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Tag Archives: New Faces
NLC Staff: Meet Tan Ngo
The Nebraska Library Commission welcomed Tan Ngo (pronounced Go) in June of 2015 as an accountant. Tan was born in Binh Dinh, Vietnam and immigrated to the United States with her husband sixteen years ago. Even though she had completed three years of teacher education classwork in Vietnam, it wasn’t recognized in the United States so she began again. First she completed a yearlong ESL class and then completed a degree from Southeast Community College in Accounting. She graduated from UNL with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance and just last year, achieved her Master’s Degree from UNL in Professional Accountancy. Tan credits her parents for instilling a value of education in her. In addition, her mother-in-law helped and supported Tan through the years of working, raising a family, attending classes, and completing coursework.
Before working for the Library Commission, and while attending school, Tan held many part time jobs including working as: a banquet server at the Cornhusker Hotel, a waitress at Eastmont Towers, a cafeteria worker at Lincoln Public Schools, an assembly line worker at Molex, and as a cashier at Russ’s Market. These experiences helped propel Tan to complete her education. Tan also worked full time for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services (now State Accounting.) When I asked Tan what she thinks about working at the Library Commission, she says it is a very friendly and a supportive place to work.
As a young girl growing up in Vietnam, libraries were not free and required both membership and borrower fees which were prohibitive to her family. One way she read books was borrowing them from her friends. As an adult committed to spending time with her children, she reads the same books with her daughter and son.
Tan shares her home with her husband Duc, her daughter Vi, her son Khang, and her mother-in-law Tung Le. Duc is the oldest of 12 children and the gathering place for all of the family is Tan’s home, so a full house often totals upwards of 45 people. Husker football is often the focus of family events. Tan is also a Husker Volleyball fan and is fortunate to have a friend with season tickets so she can attend games in person. Life in Nebraska could be warmer but Tan says she likes the lack of traffic and ability to get around easily. Tan and her family returned home for her brother’s wedding this summer, closing a 5 year gap since her last visit. If Tan could have dinner with anyone famous, she easily answered, “I would want to have dinner with my Aunt who is 70 years old and lives in Vietnam. Family is the most important thing to me.”
If Tan didn’t have to work, travel would be her priority. First on her list of destinations would be Alaska to see the aurora borealis. As a young girl, Tan considered being a flight attendant most importantly for the travel benefits. The perfect day for Tan would include staying home with family, sleeping, and watching Vietnamese dubbed movies from Hong Kong. Tan’s exercise of choice is running and currently she and her son are completing a 9 week cardio program together.
One of the most challenging things Tan has achieved is learning English. Tan and her family speak Vietnamese at home and English at work and at school. At work, one of Tan’s accomplishments has been cheerfully teaching Commission employees to use the online payroll system. We are very proud of Tan and are grateful she has chosen to work at the Library Commission.
NLC Staff: Meet Cynthia Nigh
Meet Cynthia Nigh who joined The Library Commission staff this past August as a Project Assistant for the Library Innovation Studios Grant. Cynthia was born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin where her father worked for Amour Meats and later Dubuque Pack. Every morning he would receive a call with the market prices on the party line early and neighbors on the same party line soon learned what valuable information was being conveyed. Cynthia attended West Delaware Community High School in Manchester, IA and because of an influential Art Teacher named Mr. Renfrow, she applied for and was awarded an Art Scholarship to attend the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Cynthia also attended Hawkeye Technical College for Commercial Art in Waterloo, IA.
As a young girl, Cynthia describes her reading habits as constant. She remembers fondly the number of scholastic books she and her sisters would order. A childhood favorite was Once and Future King by T. H. White. A Course in Miracles is another important book to Cynthia as her copy was given to her by her father. The value of this book for Cynthia is that “it helped me look at the world more peacefully.”
Cynthia says the best thing about working in a library is being amongst the stacks. She describes her own house as a library so close proximity to a collection of books is a comfort. The most challenging thing about this position is learning to operate each machine acquired for the grant; what supplies each machine requires; and writing operating manuals for library staff. Apart from work, Cynthia enjoys working in her garden, cooking, and canning with the bounty from her labor. If she could have dinner with anyone she would like to dine with Oprah but not at Cynthia’s house, in a neutral location.
