Why Libraries?

I loved books my whole life and loved libraries as a kid. My mom was a teacher, and I wanted to do something in education but I did not want to teach at a school. As I got older I taught myself web design and metadata in addition to college courses on the subjects, just because I was interested. I started out in college as a music major and got my first library job working with music scores at the college I was at at the time and decided I wanted to continue library work as a profession, so I finished undergrad with an English degree and then went on to get my MLS. When I was getting my master’s degree I was fully focused on Academic Libraries but then I did a study abroad in Portugal and had experiences at the public libraries in Lisbon and their National Library and completely switched gears and started focusing on community and public libraries. I also really enjoy data analysis and coding which in libraries has translated into Collection Management/Technical Services/ILS Administration.

Public libraries also appeal to me because they are non-profit so our goals are not based on how much money we are making for a corporation or a CEO but they are based on how we are serving and putting energy back into our communities. Working in the retail and corporate world can be such a dismal place and libraries are the opposite of that. People can also exist in libraries without having to spend money and I like contributing to something like that.  I also feel like public libraries set a lot of people on their journeys to becoming the best version of themselves and I love feeling like I am a part of that.