Brief Bio
I am an MLIS graduate and new father, having recently returned from a journey to Yekaterinburg, Russia. It was here that my son was born--a long story in and of itself--and the beginning of my most recent chapter in life. I've spent the past several months learning the ropes of parenthood, engaging in international diplomacy, and furthering my study of and love for libraries.
I was born in the library, you see. Not literally, but close enough. My mom was librarian and from my youngest years I can remember wandering the stacks and picking books off the shelf, each one a mystery, a gateway, something to be explored and solved. It fed a sense of curiosity and creativity that has proven fundamental in my life. I grew to admire the mission of the library, understanding it to be so much more than the stereotypical warehouse of books that the media often portray it as. No, the library can be and often is the very heart of a community, a place where all can come and share equally, learning and growing on so many levels--intellectually, creatively, personally, and with each other. The Library can be a place of refuge where people find comfort, it can be a place where people discover the creativity within them, it can be a place where people can learn without restriction, it can be a place where everyone can mingle and where friends can be gained; in short, it's where a community can come together. In a society where people are growing ever more distant, wired together only at a digital distance, is it really a wonder why libraries are more crucial than ever? I want to help people realize this, to realize what can be accomplished by the library when a community has this sort of home at the heart of it. I am yet young and admittedly I've much to learn, but that doesn't make me any less eager to get out there and help others. Now that my little one is a bit older and I'm back in the states, I'm excited to get out there and find a library and a community that I can fight for and help enrich. |