1. November 25, 2014
Leah McAlister
Kent Library, ms4600
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701
573-651-2708; lrmcalister@semo.edu
re: Linda Schreiber
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am pleased to offer this letter of recommendation on behalf of Linda Schreiber. Ms.
Schreiber is an outstanding employee, exhibiting excellent communication skills,
interpersonal skills, and initiative. These leadership qualities will enable her to excel in any
endeavor she undertakes.
I hired Linda Schreiber to work in the Instructional Materials Center in Kent Library at
Southeast Missouri State University in May of 2012, and she began work in August of 2012.
In October of 2013 she became one of two student supervisors, and in January of 2014
Linda also began working at the Research Help Desk. The majority of Linda’s duties require
interacting with the public on a daily basis. She assists a diverse population in finding
relevant information sources to meet their specific needs. She also communicates daily
with co-workers, passing on pertinent information. Excellent communication skills are
required in order to be efficient. Linda is clear in her speech when communicating orally,
and written memos are well written and concise. She uses questions to help identify the
specific needs of the individual, explains what she is doing while searching for information,
and writes down where to find the information for the individual. I have directly observed
Linda while communicating with individuals, and she surpasses many full time staff in her
ability to communicate and understand Southeast Missouri State University’s diverse
population.
In addition to communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills are also a necessity for
working with the public on a daily basis. Linda also exhibits these skills. She is naturally
friendly and outgoing, and is able to engage even the most stoic individuals in conversation,
developing relationships with others easily. She is able to evaluate reactions when
interacting with others and adjusts her own actions accordingly. She is able to remain calm

2. and helpful, even when dealing with difficult, rude or antagonistic individuals. Again, as
with her communication skills, she surpasses many full time staff in her ability to deal with
diverse situations in a calm and helpful manner in the course of her day to day duties.
Initiative is not necessarily a requirement for the job duties for which Linda is responsible,
and yet this quality is the crowning attribute that makes her such an outstanding employee.
Linda is constantly trying to improve herself and her surroundings. She questions why
things are done a particular way, and if she feels that way is inefficient, she will offer
suggestions for improvement. She applied for the student supervisor position in Fall of
2013, and scored the highest out of several students because she studied prior to the test
for the position. Because of Linda, the Instructional Materials Center and Research Help
Desk employees now have a phone tree to be utilized in cases of emergency that is more
efficient than having the supervisor of these areas contact everyone. This is just one
example of how her initiative has improved her work environment.
Linda Schreiber is a confident individual with excellent customer service skills whose
initiative will enable her to succeed in any setting. I have greatly enjoyed working with her.
I have no reservations in offering this recommendation on her behalf, and will be willing to
discuss anything that is mentioned in this letter. Please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Leah McAlister
Instructional Materials Specialist