Overall, I always felt like I belonged in the library no matter what was going on in my life. I think that shaped what I wanted to pursue. I believe wherever you come from this is your place, the library is your place, and we’re here to help you feel accepted.
I’ve always been a library kid. Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee I remember walking to my local library as a seven-year-old to get my very own library card.
I started working at the Memphis Public Library at a young age, shelving books as a page. I worked my way up to the circulation desk and then went on to become a supervisor.
After ten years, I moved to New Jersey, seeking a library job because I knew I loved that. That’s when I began at Cranbury Library as a circulation clerk.
At the time that the children’s librarian here retired, I worked part-time at Cranbury and other nearby libraries, ironically enough doing storytimes. After a couple of years, I offered to take on some of the responsibilities and then took on the role fully.
Now, as the head of youth services at Cranbury Public Library, I love my job. My favorite things are when the little bitty kids come in for storytime. It is one of the greatest joys in my library job to see them come in, welcome them, and let them know this is their space. I am so happy to see them here… give them a little compliment about the shoes that they’re wearing or a shirt that they’re wearing. They picked that out…that was what they felt like they were gonna wear today and make themselves feel good. So you point that out like, “Clara those are some great shoes you got on!” and her face lights up. So really anything that helps kids, people in general, but mostly kids feel like this is their space, a place that they belong, and that they can be anybody they want to be, is one of the greatest joys of my job.
I believe in the philosophy of the library being accessible to everyone, treating everyone equally regardless of their background. Libraries are community spaces and our building is a great example of that. With meeting rooms, amazing programs, and a gallery for the local artists, this is a place where everyone can gain something, whether it be knowledge or a sense of community.
Ms. Laura Bonds
I also worked at Plainsboro Library for a while, which is a beautiful building. However, in a smaller library like ours, we have the opportunity to be more in touch with everyone. I get to work in every department, expanding my horizons. It’s funny, sometimes I’ll say that I know Cranbury even a little bit better than I know my hometown because I just get the opportunity to talk with so many people who are in Cranbury more so than I do where I live. Where I live I’ll talk to the people that I see in the park when I walk my dog but here I see everybody that comes in
A recent program that highlighted Cranbury’s special community was our solar eclipse party. It was incredible to see so many people come together, grateful for a shared space to witness the event. I think that illustrated the benefit of being a place where the community can come together and share experiences, and that to me is special that we’re able to do that.
My career has been shaped so much by my childhood experiences with reading and libraries. I have always strived to let people know that they are accepted and that’s something that when I was young (and I think as most young people do at times struggle with) was acceptance in some way or the other.
My favorite book growing up, one of the ones that affected me, was “Watership Down” by Richard Adams. It’s an allegory, ostensibly, it’s about rabbits but it’s way more than that. It’s an allegory of, survival and finding your way. That book captured my imagination. I remember it specifically because I read it over two days during my summer vacation. It’s a pretty thick book, but remember being in the yard under a tree and just devouring this book. It was one of those books that took me away as soon as I was within those pages. I was just there, nothing else mattered, it was a fantastic book.