Chris Brown
Chicago Public Library
Chicago, IL USA
"What I wish more people would understand is that [libraries] are for our collective well being."
Career Roadmap
Chris's work combines: Education, Writing, and Communicating / Sharing Stories
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Modern Literature
University of California, Santa Cruz
Graduate Degree
Library and Information Science
San Jose State University
Graduate Degree
Public Administration
University of San Francisco
Certification
Customer-Focused Product and Service Design
Cornell University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Working at a bookstore in high school opened my eyes to literature that challenged my perspective and inspired me to pursue librarianship.
2.
After earning my literature degree, I kept pursuing library work—even after being ghosted for an entry-level shelving job at the Chicago Public Library.
3.
While working overnight at FedEx, I continued building library experience through internships and landed a library assistant role supporting Google's book digitization project.
4.
As I earned my MLIS, I discovered that the most valuable part of my education was understanding my passions and how I wanted to serve communities.
5.
I got to manage innovative projects in public libraries to make them more accessible—including launching one of the nation's first online museum pass programs.
6.
Over the years, I grew through roles in teen services, branch management, outreach, collections, and library leadership, learning from each new challenge along the way.
7.
Returning to Chicago as commissioner of the Chicago Public Library, I now work with staff and community partners to shape the future of one of the nation's largest public library systems.