If she won the lottery and no longer had to work, she might pursue more fully her interest in mycology – the study of mushrooms. She might also enjoy fully implementing a craft studio where she could be creative and perhaps a small business could emerge for selling her projects. Cynthia shares her home with her two sons, Dylan and Paul in addition to two rescue cats named Bonnie and Chloe. Because of her Iowa background, I asked what distinguishes life in Nebraska and she answered, Nebraskans are a little wilder and exhibit more freedom in their choices compared to the tucked in manner of Iowans. A perfect day for Cynthia would be laying around watching movies and binge watching Netflix titles. Welcome to Cynthia!
NLC Staff: Meet Jan Jolliffe
Meet Jan Jolliffe who is the new System Director for the Western Library System.
Jan was born in Corsicana, Texas and is a graduate of Corsicana High School. Jan then attended the University of Houston in London, study abroad program, and was able to travel throughout Europe and Great Britain studying French, Literature, and Architecture. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, she was en route to Peru to become an archaeologist but she opted for marriage and children instead. In 1990 she began working towards her MLS Degree at Texas Woman’s University in Denton while she was expecting her first child. She still has the signed poetry book given to her by one of her first children’s literature professors. She completed her degree in 1993. She found her way to librarianship by applying the same principle that brought her to anthropology, a desire to work in the community with cultural groups; a librarian could offer a great deal to all age groups and sectors.
As a young girl, Jan attended James L. Collins Catholic School in Corsicana which had its own thriving library. She read the Little House books and all the classic children’s titles. One of the first books that captured her heart was Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Her teacher read this book aloud to the class and from that time on, Jan was a captive library user. As a librarian, Jan has read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory many times and has used it for several book club discussions. As an adult reader, she lists the authors Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, and Diana Gabaldon as some of her favorite authors. Because she shares a birthday (June 6th) with Cynthia Rylant, and YA Authors Sara Dessen and V.C. Andrews, those are also favorites. Her favorite genre is historical fiction and will read anything history related regarding London and Europe. Jan describes a perfect day as one that is stormy outside while she reads inside next to a fireplace in a comfortable chair.
Jan has worked in various jobs from the library at Frito Lay to small publics and very large school districts in the states of Texas and Washington. Jan credits her director at Ennis, Texas Independent School District, Kay Weathers, for teaching her the nuts and bolts of librarianship. In 2010, Jan moved back to Texas and was contemplating Law School. She took paralegal courses for 2 years and volunteered for an Immigration and Bankruptcy Attorney at El Centro Community College in Dallas. This got her a position at L.G. Pinkston High School, a school with a Law Magnet Program, and later transferred to Skyline High School with 4,500 students.
Book Face Friday photo – Jan Jolliffe
How did Jan get to Nebraska? When she was 17 years old, she visited Scottsbluff with Pat Jolliffe, a dashing young pilot from Scottsbluff that she met at age 16, when he had attended flight school in Corsicana where his uncle was an aeronautics instructor. She knew that Scottsbluff was where she wanted to live when she saw the Wildcat Hills. Thirty-two years after their first meeting they reconnected, Jan and Pat were married this past December. She says she knows this is where she was always meant to be. As she says: “this area called my name.” Of course, she misses her family and friends who are still in Texas and also misses the euphemisms, most especially y’all which is properly, all y’all.
When Jan isn’t working in a library she enjoys tennis and is learning to play golf. She has 2 grandchildren and they are a big part of her life. She describes herself as an artsy-crafty person and loves to create photography books because they document history. She enjoys traveling and looks forward to someday returning to that Edwardian era home that doubled as her college/dorm in Maida Vale, west London.
Jan says the best thing about working in in a library is the relationships that you make with the people, not just the ones you work with but also with the patrons you serve. It can be babies through the older generation, and when you make connections, they’re for life. When you work in a library it’s always a new day, no two days are the same. It’s amazing you get paid to do this, it’s not a real job, it’s more of a lifestyle, it’s who you are. Welcome to Nebraska Jan!
Holli Duggan: Continuing Education Coordinator
Meet Holli Duggan (pronounced: DUG in) who joined the Library Commission earlier this year as our Continuing Education Coordinator.
Holli was born and raised in North Platte and attended UNK where she received degrees in English and Spanish. She received her MLS from the University of Missouri in addition to an MA in Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education from UNL. She is currently pursuing her Ed.D. in Educational Studies at UNL.
