100 Year Committee
Committee Member PLD, Nov 2023 - Nov 2024
Project Overview
As a key member of the 100 Year Anniversary Committee, I played an integral role in planning and executing our institution's centennial celebration. This milestone project required extensive cross-functional collaboration, creative problem-solving, and meticulous attention to detail across multiple concurrent initiatives.
Key Responsibilities & Achievements
Event Planning & Coordination
Spearheaded the development and execution of multiple anniversary events, fostering community engagement and institutional pride
Designed and implemented interactive displays that showcased our institution's rich history through photographs, artifacts, and digital media
Orchestrated commemorative photo opportunities and community activities, creating meaningful connections between past and present
Digital Archives & Historical Preservation
Contributed to the creation of comprehensive digital archives, ensuring the preservation of institutional history for future generations
Collaborated on the development of "Then and Now" digital presentations, highlighting our institution's evolution over the past century
Managed the collection and organization of historical photographs and memorabilia, creating engaging displays that tell our story
Community Engagement & Impact
Developed interactive exhibits that encouraged active participation from visitors, resulting in increased community involvement
Created opportunities for stakeholders to share personal stories and memories, enriching our institutional narrative
Project Management
Coordinated with multiple departments to ensure seamless execution of anniversary initiatives
Managed project timelines and deliverables while maintaining flexibility to accommodate emerging opportunities
Successfully balanced preservation of historical accuracy with the need for engaging, contemporary presentation
Impact & Outcomes
Successfully contributed to multiple celebration events that engaged over 45,000+ community members
Helped create lasting digital and physical archives that will serve as resources for future generations
Strengthened community connections through interactive experiences and shared storytelling
Developed sustainable documentation practices that continue to benefit the institution
100 Year Anniversary Video Content
Video Content
Anniversary Exhibit
As a key member of the four-person communications team, I played a pivotal role in creating a captivating 12-panel exhibit celebrating Palatine Library's centennial.
Our exhibit showcases the library's journey through time, juxtaposing images of early computer systems with our modern facilities, and highlighting longstanding traditions like our Summer Reading Program. This visual storytelling approach not only celebrates our past but also demonstrates how we've adapted to meet the changing needs of our community over the decades.
This collaborative effort culminated in a visually stunning and informative display that resonates deeply with our patrons. The exhibit unexpectedly reconnected long-time members with their own past through rediscovered photographs, fostering a sense of nostalgia and community pride. This project deepened my appreciation for the vital role libraries play in preserving community heritage and reinforced the power of visual storytelling in engaging audiences across generations.
My primary responsibility involved meticulously sorting and categorizing a century's worth of physical and digital photographs, laying the groundwork for this ambitious project.
I spearheaded the ideation phase by developing paper wireframes and sketches, which formed the foundation for each panel's design. These early concepts evolved into comprehensive layouts covering various aspects of our library's rich history - from the evolution of our logo and website to beloved community programs like our annual staff Halloween costume contest.
Mascots and Costumed Guests Panel
Whiteboard Wireframe
Mascots and Costumed Guests Panel
Paper Wireframe
Mascots and Costumed Guests Panel
Final Panel
This collaborative effort culminated in a visually stunning and informative display that resonates deeply with our patrons. The exhibit unexpectedly reconnected long-time members with their own past through rediscovered photographs, fostering a sense of nostalgia and community pride. This project deepened my appreciation for the vital role libraries play in preserving community heritage and reinforced the power of visual storytelling in engaging audiences across generations.
Threadless Store
To raise money towards our 100 Year Anniversary fundraiser, we created a 100 Year Palatine Library District merchandise online store, and promoted the fundraiser until we met our goal of $10,000.
I'm incredibly proud of how we turned this last-minute project into a major win. It just goes to show that with a little creativity, a lot of teamwork, and a dash of caffeine-fueled determination, you can create something truly special. Here's to lighting up our library's future, one piece of merch at a time!
Our rockstar graphic designer whipped up some seriously cool swag, and that's where I came in. Armed with my trusty keyboard and a lot of coffee, I dove into the world of product descriptions. We're talking everything from tote bags to t-shirts, each needing its own snappy title, catchy header, and SEO-friendly tags. It was like speed dating, but with merchandise!
I also got to flex my UX muscles, helping to shape the user experience of our online store. We wanted it to be so easy and fun to use that all ages could shop with ease.
The result? A beautiful, user-friendly online store that not only looked great but also told the story of our library's century of service through every product. It was the perfect blend of celebration, fundraising, and community engagement.
LEGO Event
Played a pivotal role in orchestrating the library's centennial LEGO extravaganza. From initial brainstorming to final social media posts, I was hands-on throughout.
Coordinated with the Northern Illinois LEGO® Train Club for their showstopping 200-foot display, curated food truck selections, and designed interactive LEGO® play stations. Transformed the library into a brick-tastic wonderland with custom decorations and managed the giant birthday card signing. During the event, I wore multiple hats - event coordinator, photographer, and community engagement specialist. Captured the day's magic through my lens and crafted a heartfelt social media recap that garnered significant engagement.
This event showcased my ability to blend creative planning, logistical coordination, and community outreach, resulting in a celebration that built connections as strong as the LEGO® creations themselves.
Summer Reading Program
Spearheaded decoration for our library's centennial Summer Reading Program. Used Cricut skills to craft custom decorations, installed displays, and captured the magic through photography. Balanced creative work with regular duties, engaged community via social media, and transformed the library into a festive reading haven. This project showcased my ability to blend creativity, technical skills, and community outreach for a milestone celebration.
Fourth of July Parade
Behind the Scenes: crafting paper cakes and winning floats 🎂❤️🔥
Thrilled to have walked in Palatine’s Hometown Fest (Fourth of July) Parade this past weekend 🌟 Our float won 'Best Overall' - a sparkling achievement, quite literally. After months of prep, I'm pretty sure I'm 50% glitter at this point! Huge thanks to friends and family who came out to support us. Celebrating community, books, and in one unforgettable, shimmering day.
Mini Golf Event
Proud to wrap up our library's 100th anniversary celebrations with a hole-in-one!
As part of the communications team, I had the privilege of helping plan, promote, and execute our "Par-Tee in the Stacks: Mini Golf Fundraiser Weekend." This event was the perfect capstone to a year of centennial marketing.
My role included:
• Coordinating decorations for 19 holes across two floors
• Managing digital marketing across multiple channels
• Designing scorecards and gift tags for goody bags
• Creating balloon arches and banners
• Overseeing budgets and purchase orders
Despite a leadership transition, our team knocked it out of the park (or should I say, into the hole?). We balanced our daily responsibilities while bringing this community event to life, raising funds, and showcasing our library in a fun, unique way.
A big thank you to our staff, volunteers, and sponsors who made this event a success. Here's to 100 years of literacy, learning, and community – and to many more ahead!
