Welcome to our Library Joy Series in honor of National Library Week! Here we are highlighting some of our amazing staff to share how and why they love what they do. Next up is LuAnne, an Education Specialist at Mr. & Mrs. F. L. Schlagle Library.
Why did you decide to get into Library work?
I was an English major, bookseller, reading teacher, environmental educator, and writer. All of these joys of mine combined in my job at the Mr. & Mrs. F.L. Schlagle library. Libraries are filled with memories of taking my daughters and letting them fill their bags with picture books until they almost couldn't carry them; of giving author talks in my book-writing days; and of relaxing into the quiet comforting walls of stories. I want to help make it the Happy Place for others now.
I love it when patrons ask for help in finding information on topics they are interested in! I call it "the hunt"! The hunt is on to find as much as I can for them. I probably overwhelm them in my excitement.
What is your favorite part about working for a library?
The joy in a child's face when they experience something new. Out on our nature trail, when I see a child begin to notice all the tiny things that make nature whole, it brings me joy. They excitedly pick up something as simple as an acorn to show me that a squirrel may have chewed on it or call to all their friends to see the ant crawling on the log. After their discoveries, they want to explore more and know more. I enjoy reading books about what you might find outdoors as springboards to these adventures.
Do you have a book or collections recommendation?
I mostly enjoy reading non-fiction about nature, wellness, and history. I pepper my reading with some fiction here and there when I need a lighter read- something like Jan Karon's Mitford series is light-hearted fun.
I'm currently reading The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth.
I just finished reading Poems by Rachel Field, the author of Hitty: Her First Hundred Years. Spring beckons me to sit on the side porch and read verses about the nature around me.
What's a fun fact about you?
I love to forage for wild edibles and use them in my cooking. Dandelions- if you can't beat 'em, eat 'em. I'm reading How to Forage for Wild Foods Without Dying so that my children won't be scared when I eat wild edibles!
Keep checking back all week to meet more of our staff or stop by one of locations today!
The Light Eaters
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth
A book exploring the emerging science on plant intelligence, uncovering plants' complex and unimaginable capabilities and calling into question what we consider to be conscious agents in the natural world.
Hitty: Her First Hundred Years
Hitty is a doll of great charm and character. Hitty, or Mehitable as she was really named, was made in the early 1800s for Phoebe Preble, a little girl from Maine. This is the story of Hitty's years with Phoebe, and the many that follow in the life of a well-loved doll.
How to Forage for Wild Foods Without Dying
How to Forage for Wild Foods without Dying is a book for anyone who likes to go on nature walks and would like to learn about the edible plants they're most likely to come across--no matter what region they're in. Author Ellen Zachos shares her considerable expertise, acquired over decades of foraging in every part of North America. She offers clear, concise descriptions of edible wild plants, in addition to any potential lookalikes, as well as critical information about proper harvesting, processing, and cooking. Zachos has curated the plant selection to include only the 40 most common, most delicious edible plants, ranging from black walnuts and juniper berries to elderflowers, burdock, fiddlehead ferns, lambsquarter, wild garlic, sunchokes, and many more. With Zachos's expert advice and easy-to-follow guidelines, readers will be confident in identifying which plants they can safely eat and which ones they should definitely avoid. Easy instructions for preparation and eating for maximum enjoyment are included.