Since graduating from OU SLIS, Cherity has been an advocate for all libraries, having served as the President of the Oklahoma Library Association during unprecedented levels of censorship and adverse legislation against libraries. She handled every media request and took every opportunity as the voice of Oklahoma libraries to spread the positive, amazing work libraries do.
Cherity was awarded for her advocacy work by the Oklahoma Library Association because her efforts during this time were instrumental in keeping censorship and adverse legislation from being as detrimental as seen in other states. Cherity has also regularly spoken at school administration conferences and college of education programs about the importance of school librarians; all in effort to support students in Oklahoma with a certified school librarian.
Currently Cherity serves as Shawnee Public School’s Director of Libraries and Media Services. She has served on national committees on school library standards, written and reviewed for professional journals, and presented on school library advocacy while working with administrators at the local, state, and national level. In addition to the way Cherity has represented herself professionally, what also makes Cherity an outstanding SLIS Alumni is how she has mentored and supported new librarians during her MLIS program.
By encouraging librarians in her district to complete the program, as well as supporting new librarians through their involvement within our state library organization, Cherity has helped grow countless librarians that have contributed positively to Oklahoma communities in numerous ways. She has served diligently and made both SLIS and OLA proud; her work continues to be improved upon and maintains the excellent status of Oklahoma libraries.
