KATIE CLAUSEN

614 THOMAS AVE

FOREST PARK, IL 60130
TEL: (701) 238-7189
E-MAIL: clausenkate@gmail.com

EDUCATION:
M ASTER OF LIBRARY & INFORM ATION SCIENCE
Certificate in Youth Services
Dominican University, River Forest, IL
M ASTER OF ARTS, Childrens Literature
M ASTER OF FINE ARTS, W riting for Children
Simmons College, Boston, MA
BACHELOR OF ARTS, Child & Family Studies
M inors: English, Theatre, & Education
St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Graduation Date: May 2015

Current GPA: 4.0

Graduation Date: December 2010

Cumulative GPA: 3.716
Graduation Date: June 2007
Cumulative GPA: 3.85

ACADEMIC HONORS
Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society 2007-current
Vera M ay Barnes Zubrzycki Scholarship from Polish Americans Library Association 2013
Frederic Melcher Scholarship from the Association for Library Service to Children 2012
Academic Scholarship in W riting for Children at Simmons College, 2008-2010
Summa Cum Laude, St. Olaf College 2007
St. Olaf College Deans List 2003-2007

PROFESSOINAL EXPERIENCE
Outreach Storytime Assistant
Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park, IL
January 2015-current
Prepares and performs toddler and preschool storytimes at outreach locations, such as daycares, preschools, and
churches. Assists in training and coaching the storytime intern on elements such as preparation, vocal expression,
presentation, pacing, transitions, and early literacy information for teachers and caregivers. Requires communication
and collaboration with teachers, goal setting, initiative, flexibility, and extensive knowledge of both childrens literature
and child development.
Awards Assistant
Association for Library Services to Children, Chicago, IL
September 2013-May 2014
Coordinated award submissions for the ALSC Youth Media Awards. Answered phone and email questions about the
submission criteria and process, as well as administrated mailings and budget information. Assisted with website
development using Drupal, and edited award letters and Excel spreadsheets. Helped with Award Banquet planning.
Guest blogger for the ALSC Blog!
Childrens Services Library Assistant
Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park, IL
August 2012-May 2014
Served as a reference and readers advisory assistant for a diverse community of children and families. Led programs
for ages 0-13, as well as performed storytimes for babies through preschoolers. Developed early literacy stations and
served as collection manager of Beginning Reader and Early Chapter books. Other duties included: creating projects
for a Tween-focused locker, copyediting written material, assisting with weeding collections, designing display
windows, contributing to game/craft ordering, selecting early literacy iPad apps, designing summer reading projects,
participating in Mock Newbery and Caldecotts, creating program-themed, age appropriate bibliographies, assisting
patrons with ebook resources [such as 3M, OverDrive, Hoopla, and Zinio], and troubleshooting technology.

