Dixie Phillips
reporter@greenepublishing.com
For many members of the community, childhood memories of the local library consist of visits to check out books. For one member of the community, Emily Grosskopf, these memories sparked a true passion for literature that led her to work as a librarian at the Lee Public Library, and eventually attend the American Library Association (ALA) LibLearnX conference and ALA Gives Back volunteer program along with volunteer staff member Tobias Bulhmann.
Grosskopf initially became a part-time employee during college, saying, “Libraries have always felt like a safe space, and what better location to work at as an overwhelmed college student?” The safety and simplicity of the library is what drew her to the job, but what made her stay was the day-to-day interaction with the community. “Determining what resources and programs we can provide to make the most out of every patron's visit resulted in me watching as both adults and children who had no interest in reading discover the freedom and joy that books can provide,” she says, overjoyed at the fact that she is now acting in the same role as the librarians from her youth.
Obviously, when offered the opportunity to attend the ALA events in New Orleans, La., from Friday, Jan. 27 to Monday, Jan. 30, Grosskopf immediately said “yes.” She had been looking for opportunities to “grow as both an employee and advocate for our community members” for quite some time, and the conference event and volunteer opportunity was too great to pass up. “Libraries have given me so much throughout my life,” she says. “I leapt at the opportunity to work with fellow library staff to give back to the communities that support them.”
During her time volunteering, the librarian had the chance to interact with other librarians from around the country and listen to their unique experiences, struggles, and accomplishments within the field. The volunteers provided support for 826 New Orleans, an organization dedicated to cultivating and encouraging the voices of writers aged six through 18. They worked tirelessly to do tasks such as creating young author “toolboxes,” constructing an inspirational library space and shelving and organizing the storefront. “It was extremely motivating to see these dedicated, passionate, and experienced individuals working together to complete an incredible amount of work in just one day,” Grosskopf reflected.
Following the volunteer program, Grosskopf attended the LibLearnX conference, during which she attended learning sessions that gave her better insight into the economic role of libraries within the community, ways to reach more secluded portions of the community and ways to work towards stronger advocacy for both patrons and the library. She stated that the information focusing on the importance of representation throughout all forms of media and creating a location where everyone feels comfortable was the most important to her, “leading to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.”
Grosskopf thanks the Suwannee River Regional Library System and the Continuing Education fund provided by the Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN) for the opportunity to attend such an impactful and important event.