THE  LIBRARY AND ITS FRIENDS
The Newsletter of
Friends of the Library
serving the
Alachua County Library District
Gainesville, FL

Position: Young Adult Library Specialist
                   Millhopper Branch
Background: My worst nightmare is to go home Friday afternoon without at least three books to read over the weekend. When I was younger this was a problem. I spent the first several years of my life in West Virginia, miles from the closest public library. The school library was a temporary patch between visits to the mall, where I’d spend every cent of my allowance (and a few begged parental dollars) at the bookstore.

I transferred from West Virginia to Florida in middle school to live with my mom, sister, and little brother. I started writing and posting my own stories on the website fanfiction.net, picked up a slight British accent from watching too many Britcoms, and began traveling to Anime conventions dressed up as Japanese cartoon characters. I spent many hours after school in the High Springs branch where my friends and I would raise a ruckus in the back and earn admonishing comments from Mrs. Martha and the rest of the staff.

Right after I graduated from high school, I landed my dream job as a library page in the Headquarters library. Two years later I was promoted to Library Assistant and, over the next six years, learned all the ins and outs of Circulation and a little about the software we worked with. I was contemplating going back to school for database management when my friend and coworker got the Teen Librarian position at Millhopper and encouraged me to apply for the Teen Specialist job.

In early 2010 I was offered the Specialist position at the newly renovated Millhopper Branch. My mom is the Children/Teen Librarian in Alachua, so family visits are often dominated by discussing what kind of programs we’re putting on and what books are popular. After eight years in the same department, it’s strange to find myself in a completely new situation, but I think I’m faking it pretty well and I love the new environment.

Now if only my cats won’t sit on my books!