Growing up, Holli was always at the library and a favorite childhood author was R.L. Stine. She aspired to be a librarian at a young age and has a resume that includes working at Waldenbooks, the UNK and UNL libraries, the Gere branch library in Lincoln, and Concordia. The most satisfying thing about her current position is helping people find resources to assist them to perform their job better and in turn, help their patrons more efficiently. When I asked Holli what she thinks of when I ask her about the Library Commission, she says it is awesome. She enjoys working together with others to better libraries in Nebraska. If she could switch jobs, she would be a Spanish translator or something science-y. If she won the lottery, the first thing she would do is go to Costa Rica.
During non-work hours, Holli is most likely doing classwork for her Ed.D. In the rare free hours, she enjoys reading, watching shows on Netflix, or doing Crossfit. If she could have dinner with anyone she would pick the author Lin-Manuel Miranda because it would be so much fun to talk to him. She fondly remembers that Stephen King’s Pet Sematary was the very first book she checked out of her library from the adult section.
Holli shares her home with her husband Zac, a chocolate lab mix named Kyrie, and three cats named, Loki, Beowulf, and Mei Mei. If she could choose two words to describe herself they would be driven and patient. It’s wonderful to have Holli on our team!
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Gov. Ricketts Names Appointments to Nebraska Library Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Gov. Ricketts Names Appointments to Nebraska Library Commission
Gov. Pete Ricketts recently appointed Charles (Chuck) Peek, of Kearney, and Sandra (Sandy) White, of Sidney, to three-year terms on the Nebraska Library Commission. Gov. Ricketts also reappointed Michael LaCroix, of Omaha, to a second three-year term.
A former member of the board for Kearney Public Library, Chuck Peek is an Emeritus Professor of English at University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK). He served for some time as a board member and president of the Nebraska Center for the Book, and received its Mildred Bennett Award in 2011. Since retiring in 2008, he has published two books of poetry and one volume of homilies given at Red Cloud’s Grace Church for Cather events—and currently serves on the Willa Cather Foundation Board of Governors. Chuck teaches occasionally for Kearney’s Senior College, Lincoln’s OLLI, and the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry in Topeka.
Sandy White was a Nebraska educator for more than forty years. Before retiring, she served panhandle schools for several years as the Library-Media Services Director for Educational Service Units 13 and 14. She served on the board of the Western Library System (formerly known as the Panhandle Library System). She also served on the board, including a term as president, of the Nebraska School Library Association (formerly known as the Nebraska Educational Media Association). She currently serves on the board of the Sidney Public Library.
Michael LaCroix served as Director of the Reinert-Alumni Memorial Library at Creighton University and as interim dean of the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library. He formerly served as library director at Greensboro College and Wingate University in North Carolina, and at Albright College in Pennsylvania. He is a member of the board of directors for United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and previously served on the Nebraska State Advisory Council on Libraries—including a term as chair—and on the North Carolina State Advisory Council on Libraries. LaCroix was elected to the board of directors of ALA’s Association of College and Research Libraries and served as Nebraska’s representative to the Online Computer Library Center Member’s Council. Formerly the treasurer of the Nebraska Library Association (NLA), he chaired the NLA College and University section.
They join current Commissioners Molly Fisher (Lincoln), Susan Warneke (Norfolk), and Debby Whitehill Bloom (Omaha) serving on the Nebraska Library Commission—the policy-making body ensuring that the agency is fully responsible for the statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library programs and services.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases
NLC Staff: Meet Amanda Sweet
Meet Amanda Sweet who joined our staff in August as a Library Reader’s Advisor for our Talking Book and Braille service.
Amanda was born in Milwaukee, WI and was raised in the small town of St. Francis, near Lake Michigan. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English with an Emphasis in Publishing from Carleton College. After a brief stint with a literary agency in New York City, she decided to veer away from the making of books and shifted to the circulation of books in the library. As long as she is near a book, she is happy.
It was while working for Beyond Vision, a nonprofit that employs 85% blind and visually impaired individuals, that she began her Masters in Library and Information Science at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. At Beyond Vision she heard tell of some difficulties in raising awareness for TBBS services and she decided it was time to get more involved with the service as a whole. Here at the Commission, she loves the personal interaction she gets with patrons and will be completing her degree in December. If all else fails with the library career, she will content herself as a professional Dorito taster.
