Episode 7 - Adult Services at the Monmouth Public Library

10:14PM Aug 1, 2023

Speakers:

Sabra Jewell

Carrie

Keywords:

monmouth

library

album

book

program

carrie

librarian

fantastic

years

august

fun

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oregon

osu extension

special

working

adult

town

Welcome to Monmouth monthly a peek into the heart of the Willamette Valley. Each month we will bring you updates of the things happening in and around town brought to you by the people who helped make it happen. I am your host Sabra Jewell

and welcome back to Monmouth monthly this month we have Carrie Kasperek. She is the adult services librarian at the Monmouth Public Library here in Monmouth, Oregon. We are delighted to have her on today. Carrie, welcome to Monmouth monthly.

Thank you for having me Sabra.

It's my pleasure. So Carrie, you've lived in Oregon for how long?

I have been here for almost 10 years now.

Have you spent that time in the Willamette Valley?

Yes. So I was living in Salem, but I'm happy to say that I recently moved to independence.

And so it had the whole time that you've been living in Oregon, have you been doing services with libraries? You've been working in the library?

Yeah. So actually, I have an interesting story about how I came to be here in Monmouth. It was 10 years ago in October that I had interviewed for the Children's Services position for the library. And it was done via Skype. And so it was a kind of an interesting interview because Krist, the library director ended up participating in my virtual storytime. So she was so kind as to make snorting pig noises and bark like a dog and do all that fun stuff for my storytime to make me feel at ease. Because that was part of the job interview process. So I went, I participated in the Skype interview and took the job accepted the job, sight, unseen and moved out here to Oregon, I think three or four weeks later, I was just blown away by how beautiful the library was, at the time, the town was just under 10,000 people. And I did not expect such a beautiful, well maintained library. So I actually shed a little bit of a tear when I was getting the tour realizing that I had driven into this beautiful town that I was going to be working in as the children's librarian. So I was just stoked. So that was 10 years ago in October.

Where did you move from?

I moved from Colorado. And I was a librarian out there as well. I started out as a librarian and Firestone, which is a very small town. And then I moved into position in Erie, Colorado. And they're both part of the High Plains library district out there. And I was a librarian out there, I believe, for five or six years.

And are you from the west? Is that where you you got your origin story?

Oh, I have a complicated origin story as well. I have lived in I want to say seven states, a couple of those states. I've lived in twice one of them being Oregon. So I actually lived in Salem, when I was three until the age of nine. And then we moved and continued to move every few years. Oregon called back to me. So I came back eventually, thankfully to Monmouth.

And did you have any family here at the time when you moved back?

No, just me and a bunch of stuff in a car.

And how about now 10 years later?

Well, it's pretty exciting, Sabra. Actually, my sister has moved out here with her family and my parents moved out here recently. So I'm very lucky because my parents moved to Monmouth and my sister works in Monmouth. So the family, most of us have come back to Oregon.

So how long were you the children's librarian when you came back and we're working at the Monmouth Public Library.

So I was a children's librarian in it for six years in Colorado. And then I was the children's librarian or Youth Services Librarian for nine years at the Monmouth Public Library. When the Adult Services Librarian retired a year ago, I was promoted to that position. So it's, it's a new job to me in many ways, but still very comfortable and familiar and others.

So it seems like you are passionate about library services. What drew you to a career working in libraries and why are you still doing this kind of work today?

That is a complicated answer. Prior to being a librarian, I worked in the corporate sector. And one of my positions was in as a sales assistant for IBM, a writer at an internet company and then I went into teaching for a few years just think career choices are not quite what I had hoped they It would be there was something lacking in the heart, if you will, and the spirit of will, how I wanted to fulfill my, my life as far as their career goes. So I decided, I'm not really sure why, but I just had a feeling that I wanted to work in a library. And this was after I had worked in the corporate sector, after I taught English, I thought, well, I know that I really like customer service. And I really love books, and I love talking about them. So I applied for a job in the High Plains library district in Colorado, where I was hired as a library assistant for I think, 32 hours a week, and it just came together immediately. It was meant to be, and it was such a relief to finally be in a place in my life where I knew what I wanted to do, and it made sense. And so within a year's time, less than a year's time, I went from being a library assistant, to being hired at another location as the librarian, though I worked full time and got my master's degree simultaneously, it was just kind of magical. It just came naturally. And I enjoyed the challenge every day, the variety, what I found was all of those different things that I'd done in previous jobs had prepared me so well to be a librarian, because it's a job that requires organization and computer skills and customer service people skills. And it's so much more than just the books. And so I had this fantastic foundation. So that's what what kind of brought me into the library world, just kind of a gut feeling, you know, just kind of an interesting perspective, because there's a lot of pressure for people to know what they want to do at an early age. And it's just an example that sometimes it takes a little longer to get where you need to be. But it's good to try other things and figure it out.

