After all, a library is simply a place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference materials (such as books, manuscripts, recordings, or films) are kept for use but not for sale.
Wow, could that be farther from the truth with four library specialists who work for the Johnson County Library System: Angel Dew, Kathee Goldsich, Scott Stone and John Helling.
The four are smart, forward thinking, interactive, trendsetting, astute, hip readers who also happen to translate all those skills into being a librarian.
“Because once you’re a librarian, you’re a librarian all day and all night long.”
Angel Dew
What is the most interesting fact you have learned during your career at the Library?
At a Family Science Night many years ago I learned that the transit of Venus happens every 115 years AND I was able to actually see it in the library’s parking lot through a telescope!
What was the most gratifying patron interaction you have had?
I really love my job—every day, every interaction. I am able to watch families grow and develop. I am consistently involved in the mentoring of young adults. Then there’s always the joy of passing on the best book for any individual.
What is the weirdest question a patron has asked you?
Do you have any books on tarantulas? Me: Yes we do. Young Man: Oh, oh OK, because there’s a tarantula on the wall over there … AND yes, there was a really big spider on the wall too!
Why did you become a librarian?
I have a degree in Language Literature and Writing from KU. I highly value the arts and the potential for creativity found in youth. Youth Librarianship allows me to foster this creativity in a customer focused environment.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Collected Poems of Nikki Giovanni.
How many books do you read at once?
4 to 5.
What book helped you through a tough time in your teen years
Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day by Nikki Giovanni
What book helped you through a tough time as an adult?
Zen Shorts by Jon Muth
What are two things you everyone needs to know about Johnson County Library?
Johnson County Library believes in the power of the creative arts. We publish an annual literary arts magazine (elementia) for young adults aged 12-20 that is in its 10th year. Elementia engages creative young adults from all over the county, city, country, and world. Teens submit art, writing, and photography. Our 10th issue was dedicated to Walter Dean Myers, The Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Myers visited Johnson County Library in February 2013 to attend elementia’s annual reception. Mr. Myers also visited the Juvenile Detention Center, Horizons Alternative High School, and Johnson County Head Start.
Johnson County Library stands strong in the belief that all people deserve access to information and library services. One critical patron base is the incarcerated in Johnson County and our Gardner Neighborhood branch has dedicated critical time to providing outreach services to incarcerated teens at the Johnson County Dentention Center. At the Johnson County Adult Residential Center librarians offer book fairs, book groups and the opportunity to assist children with reading by recording their own voice while reading a children’s book.
John Helling
What has been one or two of your most creative and edgy moments at the library?
We’re doing some awesome things to try to get people interested in reading and the library – some stuff I’m really proud of like butchering a pig and working with a demolition derby car builder. We want to show that reading can help you do ANYTHING, no matter what it is. The event showed people how to seek out books on barbecue, other culinary arts, bioethics and even Charlotte’s Web.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The closest I can get to one single favorite is The Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck. It’s accessible but at the same time profound. Its characters are people you feel like you already know. You search for a message or moral but it isn’t quite there, just like in life. It’s a masterpiece of brevity and economy of prose.
How many books do you read at once?
Like two or three, but if I didn’t make a point of holding myself back it would easily be more. I keep a stack of four or five on my nightstand and just grab whatever I feel like working on. The idea that starting a book means you have to go cover-to-cover is one of the many unfortunate myths about reading.
What book helped you through a tough time in your teen years?
Wait, there are teen years that aren’t tough? I would say every single book by Kurt Vonnegut, but especially God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. That book was the first one I read that acknowledged that the world is a heartless place, but I also took from it that the truly courageous stay positive anyway and effect the change that they can. Be so positive that you’re cynically positive.
Kathee Goldsich
What is the most interesting fact you have learned during your career at the Library?
A student at UMKC once needed to know the water level at a certain point on the coast of Africa during the early 1900s. I was actually able to find the information, but please don’t ask me for the answer today!
What is the weirdest question a patron has asked you?
One question comes to mind even though I wasn’t the one asked. During a Read to a Dog program, one of the little guys got stuck on a word and looked to the dog to help. …
How many books do you read at once?
I usually have three books going at once: a work book, a car book and a home book. Oh, and the treadmill book on CD. Oh, and my phone.
What book helped you through a tough time as an adult?
I’ve found that when I read, I don’t notice the tough times so much. Because, heck, my problems seem small compared to a YA dystopian or post-apocalyptic world.
What are two more items you would like everyone to know about Johnson County Library?
When I attended a panel at the YALSA Teen Lit Fest in St. Louis last fall, I heard a teenage boy complain that he can see movie and video game previews, but he never knows what new books are coming out. So I acquired some restaurant booths and a TV that we’ve set up in our teen area. And we’re running book trailers to keep people up with new and favorite books. Shawnee Library is a geo-caching site. JCL is part of YALSA’s Teen Top Ten program – getting galleys to teens for review.
Scott Stone
What is the most interesting fact you have learned during your career at the Library?
Just today I learned first-hand that you have to be careful soldering something made out of pewter because pewter can melt. It’s basically tin with some copper mixed in.
Before that, I learned that while there have been radical advances in nano-technology, there are no “documented” cases of government surveillance using such technology.
What was the most gratifying patron interaction you have had?
I have two. First, during my first week as a page I was shelving in the Youth Services section. A young boy, probably 4 or 5, asked if I could help him find a book. After a minute of looking on the shelf, I found it and handed it to him. As soon as the book touched his hands he lit up and shouted to his mom, “They have my book, mommy!” It happened just like that.
The second would be a continuing interaction with a senior citizen who I met about a year and a half ago. She was (and still is) going back to school to earn a college degree. I first helped her with an online school project. Ever since then, I’ve helped her with computer issues, projects, and she’s kept me in the loop as to the progress on her degree.
What is the weirdest question a patron has asked you?
A lady once asked me if people told me I looked like Hugh Jackman.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Zombie, Spaceship, Wasteland by Patton Oswalt or The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis.