Amanda is a lifelong user of libraries and generally has at least one book in her oversized purse at all times. Some of her favorite authors include Sherman Alexie, Patricia Briggs, Dean Koontz, Richelle Mead, and many others. In her spare time she makes jewelry for the Etsy site she shares with her father- Sweetwater Creations. She lives with her boyfriend Sean and, since their move, they both have a craving for Oakland Gyros Greek Restaurant back in Milwaukee. The silver lining is that Amanda loves the people here in Lincoln as well as the new bead store/ art gallery she stumbled upon. Ideally, she would spend her entire weekend holed up with a gyro while reading, watching movies, making jewelry, and mindlessly surfing the web. We are grateful Amanda has joined us.
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NLC Staff: Meet Craig Lefteroff
Meet Craig Lefteroff, who joined the Nebraska Library Commission as our Technology Innovation Librarian a year ago this month. Craig was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi and attended college at Delta State University, in Cleveland, Mississippi, graduating with a BA in English. After graduation, Craig taught English and speech for one year in a Mississippi Delta town with one store and a prison. This experience encouraged Craig to seek new employment, so he moved to Versailles (pronounced ver-say-elles), Kentucky, where he cleaned computers for Walmart. Next up was a job as an accountant for a Holiday Inn in Lexington, Kentucky. This job afforded him some flexibility so, affirming his love for books and literature, he enrolled in library school at the University of Kentucky.
Craig’s first professional library job was as a reference librarian at St. Tammany Parish Library north of Lake Pontchartrain after Hurricane Katrina. A tipping point occurred during this chapter of Craig’s life and it was time to try living closer if not north of the Mason-Dixon Line. To fill a job title of Reference and Electronics Librarian, Craig moved to West Virginia to work for the Kanawha City Public Library where he lived at the top of a hill. When Craig was selected by the Nebraska Library Commission, it was a priority to be able to walk to work as this was never a possibility in Elkview.
It is typical for librarians to have eclectic interests and Craig fits this description. He surrounds himself with a variety of people and enjoys movies, music, and reading. Some of Craig’s favorite authors are Thomas Hardy, George Elliot, Herman Melville, Cormac McCarthy, and Mary Roach. A book that Craig has read at least five times is Stoner by John Williams owing to the theme of a young man growing up in the south who falls in love with literature. If money were no issue, he would spend his time reading and traveling first to Italy. When asked what other profession he would like to practice, Craig would be a writer and when I asked him to comment on his associations about his workplace, he responded: food day.
We’re grateful Craig has made the Midwest his home and is willing to share his skills and interests with those of us in Nebraska libraries.
Holly Woldt: Library Technology Support Specialist at Nebraska Library Commission
Meet Holly Woldt whose job title is Library Technology Support Specialist.
Holly began working at the Library Commission in 2010 in a temporary grant position and proved invaluable so we hired her as a permanent employee. Holly is one of the very few Commission employees who is a non-Nebraska native. She was born in Bad Hersfeld, Germany and adopted by an American family living in Paris, France while her father was serving as an aide-de-camp to the General in charge of NATO. She became a naturalized citizen at the age of 3. As the daughter of a career Air Force officer in the intelligence field, Holly lived in Annandale, Virginia; Oahu, Hawaii, and Ramstein, Germany. She graduated from High School in Hawaii and as her parents had Iowa nativity (which allowed in-state tuition for dependent children), she attended the University of Iowa where she received degrees in both Computer Science and Political Science. Her first job was as Systems Analyst at UNL. She met her husband Wayne at the Zoo Bar in Lincoln although unbeknownst to both of them, his father had worked for her father in Vietnam and both swam competitively at some of the same competitions in Hawaii. Together Wayne and Holly have three children: Weston age 26; Dylan age 24; and Cara age 22; and live on an acreage north of Lincoln. Wayne is a professor of Biosystems Engineering at UNL. He told their children they could major in anything as long as it was engineering because they’d always be able to find a job with that degree.
What makes Holly the right person for this job is that she has a love for technology and a passion for teaching how computers can be useful. Holly has been to many of your libraries to help unpack boxes and install computers and adaptive technology. During this time, many of you have become friends and Holly has learned about your libraries and your communities. She’s heard stories of how these computers have made a difference to your library customers as she continues to be a source of help with these services. Holly is in awe of librarians and their tenacity in serving the needs of their community. As Holly thinks about retirement in San Antonio, she would like to teach water aerobics to her neighbors in her 55+ Community. We’re grateful Holly is part of our library community
NLC Staff: Meet Allison Badger
Allison Badger started t
he year 2016 as the new cataloger for the Library Commission.
