I applied for my first part-time job as a teen services assistant when I wanted to leave my job in financial services to pursue a Master’s in Social Welfare. I valued the time I spent volunteering at a domestic violence shelter more than the time I spent at work, where helping people wasn’t the primary objective of my employer. I knew I had to make a change.

Working with teens and books was a natural fit; I had experience coaching high school debate and working with teens in the foster care and juvenile justice system. I was an avid book blogger, embedded in the online culture surrounding books and reading. Plus, I knew the answer to the question of the day: what would you recommend to fans of The Hunger Games?  (Legend by Marie Lu).

After just a few months, I realized that a career in libraries allowed me to combine my interest in social justice with my passion for books and reading. Plus, Nancy Pearl called to talk to me about readers’ advisory, and I realized that connecting readers with books they’ll love was my calling. So I decided to get my MLS instead of my MSW.

And that’s how I became a librarian.