Mae Landess - The Stars at KLIC: Journey Story of our Staff

 

By Mae Landess

I was often at different libraries when I was younger, they were like a safe haven for me. Sometimes when life was too much, I would go sit in a library so I could be alone and breathe. Having access to a ton of books was also a welcome bonus.

In the fall semester of 2018, I started going to college full-time for pre-nursing. Since all my money went towards a gap year I took, I needed a job to afford college. I worked at a few restaurants but the workload was too much and the pay was not great, so it started to affect me mentally.

In the summer of 2019, I remember coming to the Chatt State library looking for somewhere quiet. They had a sign that they were hiring student workers. On a whim, I filled out an application. I ended up getting the job and started working here.

I started working at the service desk and helping with student tech support. Later the tech services in the library asked me to help with book processing and archives. I got a backstage pass to learn about libraries and how they operate. I loved it!

When the pandemic hit, I was still a nursing student. I remember dreading class and being miserable when doing the different clinical rotations. I remember sitting in my car after a hard clinical day in the hospital and thought, "Why am I even here. I hate this!"

Then it clicked for me. I don't have to be here and no one is forcing me. Life is short and I don't want to spend it in scrubs. I'd rather be with the books. I realized that I wanted to be a librarian and continue to do what I love instead of something I hate. I could envision myself as an old librarian but I couldn't even see myself as a young nurse let alone an old one.

That moment started a chain reaction. I left the program, took a semester off of school, changed my major, and transferred so I could get my bachelor's. In the middle of everything, my boss offered me a staff position as the Circulation Assistant. I am also in school part-time working towards a master's in Library Sciences. I don't know where this journey will take me, but for now, I live for today and do what I love. This is who and where I am meant to be.

carpe diem quam minimum credula postero

Not So Frequently Asked Questions with Katie Boren!

Katie Boren

Katie Boren is our new library assistant 3! The library assistant 3 position is a multifaceted position combining public services duties and divisional administrative support duties including public desk coverage, payroll, helping with onboarding library work-study students, and more. 

Katie is not a new face at Chattanooga State -- Katie is a ChattState alum so be sure to check out her answer to the question about advice to students! And this is not her first job at the ChattState library either: a library student worker! We were able to ask Katie some not so frequently asked questions!

1. Favorite local restaurants?
I am such a foodie that it is very difficult to choose favorites. There are so many good choices for every mood! I would say Pizza Bros (for pizza and Cinnaboiz-trust me, they will change your life), State of Confusion (best fries and chicken egg rolls ever), The Spot (for perfect paninis), and The Acropolis (for Saganaki, delicious and so fun to yell "OPA" when it catches on fire). 

2. What inspired you to want to work in a library?
I began my library journey when I was a work-study student in 2015 right here at Chattanooga State. I fell in love with libraries and knew this is where I wanted to be. Once I graduated, I moved to Cookeville and also worked in the library at Tennessee Tech from 2017-2019.  In the spring of 2020, I began my master's program at UTK and graduate with my Master of Science in Infomation Sciences. During that time, I worked in three different libraries and learned so much. But I knew that I wanted to come back to Chattanooga State, as it was what made me choose this career in the first place. I am ecstatic to be back!

3. Spring, Summer, Winter, or Fall?
In my humble opinion, I feel like Chattanooga does not change seasons in the traditional sense. It's too warm in the winter, then all the spring brings is tornadoes and allergies, then it's blazing hot for 4 months, one week of fall, and then it's 60 degrees on Christmas. Being from Kentucky originally, I love White Christmases, and I have yet to see one since being in Chattanooga:(
That being said, I love winter, the cold, and snow!! I absolutely loathe summer in the south.

Elloree

4. Do you have any pets?
Just the two most beautiful kittens in the world! My sweet Elloree (Ellie) and Chanel (CeCe). I found Elloree in a dumpster at my old library job when she was about 5 months old. I tried to find a home for her for two days while she sat at work with me. But inevitably, I could not let her go. CeCe was born under my neighbor's porch and lived happily outside for the first 8 months of her life. Then she was attacked by another neighborhood cat and was on the brink of death. We took her to the vet, brought her home, and she never went outside again. Ellie was very unsure of CeCe at first, but now they are the best of pals. They are my world 🙂

CeCe

5. If you could invite any three people to dinner, who would you choose?
Dead: Marilyn Monroe, Leslie Jordan, and Freddie Mercury!
Alive: Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, and Lin-Manuel Miranda!

6. What advice do you have for students?
COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS OKAY! This is something I was never told growing up. When my grades would slip in high school, I was told that I would "end up at a community college." Having the opportunity to attend community college was the best thing for my educational journey. It is a wonderful place to start and it will always welcome you back if you need to start again. I love that there are all walks of life here.

7. Top 5 bands?
I don't listen to too many bands, but when I do: QUEEN, Our Last Night, Queen, The Icarus Account, and did I mention Queen??

8. Favorite thing to do in Chattanooga?
My favorite thing to do in Chattanooga is finding new things to do in Chattanooga. I feel like there are endless things to discover here. I love finding new restaurants, hiking trails, places to shop, etc.

9. List one thing about you that few people know.
I once sold two umbrellas to Ashton Kutcher while working at Rock City on a rainy day.

10. Wild Card Question: What do you do in your free time?
I like to make and sell handmade jewelry! I work mostly with polymer clay, beads, and old watch faces. I love being crafty!

A National Day of Service: MLK Day, January 16

 

The library and Chattanooga State will be closed Monday, January 16th for MLK Day.
MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. During the last quarter-century, the MLK Day of Service has grown, and its impact increased as more Americans embraced the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving communities. Find out more about MLK Day at MLKDAY.gov

 

Chattanooga will have a parade and march that begins at 1 p.m. from Miller Park down M.L. King Boulevard to Peeples Street. Follow the #MLKDay hashtag on social media channels. Find local volunteer opportunities from the City of Chattanooga at https://cha.city/mlkdos23

 

What is that book icon on the library's website? New Books Blog!

 

There are five icons on the library's website. Three are identifiable as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The newspaper icon is this, the library blog.

But there's a book icon. Have you ever wondered where to find a list of new books in the library? Find that list on the New Books Blog!

In the new books blog, each book cover and description is pulled from the KLIC library catalog.  The posts are arranged by the Library of Congress call numbers to make it easier to find new books in subject areas.  Each post has the title of the area covered; for example, Sciences, Medicine, and Agriculture (LC Category Q-S).

Here is what a new book blog post looks like:

The linked title in each posts takes you to the library catalog entry in OneKLIC for that book. A new books blog post is great way to see the book cover, get a short description, and to find the book location in KLIC! New books are often placed on display shelves before being placed in their call number collection. If the library catalog says the book is available, but it is not in the call number section, peruse the various new book displays throughout the library.

You can subscribe to the new books blog too! Enter your email address within the subscription box found inside the new book blog, and whenever it is updated, you will know!