Allison is a fifth generation Montanan and comes to us with what she describes as a homestead work ethic: hardworking, rarely sedentary, and not taking modern conveniences for granted. She worked at several Montana institutions including the Montana State Library and the Montana State Historical Society. She most recently worked at the Montana Office of Public Instruction doing cataloging, interlibrary loan, collection management, and reference assistance. She received her BA in History from Rocky Mountain College and an MA in History from the University of Montana Missoula. While working as a historian for a research firm, she encountered library catalogs that weren’t particularly helpful nor were they the most efficient pathfinders so she started thinking about becoming a cataloger which required an MLS. Her choice for this education was the University of North Texas in Denton which could be achieved mostly online with a few in person classes.
When Allison is not at work, she is quite happy at home sitting on her deck, reading, watching television, or taking a walk. She also enjoys cooking and baking. One of her signature items is butter brickle bars for which all of the ingredients are always on hand. Which books have influenced Allison the most? Two titles come to mind – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen because of Jane’s ability to see inside the human character and Isabelle Allende’s House of the Spirits. She read it the first time in high school and with each subsequent reading gleans something new. Allison feels books are like old friends worth reading again and again. When I asked Allison how she describes her workplace she said she feels like she’s always worked at the Library Commission and that it is a natural fit with the staff. There is an ease and respect amongst her colleagues. We are pleased to have Allison in Nebraska and at our library.
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Tagged Allison Badger, Cataloger, Nebraska Library Commission Staff, New Faces, NLC Staff, Staff
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Meet Aimee Owen, Information Services Librarian
Chances are, you’ve already met Aimee – but just in case …
Meet Aimee Scoville 
Owen who joined the Nebraska Library Commission in the Talking Book and Braille Service in December 2013. Aimee is a native of Elwood, NE and a graduate of UNO where she received a BS in Management Information Systems and two master’s degrees; the first in Information Technology and the second in Library and Information Science. Aimee and her husband of nearly 10 years, Lowell, share a home in Omaha with their two children – Asher, age 5, Margot, 6 months, and Ryker the 12 year old miniature schnauzer. In June of 2015, Aimee joined the Information Services Team and is a voice you’ll hear answering the Library Commission phone or calling you for updates for our library directory. Aimee came to us from the Omaha Public Library and has been well-connected with NLA, so many of you have already worked with her, but did you know she has a gaggle of relatives in Nebraska that also work in libraries?
This group currently includes: Alicia Lassen – Media Specialist at Overton Public School (2nd cousin); Barb Keep – Media Specialist at Elm Creek Public School (aunt); Shawna Lindner – Librarian at Kearney Public Library (2nd cousin’s wife); and Karrie Huryta – Director of Ravenna Public Library (cousin’s sister-in-law).
In her rare spare time, Aimee participates in the Raqs Awn Bellydance Troupe, the NLA Paraprofessional Section (secretary), and the GirlFriends volunteer guild board for Girls Inc. of Omaha, as well as reading the Golden Sower nominees for primary and intermediate level, and striving to meet an annual reading goal of 120 books, all while taking kids to violin, soccer, and basketball.
New Faces: Donna Christiansen
In this series, New Faces, the Nebraska Library Commission interviews someone from the next generation of Nebraska librarians.
Today we are speaking with Donna Christiansen, Director at the Plainview Carnegie Library in Plainview, Nebraska. Donna received her certificate in Library and Information Services program from Central Community College in December 2012. She is a 2011-2013 Nebraska Library Commission / Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian scholarship recipient.
NLC: How is it you went to library school?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I started as a children’s librarian and found out about the Nebraska Library Commission and the Scholarship program to get a library certificate. I thought this would be good to get since I wanted to improve my knowledge of librarianship and of course become a Library Director someday.
NLC: Did you receive a scholarship from the Nebraska Library Commission? How did it help you with getting an education and in your career aspirations?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: Yes, I received a scholarship from the NLC. It helped me tremendously; without it I probably wouldn’t have been able to get my Library Certificate. Especially with the extra help of providing me a new laptop and the ability to attend a national conference. With the new laptop I was able to do my online classes and attending the national conference helped me network with other library students and librarians.