Graduate Assistant
Butler Childrens Literature Center, River Forest, IL
August 2012-May 2014
Maintained the Butler Centers database system of childrens books in Excel, including adding books daily. Assisted in
planning large events for the Butler including an annual book sale, an annual literature-focused conference and other
events such as school visits and book discussions. Initiated new organizational ideas, and prepared promotional
material for the Center using different technologies. Assisted in collection development through ordering from
publishers catalogs. Determined books sent to specific schools, daycares, and families, and wrote book reviews and
other literary treats on The Butlers blog, found here: http://butlerspantry.org/
Instructor of Composition & Young Adult Literature Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI
Fall semester 2011
Taught two freshman-level courses at a private university: 103, Composition and the Elements of Argument, and 104,
Composition and Literature. 104 is a themed course focused on identity in coming-of-age literature, specifically
addressing themes such as race, class, family power, gender, loss, independence, responsibility, abuse, finding a voice,
and the influence of society. Planned syllabi, led group discussion, taught lessons, edited papers, served as a leader to
students concerning their critical reading and writing skills.
Circulation Assistant/ Youth Services Aide La Crosse Public Library, La Crosse, WI
May 2011-December 2011
Performed jobs in the circulation and youth services departments of the public library, including: check-in using both
the Horizon system and the web-based Illuminar system, managed items for requests and holds, assisted with
interlibrary loan, readers advisory for children and families, and shelved books. Designed displays for childrens room.
Required attention to detail, communication skills, computer expertise, the ability to multi-task and knowledge of the
literature cannon for both children and adults.
Childrens Book Reviewer
The Horn Book, Inc., Boston, MA
April 2010-2012
Writes book reviews for publication in The Horn Book Guide. Requires close reading skills, as well as the ability to write
analytically and concisely. Reviewed books for a variety of ages, including picture books, early reading series, middlegrade fiction, and young adult fictionin the genres of contemporary realistic fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, and
non-fiction.
Editorial Intern
The Horn Book, Inc., Boston, MA
January-May 2010
As an assistant for both The Horn Book Magazine and The Horn Book Guide, worked on organization and
categorization of newly published books for children and young adults, as well as proofread reviews and articles.
Helped make decisions about what books to include in review publications and what books to give star reviews.
Worked independently on projects as well as collaborated with a team. Required significant knowledge of childrens
literature, strong editorial skills, and an absolute ability to multi-task.
Childrens Picturebook Annotator
Minnesota State University, Moorhead, MN
Summer 2009
Under the direction of Carol Sibley, wrote annotations for picturebooks published in the year of 2008. Annotations
were published for teachers, principals, librarians, and educators for a curriculum-based program entitled Library
Read-Aloud. Work required strong analytical and writing skills, and an ability to self-motivate and work
independently. Also required strong attention to detail and knowledge of the importance of both text and image in
picturebook illustration, as well as a mastery of clear and concise writing. See published reviews at:
http://web.mnstate.edu/cmc/BestReadAlouds.cfm

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, MEMBERSHIPS, & SPECIAL SKILLS

Member of the American Library Association (ALA)
Member of Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
Member of the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators
Director of Summer Childrens Theatre CampLa Crosse Community Theatre
Summer 2011, Summer 2012
Teacher of Beginning and Advanced Ballet
2011-2012
Actor in Community Theatre (fav. roles are Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Laura in The Glass Menagerie)
2000-current
Member of The St. Olaf Choir and St. Olaf Theatre
2003-2007
Involvement in the French Program at St. Olaf`
2003-2005
Dancer, Actress, Singer, Flutist, Pianist, Aerial Acrobat and Overall Arts Advocate and Lover of Life
1984-current

PUBLISHING HISTORY
Book reviews for The Horn Book Guide
August 2010-current
Childrens Book Annotations at http://www.mnstate.edu/cmc/best-picturebooks.aspx?terms=katie%20clausen
Guest Blogger on ALSC Blog (http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/)
2013-14
Guest Blogger on Butlers Pantry (http://butlerspantry.org/author/clausenkate/)
2012-14
Blogger @ House at Katie Corner (http://houseatkatiecorner.com/)
August 2013-present

CONFERENCE/LECTURE HISTORY
ALA Annual 2013 & ALA Midwinter 2015
Participant in conference; attended lectures, poster sessions, programs, and exhibits.

Chicago, IL

Opening Minds
Chicago Metro Association for the Education of Young Children, Chicago, IL
2014
Attended early literacy conference on behalf of Oak Park Public Library; attended sessions on STEM, early literacy
iPad apps, digital storytime, behavior management, brain development, and using music and movement in
programming.
Childrens Literature Lectures at Northland College
Ashland, WI
2011
Presented lectures to undergraduate students on the history of gender in childrens literature since 1800, and the
interaction of text and image in picturebooks.
Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards at Simmons/ Childrens Literature Colloquium
Boston, MA
2010
Participated in a two-day long celebration of the top books of 2010; Attended numerous educational and professional
sessions.
SW/TEXAS Popular and American Culture Conference
Albuquerque, NM
2010
Presented a paper titled, From J.R.R. Tolkien to Neil Gaiman: Exploring Weight Standards and Body Size
Expectations in Fantasy Literature for Children and Young Adults. Paper explored and assessed how the weight
standards in literature may influence readers.