Curriculum Vitae

-Monica Russo

she/her•(718) 938-8021•monica.russo.larsen@gmail.com•linkedin.com/in/russoword

Final quarter MLIS student with a focus on library accessibility and disability services. Currently working in the Inclusive Services department of the Brooklyn Public Library. Dedicated to serving the community and using the principles of Universal Design for Learners to improve the user experience for all library patrons.

EDUCATION

MLIS in Library and Information Science

Syracuse University•Syracuse, New York•GPA: 3.93•06/2023 - 03/2025

B.A. in Communications and Sociology (double major) Tulane University•New Orleans, LA

WORK EXPERIENCE

Inclusive Services, Brooklyn Public Library• Brooklyn, NY • 07/2024 - Present

Inclusive Services at the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) provides accessible programs and services for patrons with (and without) disabilities using the principles of Universal Design for Learners (UDL).

Contract Employee

•   Implement the Read and Play program at the Greenpoint and Saratoga branches of the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL). This program is developed for children aged 0-5 with (and without) developmental disabilities, using the principles of Universal Design for Learning. The program uses visual supports for activity sequences, clear and high-contrast picture book fonts, and a sensory-friendly environment with minimal distractions in the space.

•   Implement the After School Stories program at the Greenpoint and Saratoga branches of the BPL. This program is developed for children aged 6-12 with (and without) disabilities, using the principles of Universal Design for Learning. The program uses visual supports for activity sequences, fidgets and toys which can be used for sensory input, and projects developed in multiple formats.

•   Pitched the “Virtual Graphic Novel Book Club,” a non-targeted program designed to increase integrated programming among adults with and without disabilities. Using the principles of Backwards Design and Universal Design for Learning, I developed a book club in which patrons would read High Interest, Low Reading-Level (hi-lo) graphic novels. The pitch consisted of a detailed project proposal with budget, marketing, and staffing needs included.

•   Set up for and perform administrative tasks for events such as the Developmental Disabilities Resources Fair, Music for Autism concert events, and One-to-One parent assistance events in partnership with Include NYC.

•   Outreach with District 75 Schools to inform them about IS services and programming.

RELEVANT COURSEWORK

Collaborative Technology Project--IST 611: Information Technologies for

Educational Organizations

Syrcause University iSchool

Developed a website designed for users and/or parents of users of Assisted and Augmented Communication (AAC) devices. The site provided speech therapy resources, links comparing different AAC technologies, and videos in which I demonstrated how to add words, edit the pronunciations, add icons, and create special spellings and word labels on various AAC apps.

Accessibility Project--IST 564: Accessible Library and Information Sources

Syrcause University iSchool

Developed specific programming for English Language Learners in middle school with developmental disabilities, using guidelines in the UDL framework.

Assistive Technology Report and Recommendation--IST 564: Accessible Library and Information Sources

Syrcause University iSchool

Identified and evaluated Assistive Technology (AT) devices and systems at Port Washington Public Library (located in Nassau County, NY), and developed recommendations for AT-related improvements, such as switching to JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver as a screen reader.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

ALA Member since 2023

NYLA member since 2023

SKILLS

Creative  writing, Technical  writing, Academic  writing, MS  Suite, Teams, Google  Suite, Zoom, Teams, Zotero