NLC: What brought you to the world of library work?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I enjoyed being a library aide in high school and I love to read and help people with computer issues. I started as the Children’s Librarian at the Plainview Carnegie Library in February of 2011. Then in September 2011 the Library Director retired so I was able to apply for the Library Director position and in October I became the Director.
NLC: What’s the most useful non-library work experience you bring to a library job?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: For a couple of years I had my own business, so I guess my business experience of handling money, etc., is what I bring to the library job.
NLC: What do you find most rewarding in your library job?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I find helping patrons very rewarding. Whether it is helping them find a book, helping them with the computer, or watching the story time children do their craft projects to see them smile and having fun is very rewarding.
NLC: What do you find most challenging in your library job?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: Having all the books that people want to read. But thankfully there is the Interlibrary Loan program so it is easy to locate a book for a patron if we don’t have it.
NLC: How would you like to make a difference in the lives of library users or in the community your library serves?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I would like to make the library be the center of the community, where the citizens can come and relax, read a magazine, check out a book, check their e-mail and use the computer, just be there for the citizens to use.
NLC: What does the future hold for libraries?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I believe that libraries are more than just books and magazines. The future will be to let everyone know that the library offers more than what they believe a library is or was. We offer programs, computers, wireless Internet, and much more that we really have to promote that the library is much more than books and magazines.
NLC: What does the future hold for librarians?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I believe that librarians are going to have to embrace the new technology that is out there and to think outside of the box to keep the library in the forefront of the community it serves.
NLC: What are you reading right now? What are your hobbies?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I am reading an eBook, No Return by Brett Battles. My hobbies are reading, bird watching, fishing, collecting rocks and minerals.
NLC: Who is your role model?
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: I would say my library role model would be the former Plainview Library Director, Loydell Swan. She gave 27 years to the library so I learned a lot working with her before she retired.
NLC: Please share a favorite quote, and why it’s your favorite.
DONNA CHRISTIANSEN: “A well-stocked, well-staffed library is like a gardener who plants books, knowledge, and dreams and grows readers, learners, and do-ers,” by Laura Purdie Salas. I just believe that this quote says what I believe a library is.
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The New Faces feature is made possible by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant to the Nebraska Library Commission from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
New Faces: Libby Munsell
Libby Munsell, Library Assistant and Interlibrary Loan Librarian at Kilgore Memorial Library, York, NE
In this series, New Faces, the Nebraska Library Commission interviews someone from the next generation of Nebraska librarians.
Today we are speaking with Libby Munsell, Library Assistant and Interlibrary Loan Librarian at the Kilgore Memorial Library in York, Nebraska. Libby began her studies through the Library and Information Services program at Central Community College, and she received her Bachelor’s degree in General Studies with a concentration in Library Science from the University of Nebraska Omaha in December 2013. She is a 2012 and 2013 Nebraska Library Commission / Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian scholarship recipient.
NLC: How is it you went to library school?
LIBBY MUNSELL: I have always enjoyed my trips to the library, but I didn’t really consider working in a library until high school. I took a Career Education class and one of my suggested jobs was librarian. Since we were required to do volunteer hours to graduate and I decided to volunteer at the library. My job consisted of shelving DVDs and audio books and straightening the magazine collection. I had a wonderful experience—I enjoyed the organization, the peaceful atmosphere, and the staff that were so willing to help me. I researched my options for library programs across the state and decided to start with Central Community College classes to make sure that the library was the place I wanted to be. A year after I graduated high school, I got a part-time job at the Kilgore Memorial Library in York to shelve children’s books. At that time, I knew for sure that I was in the right program.
NLC: What did you learn in your coursework that surprised you the most? Complete the sentence, “I had no idea….”
LIBBY MUNSELL: …that acquiring and preparing a book for the public involved so many steps! When I learned that managing collections and cataloging involved so much thought and detail, I gained a new appreciation for the work that librarians do.
NLC: Did you receive a scholarship from the Nebraska Library Commission? How did it help you with getting an education and in your career aspirations?
LIBBY MUNSELL: I received a 21st Century Librarians Scholarship from the NLC and it has been helpful in multiple ways. First of all, it made getting my degree a more financially affordable option. The scholarship also included a stipend for association membership, conference attendance, and the purchase of a laptop computer. I was able to attend my first Nebraska Library Association Conference last year and it was a great opportunity for me to meet new people and learn from others’ library experiences. While I have not used my association membership to the fullest, I receive emails that keep me up to date on events and information that is important to me as a library assistant and as a library student. The stipend money for a laptop was helpful because it allowed me to have my own laptop that I could use to bring to classes. In addition, I can bring my laptop when I travel to work on my online classes. As a scholarship student, I have been made aware of extra training opportunities and it has encouraged me to always seek new information and build my skills to better work with the public.
