Meet Julie and Lilly!

Welcome to our latest installment of Meet the Staff on the Library blog! This October, we would like to introduce you to two of our newest staff members, Julie and Lilly.

These two women bring a lot of great ideas, previous library work experience, and enthusiasm to their jobs at the SPL. Though Julie and Lilly work on a large variety of projects, they often find themselves working together to bring you great library programs. They’ve worked together on this year’s Somerville Reads committee, both helped to create new monthly book clubs, and are working together (along with others) to plan an upcoming SPL Comic Con.

We asked both of them to answer a few questions about themselves for us to share with you. We loved reading through their answers and are sure you will too!

Julie

What’s your role at the Somerville Public Library? I'm head of Adult Services where I get to do a lot of fun stuff.  I'm in charge of our adult programs here at Central. I also manage our museum pass program and many of our collections. I get to buy adult fiction, DVDs, music CDs and more! I'm so lucky to work with a lot of great people here at SPL, including Lilly.

How long have you worked at the Somerville Public Library and have you had any other jobs here? Only a little bit longer than a year...I started as a substitute librarian where I filled in on the Reference Desk when regular staff were out.  Last September, I was hired as a Library Generalist and I worked at the West branch two days a week. Now I'm at Central full time, and I love it.

What types of books do you enjoy reading most? Pretty much anything. I've recently read some excellent memoirs: Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood, Hunger by Roxane Gay, and You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie.

What might someone be surprised to know about you? Beneath my rough world-weary exterior lies a heart of gold.

If you weren't working at the library, what would you be doing instead? I'm not sure! I've been working in public libraries for over 11 years now and I can't imagine doing anything else.

What do you do when you aren't working? On weekends and evenings I usually can be found reading and hanging out with my cats, Crusty and Spider.  I'm not at all a stereotypical librarian.

Lilly

What’s your role at the Somerville Public Library? Outreach and Programming Librarian

What's your first memory of the Somerville Public Library? When I first moved to the area I worked in a library that was all the way across the city. My first memory of the SPL was driving past it every day on my way to work and thinking “if only I could work there.” I was obviously delighted when I was offered a job at the SPL and could finally work just down the street from my house.

How long have you worked at the Somerville Public Library and have you had any other jobs here? I have been in my current position for only a few weeks! Before that I worked in the Reference Department for about 7 months, and was a senior sub for 7 months before joining the staff full time.

What has surprised you most about working at the Somerville Public Library? I have been delighted by the creativity of my coworkers; they are always surprising me with new and interesting ways to engage the community.

What is your favorite memory from Somerville Public Library? Books & Brews!! (Added note: Books & Brews is our newest book club. Our first meeting just took place a about a week ago and was filled with great discussions and great people! We meet at Aeronaut Brewing Company on the third Tuesday of the month. For more information about Books & Brews, please visit our event Facebook page: https://goo.gl/o3WCPN).

What do you wish people knew about the Somerville Public Library? People are always surprised to hear that they can borrow eBooks and audiobooks from the Library! I wish more people knew about it but I also love telling people about all the free things we offer and showing them how easy it is to access resources.

Tell me about someone who has influenced your decision to work in libraries. I originally went to library school to become an archivist but had an assignment in one of the required classes that really changed the game for me. The assignment was to shadow a reference librarian so I made an appointment with Molly Moss from the Forbes Library in Northampton. I had never considered working in a public library before but Molly was great and I instantly felt at home at the Forbes. I ended up getting my first real librarian job at the Forbes! Molly was the head of my department, she taught me so many things about being a public librarian, and is still someone I consider a mentor.

What types of books do you enjoy reading most? I like reading fantasy, travel narratives, and foodie memoirs.

What might someone be surprised to know about you? I once went to a summer camp that had a miming unit. As a result, I know how to make balloon animals.

If you weren't working at the Library, what would you be doing instead? I love to bake and have worked in coffee shops in the past so if I hadn’t become a librarian, I might have opened my own café.

What do you do when you aren't working? Well, I am a librarian so I obviously spend a lot of time at home reading with my two favorite cats. When I’m not doing that, I like to bake, knit, and try out new restaurants with my boyfriend.

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We’re very happy to have both of these cat-loving librarians on staff and cannot wait to see what sorts of programs and services they’ll offer in the future!

Next time you see them at the Library, be sure to stop and say hello!