Megan originally worked at our circulation desk and then left for a few years to attend graduate school and gain some experience before returning to her home library in Edwardsville in 2014. She was promoted to the Head Librarian of Youth Services in 2016 and has continued to build on the strong youth programming we offer here. She has implemented popular STEM programming such as Girls Who Code, Google Coding Club, and Techsplorers to help the “kiddos” (as Megan calls them) in our community learn important skills while having fun with technology. She is passionate about the educational aspect of our role in the community but never leaves out the fun, and I think that is something that makes her especially good at her job.
One of her most recent contributions is the implementation of the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge on Beanstack. This program is a wonderful way to both improve literacy while having fun and earning prizes, so if you have not heard about it yet please check our website or ask at the library.
I recently asked Megan a question about whether she would be interested in working on a new project with me, and she didn’t hesitate or stop to consider her already-busy schedule. She said yes immediately, because she knows it is important and that what we do has impact! Megan is dedicated to making our youth program the best it can be for our community. She is always willing to take on a new challenge, and she always follows through once she commits. Thank you, Megan, for your dedication to our kiddos!
- Jill Schardt, Library Director
How long have you worked at the library?
I’ve worked at the library for 5 years since I came back in 2014. I originally started working summers at EPL in 2006, learning what it was like to work in a library, and worked as a circulation clerk for a few years after I graduated college.
In what part of the library do you work and what do you do?
I work in the youth library and do all sorts of things! I oversee the youth services department and the best parts of my job are planning fun and educational programming for children and teens, ordering materials for the youth library collection, providing outreach to local schools and daycares, and helping people in the library.
What has changed the most since you started working here?
Community has always been a big part of working at the library, but I’ve loved the dedication we’ve made to looking outside the library and meeting people where they are in addition to providing stellar services inside the library.
What services offered at the library do you wish more people knew about?
Youth Services Staff are available to offer book talks, research instruction, and hands-on technology instruction to your classroom or school! If you are interested in this service, please follow the link to fill out this form to schedule a school visit.
Our Awesome youth librarian, Kristen Reno, created “Book Match”. This is for teens who are looking for their next great read! You can fill out the form by clicking Here.
What’s an underrated book you think everyone should read?
Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matthew Myers. It’s so funny and unique. A bunny gets a cute picture book called “The Birthday Bunny” from his grandma and he decides to change the title to “The Battle Bunny” adding text and drawings all through the book. The cute story line of “The Birthday Bunny” mixed with the bunny’s own supervillain story mixed in will make you laugh. The humor and reading level would be great for Grades 1-4.
What has kept you working at the library?
Bubbles at the end of story time.
In addition to the bubbles, I love getting to spend time with the kids and teens in our community and really learning a lot from them. I’ve been able to see quite a few kids go from our story times into our grade school programs and I feel lucky to be a part of their lives and that they enjoy the library so much too!
If you could have coffee with any author, who would you choose?
This is too hard! I guess I would have to say the Bronte Sisters. I went through a little obsession phase and even got to visit the brooding moors and Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, England.
Do you have a book character role model?
This may be cheating, but I would choose Tina Fey! She wrote a book about her life so it works, right? I also love Jo March from Little Women.
What is the first book you remember reading?
I’m not sure, but the earliest I remember is a lot of Amelia Bedelia, Berenstain Bears, and I loved The Jolly Postman, or Other People’s Letters by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. There were actual letters in envelopes throughout the book that you could take out and read!
About the Author
Katherine is the Social Media Coordinator and has been working at EPL since 2008. She loves books, especially ones with unique plots and those written so well that she can't put them down.