Where are you from?

I&8217;m originally from Nashville, Tenn.

What brought you to Demopolis?

I got my master&8217;s degree in library and information studies at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Upon graduation, I saw the ad for the assistant director. I had gone to school with Morgan (Grimes) and we had worked together on projects and worked really well together. She encouraged me to come down and interview, and when I came down I really liked the library and the community. It seemed like a good opportunity, so I decided to give it a try.

As assistant director, what are some of your responsibilities at the library?

My primary responsibilities are to maintain inter-library loans and all of the cataloging. I&8217;ve also been working on some grants with Morgan, such as the Black Belts Arts Initiative and we&8217;re applying for additional grant money for another public computer. We&8217;re also working on re-vamping some policies.

What got you interested in library sciences?

I&8217;ve always loved the library. Even when I was a child, I spent a lot of time in the library. I took time off during undergrad(uate) school to try to figure out what I wanted to do. During that time I wanted to be a librarian. I always had the understanding you could just go work at a library; I didn&8217;t realize you need a master&8217;s degree to technically be a librarian. So I kind of put that on the back burner when I went back to school to get my undergrad degree. Then when I graduated, I was working in Knox County in Tennessee with a recycling program there. I really enjoyed that, but I felt that I maybe wanted to do something else. The library career came back to me and one thing fell into place after another.

Where did you do your undergraduate work?

At the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

What are some things you hope to bring to the library during your time here?

The thing I&8217;m most passionate about in the library, which is the reason I became involved in it, is I want to give back to the community. I&8217;d really like for the library to become the center point, not just for information and knowledge, but other activities. I think the library is such an equalizer, where everybody has equal opportunities and equal access to information, and I think that makes it really

special.

What other grant opportunities will you be looking for?

Probably anything and everything I can catch my eye on, I&8217;d be interested in. We&8217;ve thought about this back meeting room, making it a more interesting space and more functional so members of the community can come in after hours and use it as a meeting space.