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Meet Your Librarian
Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: August - 2022
Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library is a central player in Southern Jackson County’s social and civic landscape. In this issue, we get to know a bit about the woman who keeps the entire enterprise purring.
Serenity Richards is the branch librarian for the AlbertCarlton-Cashiers Community Library.Q: Did you always aspire to become a librarian?A: Growing up I either wanted to be a singer or ageophysicist.But I was in libraries all the time as a kid. I would get lost in thelocal history room for hours;they’d have to drag me out withmy huge stack of books.Q: What was a former interest/career?A: My B.A. is in theater and music. I worked professionallyin theater as a stage manager, carpenter, lightingtech, andgeneralroadie. I’ve also sung professionally allover the world.I continue to keep my toe in both with local groups like theCashiers Valley Community Chorus and the Western CarolinaCommunity Chorus, and privategigs in the region.Q: Whatmotivated you to become a librarian and what was theeducationalpath you took to get there?A: I’ve volunteered and worked in libraries pretty much non-stop through all of my other professionalwanderings. I endedup pursuing my Library Science degree with a focus in digitalarchiving and public librarianship and haven’t looked back.Q: Is this your first branch librarian position?A: This is the first branch librarian position I’ve held. I workedfor years as a cataloger in an academic library and spent all ofmy high school years (and some of my adult ones) as a volunteerfor Fontana libraries.Q: What are a few highlights of managing a library?A: Every day is a new adventure. Whether it’s helping someoneset up their new phone, helping kids find just the right book fortheir school report, recommending the perfect summer porchread, or completely redesigning the way you provide publicservices during a pandemic, the work will never be boring!Q: Do you have a favorite book genre?A: I read a little bit of everything, but right now I’m on anescapist kick. I’ve been bingereading a lot of epic fantasythissummer.Q: What is something people would be surprised to learnabout you?A: I’m a rock hound. If I were to drop everything and go backto school today, it would be for geology.
by Deena Bouknight
Photo by Susan Renfro
