Angela Nolet, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA
 Called to Connect One of those lucky people who found her professional calling at an early age, Angela Nolet was well known to her local King County Library System (KCLS) librarians because she was such a frequent visitor. She knew from the age of seven—when she was making her own library cards and book stampers—that she wanted to be a librarian. She shelved books in her elementary school library and began her career at KCLS at age 17.
She is just as certain about what works in youth services—making a personal connection. She remembers children's names and their family relationships, and she treasures their gifts as keepsakes. But she goes way beyond face time.
In her role as online services project specialist, Nolet is reaching out to a wider group of users, including online-exclusive patrons. Her track record is demonstrated by her commitment to "Tell Me a Story", KCLS's robust online companion to story times, for which she serves as everything from videographer of the finger plays, songs, and rhymes at her own story times to trainer to go-to contact for 56 children's librarians.
She has also been involved in developing the "You Choose the Next Newbery" blog, which invites parents and children to discuss and vote for the year's best children's books. In the spirit of crowd-sourcing, anyone can vote along with KCLS children's librarians—if they read at least four out of the eight nominees.
As she's experimented, Nolet has embraced video and audio editing skills to the extent that she has formed her own video editing company, Long Face Productions, to help other libraries effectively and affordably promote their services. "With my unique perspective into how libraries function, I feel that I fill a niche that high-priced production companies price themselves out of," she says.
Such entrepreneurial spirit will serve the whole library community, and its patrons, as Nolet continues to explore the unfolding online horizon. As she says, "This is going to be a very exciting time as we try to figure out what works and what doesn't."
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