NLC: What brought you to the world of library work?
LIBBY MUNSELL: I’ve always loved books—reading them, organizing them, talking about them. I also have an appreciation for technology and the way it connects people and makes information so easily accessible. I knew that I wanted to work in a library because I wanted to be a part of helping the public access the information that they want or need.
NLC: What’s the most useful non-library work experience you bring to a library job?
LIBBY MUNSELL: I worked at a fast-food restaurant for a while when I was looking for a library job. I think that, even though it wasn’t my favorite job, it helped me learn how to deal with the public. I learned that it is important to be kind and patient with everyone, even the people who are obviously in a really bad mood. In a fast-food restaurant, I was there to serve them the food they ordered. In a library, I am here to help them find the information they need.
NLC: What do you find most challenging in your library job?
LIBBY MUNSELL: As of right now, I am the “techie” of the staff. When there is a question related to computers or e-readers, I am generally the one that is asked to help or fix the problem. Most of the time, it is a simple fix such as entering a password or formatting a Word document. When I don’t know how to do something, it is challenging for me to figure out the answer. I think I utilize Google a lot more than people realize. There is almost always other people in the world who encounter the same problem and post their answers on the internet. Though it is a challenge to search for the right answers, I enjoy the challenge and feel accomplished when I can show a patron what I learned and make using technology easier for others.
NLC: Please share a story of how your library work has made a difference in the life of a library user.
LIBBY MUNSELL: I’ve had a couple one-on-one meetings with patrons who need help accessing Overdrive on the e-readers. I like to show them that I don’t always know how to do everything on every device, and if we work together we can solve the problem. I enjoy having conversations with them where I am helping them learn how to use their device and use our library at the same time. I can see that I make a difference when they tell me what they learned and leave the library with an e-reader full of books and a desire to come back. [Ed. note: Libby has shared other stories on the Nebraska Library Storybank, such as Interlibrary Loan Expands Paperback Collection and DVD Collection Expanded Through Interlibrary Loan.]
NLC: What does the future hold for libraries?
LIBBY MUNSELL: I think that libraries are still all about accessing and using information. In the future, libraries will have to follow the trend of digital and instant information to even reach the public. Libraries will be spaces for exploration and creation. I hope that the printed word doesn’t go away completely, but whether it does or not, libraries will still be relevant because librarians can provide the assistance to make finding information easier for patrons.
NLC: What does the future hold for librarians?
LIBBY MUNSELL: Librarians of the future will be flexible and eager to learn. Information and the way we access it is changing, so librarians need to be willing to change with the public so that they stay relevant in their communities. It comes down to community assessment—what are the community’s information needs and how can the library be useful?
NLC: What are you reading right now? What are your hobbies?
LIBBY MUNSELL: I’m reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth and The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller, both for pleasure. I also enjoy keeping up with food blogs, personal blogs, and library blogs. I love to read (of course!) and cook. Cooking is my way of unwinding from the day and taking a break from homework.
NLC: Please share a favorite quote, and why it’s your favorite.
LIBBY MUNSELL: “No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” I just came across this quote [by Atwood H. Townsend] a couple days ago in The Book Whisperer. It’s a new favorite because it’s true to my life. I need to find the time to read because it helps me grow. I learn new things, I understand myself and others better, and I can take a break from everything that worries me.
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The New Faces project is made possible by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant to the Nebraska Library Commission from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
New Faces: Emily McIllece
Emily McIllece, Reference Associate and Dual Enrollment Coordinator at University of Nebraska Omaha Criss Library
In this series, New Faces, the Nebraska Library Commission will interview someone from the next generation of Nebraska librarians.
Today we are speaking with Emily McIllece, Reference Associate and Dual Enrollment Coordinator at the University of Nebraska Omaha Criss Library. She previously worked in her hometown library and another college library, and has worked as a newspaper reporter and freelance writer. Emily received her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri – Columbia in May 2013. She is a 2011 and 2012 Nebraska Library Commission / Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian scholarship recipient.
