The week of April 20 was National Library Week and Resilience Academy (RA) staff celebrated by encouraging students to sign up for library cards and inviting a local library director to speak with students about the wonderful things libraries offer for free. For one RA student, it became a great networking opportunity.
Junior Dylan Seaboldt has always enjoyed visiting libraries and hopes to someday be a library page, who sorts, organizes and returns books and other items to their proper places on the shelves. When Grinnell Library’s Director Kristen Campbell visited RA on April 22 to speak with students and help sign them up for library cards, Seaboldt thought it would be an opportune time to ask her questions about library work.
“I asked her about hours and how the average day is at the library, which depends … it’s a lot busier over the summer,” Seaboldt said. “It seems very nice.”
Teaching Assistant Christina Olson noted that Campbell offered tailored advice for Seaboldt’s professional journey.
“For those ready to enter the workforce, she discussed Library Page positions, an ideal first job for gaining professional experience in a supportive environment,” Olson said.
The conversation furthered Seaboldt’s interest and he appreciated how the library can accommodate staff needs, such as people wearing headphones who have sensory issues. He also appreciated Campbell’s talk about the services patrons can access with a library card.
“You can do almost anything with library cards, you can even get passes to museums,” Seaboldt said. “Check what your local library has to offer because you can find some very interesting things there.”
Seaboldt did not have assemblies at his previous school and enjoys hearing about the different topics and opportunities discussed at them.
“This is new to me in a way, but they’re very good,” Seaboldt said.
Campbell’s visit was made possible by RA Instructional Coach Jonathan Aker, a frequent visitor to Grinnell. Olson found that students were excited to learn about the library’s modern perks and high value services available, including free streaming media items. Campbell also share invaluable insights for students looking to build their resumes and explore future careers.
“She highlighted how students can earn essential community service hours by volunteering for children’s programming, tech support or community events … the conversation even expanded beyond the local branch, as Kristen introduced students to diverse career paths in legal and school libraries,” Olson said. “Libraries are instrumental to our community, and we are so grateful to Kristen for bringing these ‘wonders’ to light.”
