[June 8, 2009] The Office of Library and Information Services is pleased to announce that Cheryl Space will join the OLIS Staff as the new Youth Services Librarian. The Youth Services Librarian provides support and assistance to children's and young adult librarians throughout Rhode Island by coordinating programming, developing projects and partnerships, and providing individual consultation to librarians.

Cheryl comes to OLIS with extensive experience in the area of youth services. Most recently she served as the Coordinator of Children's Programs at the Providence Public Library where she implemented a variety of programming from early literacy to the high school age READTeens program. She also collaborated with PPL bilingual outreach specialists on the annual Dia de los Ninos: Dia de los Libros celebrations. While at PPL, she developed partnerships with other youth-serving organizations in the city including the Providence After School Alliance and Ready to Learn Providence. Cheryl has also worked on statewide teams for the Mother Goose and Getting Ready for Kindergarten projects. In 2006, Library Journal named her a Mover and Shaker in the area of Literacy and Learning.

Cheryl earned her Master of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina; she also holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan. She began working at Providence Public Library in 1996 as the L.A.R.K. (Learning and Reading Kits) Coordinator then as as the Educational Support Services Coordinator before assuming her present position. Prior to coming to Providence, she worked in South Carolina as a school library media specialist at Hopkins Elementary School and in the children's room at the Richland County Public Library.

Cheryl will begin her new position at OLIS on July 6.