Under her leadership, the library became a lifeline to the Highwood community during the most critical times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
HIGHWOOD, IL, February 22, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Carmen Patlan has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Ms. Patlan is a tenured expert in effective community engagement strategies that have proven to be vital in the library world. This year she celebrates three years as the executive director at the Highwood Public Library and Community Center in Highwood, Illinois. Responsible for the overall welfare of the library, she is also tasked with heading various resources, programs, and services that better serve the community. Over the past three years, Ms. Patlan has successfully grown the number of patrons that frequent the library, has increased its organizational budget, and has expanded the library's many services by way of strategic community partnerships. Under her leadership, the library became a lifeline to the Highwood community during the most critical times of the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging her long-time partnerships to provide over 23,000 meals to families and helping vaccinate over 3,000 community members and counting. In the coming years, Ms. Patlan aims to raise the necessary funds to renovate the outdated facility, converting the Highwood Public Library into a 21st century Library and Community Center.
She was recruited from her previous role as the chief development officer with A Safe Place, which is the largest provider of services for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking in all of Lake County. During her tenure, she was responsible for securing over $4.1 million of their annual operating budget through grant and major donor stewardship. Prior to her commitments with A Safe Place, Ms. Patlan excelled as a community engagement and development manager for the Waukegan Public Library in Waukegan, Illinois. She subsequently garnered extensive expertise serving marginalized and underserved communities and established the library's Promotoras/Ambassador Program. This program led the Waukegan Public Library to become recognized as one of the top five libraries in the country in 2013 by winning the prestigious Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal, and in 2014 Ms. Patlan was recognized by the Library Journal as a Library Mover and Shaker. Among other noteworthy roles, Ms. Patlan was the director of social concerns for Most Blessed Trinity Parish, with which she helped found House of Peace in 2011, a domestic violence shelter that houses women and children seeking protection throughout Lake County, Illinois.
An incredible leader who has worked tirelessly to develop programs that promote community engagement, Ms. Patlan has made a huge difference throughout the state of Illinois. She has been instrumental in the development of various literacy initiatives over the years, helping residents become more fluent in the English language. She has also provided support to marginalized and low literacy populations in Lake County seeking to obtain their GED and a driver's license so that they could become more productive members of society. Additionally, Ms. Patlan has been active on various local boards, including the Governor's Anti-Racial Profiling Board and the Lake County Sheriff Commissioners Board, and has also been involved with the Task Force for the Live Well Lake County.
To support her professional endeavors, Ms. Patlan is a prominent member of the American Library Association. She is also a member of the Illinois Library Association's executive board and was instrumental in supporting the Reaching Across Illinois Library System's strategic planning process. In the future, she aspires to transition into a consulting role. Ms. Patlan would love to be able to provide her insight and expertise in community engagement helping libraries and nonprofits become more relevant to their communities.
Ms. Patlan retains several professional certifications, including as a medical interpreting instructor through the DuPage Federation Language Access Resource Center. She also completed the Gorder Family Foundation-Board Development Training program.
As a testament to her achievements, Ms. Patlan became the first Latina to win a second National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 2021, making the Highwood Public Library one of the top three libraries in the nation. Ms. Patlan attributes her success to her faith, as well as to the support she has received from her family, those she has worked with, and those that value her contributions in the field. As an immigrant of Mexico who has worked very hard to get to where she is today, Ms. Patlan is eager to continue proving all of which she is capable of.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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