Katie Boren - The Stars at KLIC: Journey Story of our Staff

 

By Katie Boren

I did not always know I wanted to be a Librarian. But I knew from my first semester working at the Chatt State Library as a student worker in 2015, I wanted to make it back here someday. I changed my major a couple of times until I landed on English Literature. A few months after graduating from Tennessee Tech in 2019, I stumbled upon a part-time library assistant job posting for a public library in Georgia. I was not offered the position, but they did offer me an internship. And just like that, I was thrown into my very first Summer Reading Program and I loved every second of it. From there I grew from intern, to part-time, to full-time Young Adult Programming Coordinator.

While I loved the public library world, I knew that if want to be an Academic Librarian one day I would have to go back to school. So January 2020, I began my online Masters of Science in Information Sciences program through UTK. Go Vols! (Funny story: The first time that I ever sang "Rocky Top" was at my graduation and I barely knew the words). Though it wasn't always easy, I had a lot of fun in library school! I got to take special topic courses like graphic novels, web design, young adult programming, etc. In one class, our final project was to write and create a Summer Reading Program completely from scratch. Using my previous knowledge of them, I had a blast creating my own.

By April 2022, just a few weeks from graduating, I left my public library job and was offered a temporary job at Chatt State! Though it was just for the summer, I gained valuable skills and experience for what it takes to be an Academic Librarian. After the summer was over, I acquired a Librarian position at a small academic library in Chattanooga. In a time when Librarian jobs were hard to come by, I was elated to see an opening once again at Chatt State! I am now Library Assistant 3, in my dream library. Once again completing a similar cycle of student workers, to temporary contract, to full-time Library Assistant.
Hey look Ma, I made it!

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!