Intercept - The Library is Open ep. 14 -

The Library is Open

We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features an interview with Sarah Sawicki, Planning & Projects Director and Phillip Higgins, Marketing and Digital Strategy Director at the Richland Library in South Carolina. They are joined by Sally Shaughnessy, Director, Project Management at Aten Design Group in Denver, Colorado. In this podcast we discuss Intercept, an open source event, room, equipment management and customer tracking system.

About Intercept

Intercept is made for libraries by libraries, but in the end, it’s all about the customer. Libraries are evolving! No longer are they simply a place where books are stored – now they’re increasingly a place where learning, in its many forms, takes place. In fact, while some libraries have experienced a decrease in visitors and circulation, nationwide event attendance is up 30% over the past ten years. Read a complete breakdown on: Why Intercept?.

About Sarah Sawicki, Planning & Projects Director

An experienced project manager, Sarah Sawicki joined Richland Library in 2012 as Virtual Services Project Manager and has been championing the 12-location system ever since. Now serving as Planning and Projects Director, she guides cross-functional teams through human-centered design to plan and execute new and improved products, services and spaces. She advises other staff serving as project managers on strategic initiatives and ensures the use of data to make informed decisions. Outside of the library, she taps her way through life using her project management superpowers to raise teenaged twin girls, a tween boy, and a pre-teen Oktoberfest Columbia.

About Phillip Higgins, Marketing and Digital Strategy Director

Phillip serves as the Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy for Richland Library - one of the most progressive, award-winning public libraries in the country. There, he leads a team of developers, marketers and creatives on a mission to deliver and implement innovative strategies that enhance the customer experience while continuously growing the library’s brand. A self-described Agile evangelist, Phillip leads the web development efforts for Richland Library’s website as well as other digital assets.

Phillip regularly speaks at events around the country, talking about the work that Richland Library does for the community and the strategies and tactics that his team employs to support that work. He is “uber happy” (his words) to share what he’s learned with others and to help everyone reimagine what it means to be a 21st century library.

About Sally Shaughnessy, Director of Project Management

Sally has been working in digital strategy and delivery since 2005, mostly with creative agencies developing cross-channel campaigns for the likes of Starbucks, Pepsi, Quicken, and The Home Depot. She thrives on helping the creative “makers” bring ideas to life and delivering beautiful, intuitive digital experiences. Sally is a certified Scrum Master and uses her experience as a news reporter to value diverse perspectives, drive collaboration, and bring the best out of teams.

When she is not retooling a roadmap or gathering site requirements, Sally is an avid camper and homebrewer. She also sits on the board of Bella Boutique, a unique Denver non-profit providing free prom gowns to teens in financial need.