May 23, 2017

Erica Jesonis | Movers & Shakers 2012 — Innovators

Branching Out

Erica Jesonis Movers & Shakers 2012

Vitals

CURRENT POSITION
Web Manager and Graphic Designer
Cecil County Public Library, Elkton, MD


DEGREE
MFA (partially completed), French Literature, University of Delaware, Newark, 2002


BEST IN SHOW
My Library, My Lifeline


MANAGES
Cecil eBranch
Blog


Photo by Jesonis Photography


When Salem Press awarded its 2011 Local Library Blog prize to the Cecil County Public Library (CCPL), staffers there knew who should claim the lion’s share of the credit: web manager and graphic designer Erica Jesonis, who launched, plans, and coordinates the blog, one of the many features of CCPL’s comprehensive website. In the last two years, Jesonis “has taken the website to new heights and made striking photography and graphic design an integral part of our marketing and publications,” says CCPL director Denise Davis.

Jesonis was also responsible for the My Library, My Lifeline logo used as part of a successful postcard marketing campaign aimed at telling local officials how vital the seven-branch system is to its community. And it worked: after more than 1000 postcards from avid CCPL supporters poured in, the library maintained its FY11 funding even as most local agencies saw budget cuts. The tree-inspired logo won a “Best in Show” honorable mention at the American Library Association conference in 2011.

Knowing libraries everywhere face a tough budget climate, Jesonis decided to share the logo. “I posted it to our website, shared it with colleagues, publicized it via social media, and sent it to several library sites and blogs,” she says. From there it went viral. “I started seeing tweets and blog posts about it from around the world…. [It’s] been used…across the nation.”

CCPL has served as a literal lifeline for Jesonis herself. She began working in the reference department in 2006 after the sudden death of her four-month-old daughter, Cora. “A lot of our patrons are burdened with their own heartbreaks, and my grief gave me a strong base for relating to them and wanting to help. My loss also made me bolder about pushing the boundaries,” says Jesonis. “My job now is a diverse mix of managing our website, creating graphics, working with our supersmart IT staff, marketing, plus a lot of library advocacy. Looking back, I realize that my story is a strange and sad one, but sometimes good can come from the worst of circumstances, and I believe my career is an example of that.”

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Comments

  1. Sandy Ellis says:

    Way to go Erica!!!! So proud of you.

  2. Great job Erica. CONGRATULATIONS!

  3. Morgan Miller says:

    Congratulations, Erica! It’s an honor and a joy to work with you.

  4. Congratulations Erica! We are so proud of you.

    And I have to say…The first time I met you I knew you were a real find for the library! (my 1st CCPL recruit) :)

  5. Congratulations Erica!!!

  6. D. Nichols says:

    This is such cool news Erica!
    You have been so awesome about encouraging us novices to
    submit articles for the site. I’m so glad you did….I love writing
    them now!

  7. Hey Erica,

    I went to pick up a copy of the issue at PLA – and the LJ/SLJ booth were all out of them, so glad to see it’s online. Congratulations! Well deserved.

    Carolyn

  8. Kudos, Erica.

  9. Brandy W. says:

    Great job, Erica! So happy for you…you deserve it!

  10. Yay for Erica!!! Great Job!

  11. Glad to see you get recognized for this Erica! You’re the best!
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