NLC: What brought you to the world of library work? How is it you went to library school?
EMILY MCILLECE: In college, I’d worked at my hometown and college libraries, both jobs I absolutely loved. But after graduation, I worked for a couple years at the Council Bluffs newspaper. It wasn’t the job for me. So, I applied for library positions and was turned down because I didn’t have the degree. Finally, I decided to take a part-time library clerk position, freelance copywrite on the side, and get my MLS. It was scary—but a great decision!
NLC: What did you learn in your coursework that surprised you the most? Complete the sentence, “I had no idea….”
EMILY MCILLECE: …how far librarianship can stretch into “non-library” roles.
NLC: How would you like to make a difference in the lives of library users or in the community your library serves?
EMILY MCILLECE: Showing students they’re not alone, that we are a fantastic resource for them, and that they shouldn’t be nervous or shy about asking for help. It’s always a neat moment when you make a connection with a student and the once daunting research assignment is suddenly obtainable.
NLC: What do you find most rewarding in your library job?
EMILY MCILLECE: When a panicked patron walks away with a smile.
NLC: What are your hobbies?
EMILY MCILLECE: Writing, sailing, horseback riding.
NLC: What are you reading right now?
EMILY MCILLECE: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, print book.
NLC: What’s the most useful non-library work experience you bring to a library job?
EMILY MCILLECE: My time as reporter is really handy when explaining the strengths and weaknesses in using newspaper articles as a research source. I also love to create fanvids (music videos of a genre, like Star Wars or X-Men) for my own amusement, which helps if we make video tutorials.
NLC: What does the future hold for libraries?
EMILY MCILLECE: We’re branching out. More libraries are embracing libraries as community centers, and we’re starting to see that in the academic world, too. I think we’ll always be fighting for every cent of our budget, but I think in the next few years, the general population will associate us with more than books. Books are awesome, and we’re not going to “abandon” them, but I think as we get better with marketing ourselves and integrating services into the community, people will see beyond the stacks.
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The New Faces project is made possible by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant to the Nebraska Library Commission from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
New Faces: Tina Walker
Tina Walker, Director of Learning Resources for Mid-Plains Community College
In this series, New Faces, the Nebraska Library Commission will interview someone from the next generation of Nebraska librarians.
Today we are speaking with Tina Walker, Director of Learning Resources for Mid-Plains Community College. She previously worked as a library assistant at the University of Nebraska Kearney Calvin T. Ryan Library. She also volunteered at the Kearney Public Library teaching basic computers, social networking, and research. Tina received her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri – Columbia in 2011. She is a 2011 Nebraska Library Commission / Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian scholarship recipient.
NLC: What brought you to the world of library work? How is it you went to library school?
TINA WALKER: I began working as an assistant and fell in love with reference and working with students every day. I learned that my unique background gave me skills others didn’t have and I could use them in this line of work. I was encouraged to get my MLIS from my supervisor.
NLC: What did you learn in your coursework that surprised you the most? Complete the sentence, “I had no idea that….”
TINA WALKER: …so many people were ready to move to electronic library resources.
NLC: How did the NLC/IMLS 21st Century Librarian scholarship help you with getting an education and in your career aspirations?
TINA WALKER: The scholarship allowed me to attend my first ever ALA conference and I learned a great deal about how libraries function and the vendors. I also learned about networking and how useful that is in the future.
NLC: What’s the most useful non-library work experience you bring to a library job?
TINA WALKER: My conflict resolution and mediation from the Department of Corrections. I learned in this position how to handle people and direct conflict situations.
NLC: What does the future hold for libraries?
TINA WALKER: I believe that libraries will be here in 20 years, but the intent of the library is changing. As more research continues to go digital and more information is available for free, librarians will have to keep teaching people how to find good information.
NLC: What does the future hold for librarians?
TINA WALKER: Many hours of coursework on computers, coding, techie stuff. Either learn to change with the times, or get left behind.
NLC: What are you reading right now?
TINA WALKER: Dean Koontz novels. Lisa Scottoline novels. I read Time, Readers Digest, Chronicle of Higher Education, Community College Magazine, American Libraries, and Library Journal.
NLC: Please share a favorite quote.
TINA WALKER: If I drive myself to the brink of my ability, then I don’t get stale or bored. –Dean Koontz
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The New Faces project is made possible by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant to the Nebraska Library Commission from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
