Name: Deborah Taylor

Library: Enoch Pratt Free Library (Recently retired)

What book(s) are you currently reading? An arc of Ordinary Hazards: A memoir by Nikki Grimes

Young African Americans should consider librarianship if they are interested in working with all kinds of people and if they like a variety of challenges. One of the great things about the library profession is how it’s pretty easy to identify a niche that suits your personality. Before I retired, I worked with a group of teen librarians that ranged from tech savvy, hip-hop performing folks to some more traditional book and programming based. They learned from each other and really sought to serve the various types of communities they served. I also experienced working with some who weren’t as happy doing that kind of work and they found a different niche within the system. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching YA literature to folks who were going to be school librarians as well as those who were taking the class as an elective and planned to work in archives!