By Kaitlin Carman Asst. News Editor What is your educational background? I have an undergraduate degree from Clark University in Worcester, where I majored in Global Environmental Studies, and my master's and is in communications from Regis College. What made you decide to get into this field? I'm really passionate about libraries as a third space. I think it's very important, as we're losing spaces where people can spend time - prolonged periods of time - without having to pay for anything. Think about if libraries didn't exist and then we just came up with the idea of libraries. No one would go for it. Like, “Here's a bunch of free stuff. We just trust you to bring it back. We don't charge money for it.” Things are becoming more and more commercialized. People can spend all day there. Everything the library offers is free for everyone, no matter their age or economic background. That's becoming increasingly rare. Also, there's more and more information than ever before, and learning to navigate that using critical thinking skills and not being taken advantage of - especially as I see so many people who are not literate in terms of technology. And it's not their fault. We always think of this as older people - it's not necessarily older people. What are some challenges you are facing? COVID-19 has definitely affected engagement across the board. We're all going out less. We're staying at home more. I think we are slowly overcoming that hurdle, but that's certainly been the most immediate challenge in terms of getting people to attend events. I think people just went into shell shock. We're not addressing that as a society. That's a whole different conversation, but we're not having that come-together moment of like, “We survived a global pandemic.” That is really scary to think about. No one is like, “OK, fine, it's over. Just go back to whatever.” We do not remember that world. It doesn't exist anymore. But you know what was life before COVID? So my mission is to certainly re-engage. I want people coming into the library. It's been awesome. I started in July, so it's been great to see the students come back. And how many students were here on the first day studying already. It's awesome to see that. … There's just lots of things for everyone. … It's really interesting and exciting to be at a stage where libraries are shifting. I know Millie [Gonzalez] and I are working on making the library more sustainable. So in terms of just providing internet access - what if there's a storm and people don't have access to the internet? I was attending a webinar yesterday about Hurricane Sandy and how it decimated the whole neighborhood, and the library was the only place with internet, and people could file insurance claims or look up information when they didn't have internet in their homes. So that kind of lifeline. It gets really hot sometimes, and libraries can provide AC for people. So, recognizing what the community needs and delivering that at no cost. What is an interesting hobby you enjoy? I'm heavily involved with Stern's Farm, which is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) on the north side. A lot of lady farmers. We've had female farm managers, I think, since they were established in 1990 except for like, three years. So currently, all their full-time farming staff are women. They produce so much on this little plot of land. It's amazing. Just communicating with nature. Just spending time in places where we're not just constantly bombarded with advertisements asking us for money or to create an account for something. I recently got back into dancing. … The Framingham Historical Society did a swing night. So I've been doing that. I just want to learn different ways to move our bodies. Do you have any goals you would like to achieve during your time at FSU? Certainly to get more students using the library in-person and online. I've been getting some really positive feedback about my word whiteboard questions. Long term, I would love to start a speed-friending event. Want to make friends? Let's just get in a room together, get some icebreakers going, get all awkward with it, and hopefully leave with a friend or two. So, activities like that. You know, no one wants to admit that they're lonely and they're struggling. It's hard to meet people, especially again after COVID. I feel everyone's in their little shell. So let's start breaking out. Do you have any advice for students? Well, of course, stop by the library. It's really going to make a difference in your GPA, not really just … don't be afraid to pursue … ideas. Sometimes students get discouraged if it's not something that other people know about, or everyone has such a different perspective. There are billions of people in the world - which is astounding to think about. We all have our own perspective and history, and I think people talk themselves out of maybe writing that paper, doing that presentation, or making a post about it. Just go for it. You never know where it ends up and who it's gonna affect - so, uncharted waters, I say, sail through those uncharted waters.
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