Meet Chad Gump

District Consultant
Southwest Library District

Southwest Chapter

What is your favorite movie or TV show?

Alien (1979)
This movie in my opinion is the hallmark of Sci-Fi Horror, and its ability to create such a creepy atmosphere, monster, and story was and still is completely unmatched.  Not to mention how good the special effects were when it was created!

What was the last five-star book you read?

The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides.
This title was one that I couldn’t put down, which I started to read after seeing it on my own libraries shelf! The writing style, short chapters, and compelling storyline made this an easy read, and I finished it within a day. The twist was great, and I recommend this book for anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers, or suspense novels!

What is your preferred caffeinated beverage, and how much of it do you drink each day?

I drink exactly one Monster Rehab Tea + Lemonade a day and have been doing so for quite a while!

Tell us about your journey to working in libraries.

My first involvement with libraries was being a volunteer during my senior year of high school, and then again during my undergraduate degree at California University of Pennsylvania. I was eventually offered a staff position and jumped at the opportunity to work within my hometown library. I fell in love with libraries and jumped right into the master’s program at Clarion University in 2015. Once I completed my degree I was hired within the same district as a library director, where I eventually worked as a System Administrator, and then as their District Consultant. I also had a chance to work a couple years within academic libraries, which was a wonderful experience!

How did you first get involved in PaLA? Did you receive encouragement from anyone in particular?

My first true involvement with PaLA was being sent to PaLA’s Academy of Leadership Studies (PALS) Directors’ Institute! There I was able to meet and connect with many other library directors and leadership members across the state and create friendships I still have to this day.I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the help and support of our district’s previous District Consultant, Melinda Tanner. Melinda was able to send me to the Directors’ Institute and made sure to put me in contact with people she knew within PaLA, which gave me such a wonderful head start within the Association.