How long have you worked at the library?
I’ve worked at EPL since October. I’m still a rookie!
How many items do you have checked out right now?
6 items. I’m returning a few of them today though!
How many items are on your hold list?
I have a book on Renaisssance Art that has been on hold since October. Huh. Maybe I should look into that…
What book can you read again and again without losing interest? Why do you still read it?
The Harry Potter series. They’re the grilled cheese and tomato soup of my literary life.
If you were a literary character, who would you be and why?
Hard to choose one. I’ve always been drawn to wandering wisdom figures in literature. Think Gandalf or Odin in his guise as a mysterious wanderer. Bonus points if the characters are morally upright. I like my heroes to be heroic, not anti-heroic!
What is your favorite book format (book, audio, mp3, e-reader, etc.)?
Books. Definitely books.
What is your favorite aspect of working at the library?
I love how being a city employee makes me feel like a valuable member of the Edwardsville community. I moved here a few years ago and I am happy to give back to the community in my own small way.
What is your guilty reading (or listening) pleasure?
I have a soft-spot for works of (harmless!) pseudo-science. Enthusiastic, “scientific”, and fantastical descriptions of Lost Continents such as Lemuria and Atlantis have always fascinated me.
What books do you feel guilty for not having read?
I never finished the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in English II (H). Sorry Ms. Morgan!
What is your perfect reading environment?
There are so many options! Fresh brewed cappuccino is a must as well as a comfy chair and beautiful shelves brimming with books. Bonus points for plenty of natural light and/or a fireplace for those late night reading sessions.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what single genre of books would you want with you?
Memoirs. If I’m stuck on a desert island, at least I’d be able to live vicariously through people living interesting lives.
What was your favorite children’s book when you were a child? What is your favorite children’s book now?
I was the quirky kiddo who LOVED reading scary stories. Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was my absolute fave growing up. His The Thing still gives me chills. On the (slightly) less dark side I loved Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus Sequence. The footnotes are the best part. Oh! And Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. So good!