-area secondary teachers. Supervised the Program Assistant, Document Collection Project Coordinator, and Interns. Developed seminar topics, recruited scholars and designed electronic document collection resources for teachers. Analyzed satisfaction surveys and other data to evaluate program quality and develop processes to improve programs. Developed social media strategies and products for the department and library. Accomplishments:Increased membership in Newberry Teachers’ Consortium from 600 annual participants to nearly 900 in under two years, increasing program revenue by nearly 20%. Developed “the Newberry Minute” video series for Youtube which increased the library’s visibility and impact online.

Prepared and taught weekly discussion sections for undergraduate students enrolled in lecture courses. Collaborated with course instructor and other teaching assistants to set weekly teaching agenda. Monitored student progress and met with students regularly. Evaluated student writing and assigned final course grades.

Provided customer service for library patrons including research assistance and circulation functions. Designed and maintained promotional displays for online databases and new reference materials. Participated in a major redesign of the department website and created a resource pathfinder for less experienced library users. Developed and taught classes on database use to library patrons. Managed a large weeding project of newspaper clipping files in the business reference section. Promoted from Shelving Aide in 2001.

Initiated reorganization and cleanup projects in stacks including weeding projects. Assisted library patrons in locating library materials.Responsible for timely processing and shelving of library materials.

Master Of Science, Library And Information Science

Master Of Arts, English Literature 2007

Master Of Arts, English Literature 2003

Bachelor Of Arts, English Literature