That is a good point. And a good reminder to all of our young listeners out there, if you haven't gotten your life figured out yet. That's okay. It's totallyfine.

Okay, just try things and do things, try new things. Yeah, try things and do things.

We think of libraries. And we think about children's programming a lot summer reading programs and things of that ilk, but you do adult services. So I want you to talk to me about what some of those adult services that you provide, and why those are important.

Sure, yeah, there are a lot of adults in Monmouth, I believe it's probably about 70 to 75% of the population in Monmouth are adults. They're an important part of the community that we need to reach out to, to serve, to welcome into the library. And I've been enjoying kind of figuring out how to meet their interests and their needs. For many people, what I'm finding is that it is a really important and valuable way to connect people together, there are people who don't get a lot of interaction with others, or have a unique interests that maybe other people don't have in their lives. And so we're providing a way to commune and be together and get to know others. And that's a really important element of a library is community and meeting space. I've taken on the third Thursday book club for one of my book clubs. It's an fantastic group of people who come to the to the meeting once a month. And we read a different book each month. And it's fun for me also because for the past almost 15 years, I've been reading children and teen books. So I've I'm adulting now with my book choices, which is pretty fun to to do to do that I also have started a what I'm calling a vinyl revival social hour, which we just had two nights ago, actually. And it's been really fun because we're getting new faces into the library. And they are so excited to talk about music, and show off album album covers. And enjoy songs. We had one lady who is just lovely, who brought in an album with special songs that she loves to listen to because they're the song she loves to listen to with her husband. You know, there's some potentially some sentimental value with the albums that people are bringing in as well. And it's just free fun, entertaining and getting to know each other. We're really enjoying it.

I have a couple of follow up questions because you have piqued my curiosity on both of these events for the book club does somebody have to read the entire book before they commit? Or can they enjoy it just kind of hearing you talk about the book? What do you recommend for the book club?

Well, you know, honestly, ideally, they'll read it so that they know what we're talking about. But quite honestly, not everyone finishes the books. And sometimes it's really because they don't like the book, or they don't have time. But in the end, I just appreciate them showing up. Because they're still a part of our book reading community, whether they finish the book or not. And then some other people might be curious about what we talk about in the book club. And that's a way to dip the toe in and find out what's going on. And if they'd be comfortable in a setting like that. So I would say if someone is curious, come check it out, get to know the people, introduce yourself and see if it's something you would enjoy.

Yeah, that's a good point. So we definitely want to encourage folks to still come even if they have not read the book. And Carrie, what books are you working on what are going to be some of the book club books that you're reading this summer.

So in August, we are wrapping up the books that we had selected for the entire year. And it's called the logger queen of Minnesota. I have not read it yet. But it looks like it has some familial sentiments, humor, as well as sisters who become logger, Queens, it'll be kind of a lighter read, which will be fun, a fun way to end the summer session. Yeah, very

cool. And you'll continue this book club on to the fall is this really a monthly event that happens at the library,

it is monthly, I'm going to look at adjusting the time that we meet a little bit and am considering a evening meeting as well. So if listeners want to check in to find out if we're going to have that evening, starting in September or October, they can check in at the library or the city website and learn more about when the book clubs we'll meet that is because we have some people who have expressed interest in an evening book club, who worked during the day in particular.

And do you have to be a Monmouth public library card holder to attend these sessions? No. So any of our KMU Z listeners, you are welcome to sign up for our city newsletter that comes through your email. And that way, you'd be able to keep in touch with all the really cool things that Carrie has going on at the library. So I'm encouraging folks to check that out on our website, and then you can stay up to date on all those things. I have follow up questions on the vinyl revival. That is a really cool idea. Did you come up with that? Is that something other libraries you've seen? Do an event like that? Where did that idea come from?

