Winona Patterson …Success Story

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Naomi House’s interview with success story Winona.

winonapNaomi:  How did you find your current job?
Winona:  The RAILS Library System has a great job board that is also an INALJ source, so I saw the job both places!

Naomi:  Favorite library you have been to?
Winona:  I have a sentimental attachment to the Six Mile Regional Library District in Granite City, IL.  I grew up on the same block as the downtown main library and my father worked there as a Bookmobile driver.  I spent many afternoons there after school.  My current favorite library is the Naperville Public Library in Naperville, IL.  It’s my home library – everyone that works there is so friendly and their love of libraries is evident.

Naomi:  Favorite book?
Winona:  Ann Patchett’s Truth and Beauty – it’s a great read for anyone who has loved a friend so much that it hurt (so, probably all of us!).  And as a Beatles fan who loves minutiae, Mark Lewisohn’s The Complete Beatles Chronicle and The Beatles Recording Sessions are invaluable.

Naomi:  Favorite thing about libraries/ library technology?
Winona:  When I am at a library (either where I live or where I work) I enjoy just browsing the shelves and seeing what looks interesting to me that day. As far as technology, I really love my Kindle!  I have been reading so much more now that I always have books right at my fingertips. At my library, I sometimes work at the Connection Desk, which is where patrons can check out pre-loaded Nooks and Kindles, and we also assist patrons with their own e-readers, any Overdrive questions and other technological questions.

Naomi:  Any websites or feeds or blogs we should be following?
Winona:  I really love Retronaut – it’s a fascinating collection of old photographs and advertisements. I have also found that the Publib listserv is a great way to know what’s really going on in public libraries everywhere.  My favorite read is Book Riot – I have discovered several fun blogs through that (Derek Attig’s Bookmobility and Kim Ukura’s Sophisticated Dorkiness come to mind) and I learn a lot about new releases there as well.

Naomi:  Best piece of job hunting advice?
Winona:  Even if a library might not be hiring right then, drop off an application and resume – you just never know when you might get a call for an unposted job opening.  I got a job in Ohio that way a few years ago.

Winona is currently an Adult Services Paraprofessional with the Lisle Library District in Lisle, IL.  She has a wide range of library experience, including working in high school libraries and audiovisual cataloging. She’s married with two library-loving children. When not library-ing, Winona sings lead with the Choral-Aires, a Sweet Adelines chorus based in Elmhurst, IL.  You can often find her at Beatles tribute band shows or binge-watching The Vicar of Dibley on Netflix.

 

Republished from 4/22/13