I was brainstorming ways to try to provide services in particular to men in the community, because it's typically more women who end up coming to my programs. And I know that the gentleman who I know in the community, a lot of them have expressed an interest in albums, music, things of that nature. And one of those people is actually my dad, he has 1000s of albums. And I was fortunate enough to grow up with fantastic music, specifically mostly from 60s 70s music, or that would be my preference. And so I have a bit of an interest in listening to albums as well. So just based on the the desire to get the interest of more people in the community, and to provide something that's different from what we typically offer. I started looking at what what other libraries were doing. And I did searching on albums and vinyls and found a handful of libraries that were providing a listening program of some sort at their libraries. So it's kind of a combination of interest, and exploring ways to to provide alternate programming and enjoying music all combined.

So what happens everybody can bring in the album of their choice, and then everybody kind of votes on which one you want to listen to. How does it work?

In our last meeting, we put some albums out on a table and let people pick from those albums and it is not required at all that people have an album in order to participate and enjoy the program. There are hundreds that can be pulled from for them then for them to choose from. But some people do bring albums and then last time we met I just held up to and said Which one do we want to listen to? And then there's a strong desire Then we pull that album and listen to a few songs on it.

Which albums have you listened to, in your couple of events that you've had so far?

Oh, the one that stands out from last night is probably the platters it was just kind of a swoon worthy type of music that, you know, I want to say it was from the 50s, when you would dance with and that was the one that the female patron used to listen to with her husband, and it was just so lovely. And then we listened to more hard rock type stuff, which I have to say is a little bit hard on the ears for many people. So it's a matter also, I think of striking the balance of what's enjoyable and what's not enjoyable,

and giving people an opportunity to hear things they've never heard before. And that is that is a hard balance.

Yeah, we listened to a bootleg and compared it with an original and talked about the sound quality, which was pretty cool. That type of stuff as well. So there's also kind of an educational element to it, where people talk about what's unique about an album, or maybe they have a one off album that was a misprint. Or they have a really kind of radical album sleeve that they pull out and it has cutouts in it. And it's just kind of a fun thing to talk about.

When you think of your dad's record collection, and the music that he introduced you to what album sticks out to you.

I would say it's more artists and albums. And Crosby, Stills Nash and Young is Oh, has my heart, as does Neil Young. Yeah. So those are that to me. Anything with Neil Young really stands out in particular,

it's fun thinking about those moments digging through our parents record crates or take phrase and what I know that's how I discovered James Taylor and Simon and Garfunkel.

Oh, that's so wonderful. Yeah. And then what I'm discovering with this vinyl revival, are so many songs that I know that I wasn't even aware were in my vocabulary. And you put it on, and it's just this light goes off. And people's eyes were like, Oh, I know this, and I love it. And then they start singing along or swaying. It's just, it's really fun. And it's very rare to have a program where people just are relaxed. And they're talking and just enjoying without having to do anything.

And it sounds like it's very welcoming. intergenerationally like, it sounds like there's room for a lot of different folks in here to bring their influences and the things that are meaningful to them and share with one another. So I think that's pretty good. Absolutely. Yes, absolutely.

If you're just now joining us, we are here with Carrie Kasperek, who is the adult librarian over at the Monmouth Public Library, and we are so glad to have her here today. So you've got a couple of more programs that are pretty cool coming up in August. Tell me about the one on August 22.

Yeah, so we are partnering with Oregon State University, their outreach and extension services. And they are bringing fermented ology on August 22, at 630, to the library, this is the beauty of this job is that I get to partner with unique organizations, and OSU is one that's been very generous with their time and their programs, bringing them to the library. So it's going to be presented by OSU and they are going to teach us a little bit about how to ferment garden vegetables and probably some fruits. I imagine to that and doing it naturally. So it's going to be a fantastic program.

Do you need to RSVP for this? Or can you show up? What What would you like people to do in order to participate?

I would like for them to show up at all right? Yeah, it's it's free. It's great information. And it's a great time to look into what you're going to do with all of those things that you've been growing all those veggies over the summer.

And then you have something really cool coming up on August 27. Tell me about that.

Yeah, so I want your listeners to know that it is a Sunday program. The library's closed on Sundays. So I want it to be clear that it in fact is a very special program because it's August 27, a Sunday at one o'clock. So Gideon Freidman is a electric cellist who does sound looping and recording and he does storytelling along the way. And he just is a fantastic performer who has traveled the world with this very special way that he plays the cello. And he's going to be in town in town meeting. He'll be in Oregon that weekend for another program. And I've maintained contact with him over the last few years because I had him probably five years ago or so. And people are asking about him here and there, they get questions about when we're going to have cello up again, because he's so special. And we're very lucky because he contacted me and said, He's coming to town and offered to come and perform on a Sunday. And so I got some special permission to open our doors for that program on that Sunday at one o'clock. And this is something that is free to the public. Again, all you have to do is show up, show up and enjoy a fantastic free concert from an international musician. It will be fantastic.

And I think it's super cool that all for the programs that you've talked about for just adults, just adults alone are open to not only mommoth adults, but adults that just are in our community who were drivable, and just want to come in and see what's going on in town. So I think that's super inclusive. And km us the audience you are hearing about it, you are welcome to come enjoy all of these things at the library. You know, Carrie, as we're wrapping up, you've, you've told me a lot already about what makes our library special. I think that I'm hearing about programs that I've not heard about in any of the cities I've lived in. But what do you think makes the mommoth library so special?

It's just an amazing place. We have a collection that is updated every week, we order books, and it's it's constantly being filled with new materials. We have a welcoming staff who will greet you when you come in the door, and is very eager to help answer questions and direct you to whatever your needs might be whether it's finding a book, or finding a cup of water, whatever it might be, we really just want to provide service to patrons.

You also have a group of volunteers, right the Friends of the Monmouth Public Library, do you have a volunteer group that works with you?

Yeah, thank you for mentioning the friends. They always need a shout out. Our friends of the Monmouth library support our programs. And so they are a valuable part of our library. They have a book sale they have to book sales annually that are fundraisers and then they have an ongoing bookshelf book sale next to the checkout desk. And they also are very generous with their time as far as helping me out when I asked them to stack chairs or show up and serve some refreshments. They are more than willing to extend themselves and help us be successful. Yes, we can always use more friends. So anyone would like to please join the Friends of the Monmouth library. And there are also opportunities to serve on the board. And also volunteer something that is really special to the library.

Carrie any other really cool things coming up.

Yeah, thank you for asking. So the firm ontology program is with the master food preservers through the OSU Extension office. And we also have a great relationship with the Master Gardeners through OSU Extension, and we just met with them to come up with a series of programs. And they're going to be fantastic. I'm still working on the wording because I just met with them. But it's going to be something along the lines of put your garden to bed, as we wrap up our garden season, figuring out what we need to cover what we need to do to prepare for winter. So that's going to be really fantastic. And that I believe is September 23. And then in the winter, we're going to have a program about caring for your house plants. I know personally, I could use some help in that regard.

I definitely could my thumb is more chartreuse than green. So me too. Maybe I should show up at some of these programs, definitely.

And then some other future programs we're going to have is wake your garden up in the spring, then we're gonna have something that's very exciting as well as we get into next summer. And that is gardening for birds and bees and butterflies.

So you've got it all figured out for the next year. It looks like I do have to come and have you come back on again to kind of review some of this other stuff because I have a feeling folks are really going to appreciate sharing this with a wider audience. So thank you so much. I always love learning about the really cool things that are going on in town. I want to thank again my guest Carrie Kasperek, who came in today to talk to me about the adult services going on at the library. And just to remind folks again, please sign up for the city e newsletter. You do not have to be in the Monmouth region to receive this and you can get this newsletter once a month and email And then find out about all the fantastic things that we have going on, not only in our library but all around town. But just to remind you about what we learned today. Vinyl revival is going to be August 9. The book club is going to be every third Thursday but on this particular one, it's going to be August 17. We have the firm ontology program going on August 22, and cello Bob don't forget that as on a Sunday, August 27. Again, all of this information can be yours by receiving the city newsletter or visiting the city of Monmouth website and we will have all of that updated on our city calendar. Thanks again to our guest today please rate reviews subscribe, tell a friend and we thank you so much for your time. Listen again next month take care y'all.

Thank you for joining us for Monmouth monthly My name is Sabra Jewell. Our music is catching up by chill study and we record at Indy Commons which is a co working community and independence Oregon. Please find us wherever you find podcasts rate review, tell a friend and we will see you next month.