Meet Our Team - Andrew Hedglin (CMRLS Headquarters)

 

Andrew Hedglin | Acquisitions Librarian | CRMLS Headquarters

Andrew has been a part of CMRLS for 4 years! 

Here's more from Andrew:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

I loved interacting with a community of regular patrons when I worked at the Flowood branch. I'm also a big proponent of reading and literacy, and I hope I am making a difference by helping supply our libraries with books, movies, and other circulation materials.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

My lifelong love affair with reading began one autumn Sunday afternoon in the second grade when I picked up a copy of Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe. I have read and loved hundreds of other books, but I recently re-read Bunnicula out loud to my son the month he was born (in October, naturally), and...it holds up pretty well!

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

All of our resources are great, but I'd like to talk about cloudLibrary specifically. Hoopla is great because there are no wait times, but with cloudLibrary, we can actually curate a selection of books and audiobooks based on the demands of our patrons. Please tell your local librarian what you like to read and/or hit that "request" button. We are listening! Find cloudLibrary in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

Reading, obviously. I'm a big fan of the New Orleans Saints. I enjoy taking walks and trivia nights. These days, I love hanging out with my wife, Morgan, and son, Luke.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

My favorite place will always be Dauphin Island, Alabama, where I spent many happy summers as a kid. But I also enjoy walking around cities I've never been to before.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

I love Halloween and Christmas as much as anybody, but, to be different, I'll say the NFL Draft, which is soon approaching. Merry Draft-mas, everybody!

Meet Our Team - Paula Thornton (CMRLS Headquarters)

 

Paula Thornton | Business Manager | CRMLS Headquarters

Paula has been a part of CMRLS for 9 years! 

Here's more from Paula:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

Being the Business Manager, I don't get to work in our libraries on a daily basis. However, I do enjoy getting out of the office and helping out at our branches when needed. I also love being able to utilize the eBooks and Audiobooks that are offered.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

When I was six years old, I had a great experience attending a library summer program in my childhood hometown, Hazelhurst, MS. The librarians there were invested in making reading fun to all that came through the library doors!

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

World Book online and our newest e-resource, wireless printing, that is offered at all our CMRLS Libraries. Learn more about our e-resources in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I enjoy spending time with my family and doing DIY projects.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Going somewhere quiet so I can relax and not worry about the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

All holidays are my favorite, especially the ones I get to spend with my family.

Meet Our Team - Sarah Wolfe Ellison (Pearl Public Library)

 

Sarah Wolfe Ellison | Reference Supervisor  | Pearl Public Library

Sarah has been a part of CMRLS for 9 months! 

Here's more from Sarah:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

I love working with patrons, especially concerning books.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

I remember loving reading from the moment it "clicked" when I was 8. The first book that was truly memorable was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

I wish more people knew about Rocket Languages! It's a digital library resource that helps you learn another language. And it's FREE! All you need is a library card! Learn a new language today on Rocket Languages in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I love spending time with loved ones, especially when I can be knitting, crocheting, or reading while enjoying quality time.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

My perfect vacation would be a cabin in the mountains with lots of hot cocoa and loads of books.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

I don't have a favorite holiday, but my favorite days are when I can sit in my living room with a fresh cup of coffee and spend time with my husband and kids.

Meet Our Team - Helen Mangum (CMRLS Headquarters)

 

Helen Mangum | Coordinator of Automation and Technology  | 
CRMLS Headquarters

Helen has been a part of CMRLS for 25 years! 

Here's more from Helen:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

My favorite part of working in the library are the people and the new books.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

Casting the First Stone and Switch

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

Rocket Languages. Learn a new language today on Rocket Languages in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I enjoy sewing.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

I like a good vacation with family, where it is sunny but not hot!

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving

Meet Our Team - Landon Huff (G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library - Flowood)

 

Landon Huff | Shelver | Flowood Public Library

Landon has been a part of CMRLS for 7 months! 

Here's more from Landon:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

Truthfully, it would have to be finding new books to read for after work.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan was the first book I really enjoyed reading. My sister is the one who forced me to try it.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

I wish more people knew about hoopla which lets you download books for offline reading. You can find hoopla in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I like to ride my bike or play video games on my Nintendo Switch.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Staying in a hotel at the beach or a cabin in the mountains.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas

Meet Our Team - Mara Villa Polk (CMRLS Director)

 

Mara Villa Polk | Director  
Central Mississippi Regional Library System

Mara has been a part of CMRLS for 19 1/2 years! She began at the Flowood branch in 2004 and then transferred to the Pearl branch in 2007, where she became the Youth Services Supervisor. After much hard work, she became the Pearl Public Library Branch Manager in 2010. Mara has since become the Director of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System, and we look forward to many more years under her leadership. 

Here's more from Mara:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

I love meeting new people and connecting them to a new book, service, or program.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

Growing up, I enjoyed reading almost anything. I remember reading a lot of non-fiction books. When I became a teenager, I read books like The Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High. As an adult, I really enjoy fantasy fiction and thrillers.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

We have so many electronic resources that are so valuable with your FREE library card! I try to use all of them from streaming and/or downloading from Freegal music, learning a new language with Rocket Language, or listening to an eBook on cloudLibrary or hoopla. You can check out our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I like to spend time with my family. They keep me busy and entertained.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

I like so many things that I feel I cannot pick one. I've traveled to many places, but I have never been to Ireland and Scotland. I hope one day to go.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

I love all the holidays because it means I get to spend time with family.

Mara with her CMRLS staff at a recent Team Development Day.

Meet Our Team - Janet Paczak (Brandon Public Library)

 

Janet Paczak | Youth Services Assistant | Brandon Public Library

Janet has been a part of CMRLS for almost 11 years! 

Here's more from Janet:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

My joy is interacting with the children in programing, helping them to find the perfect book to read, and seeing the excitement in their faces when they visit the library.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

My love for reading began when I first went to the library in my hometown in Ohio as a small child. The three-story, gray, concrete-block library had the two lions sitting on the sides of the front entrance steps. It was a sight to behold! One of my favorite books was Pippi Longstocking.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

I wish more people knew about all the magazines, encyclopedias, and books that are available online for them to use without having to visit the library. You can visit our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I love visiting with family, especially my seven grandchildren, and having them over to eat at my house. Watching Hallmark movies is one of my favorite ways to relax, knowing there is always a happy ending.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

I just experienced my perfect vacation when I went on a trip to Slovakia! I had the opportunity to visit all of the villages where my parents and grandparents, and my husband's parents, lived. It was amazing meeting people with our same last name, seeing houses that family grew up in, visiting the cemeteries where relatives were buried, eating all of the ethnic foods, and I can't leave out exploring the castles.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving and the awaiting of Christmas to follow.

Meet Our Team - Angela Ward (Pelahatchie Public Library)

 

Angela Ward | Branch Manager | Pelahatchie Public Library

Angela has been a part of CMRLS for over 9 months! 

Here's more from Angela:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

I love that I get to help people of all ages with whatever they need, whether that be working on a resume, discovering a new author, or getting our youngest patrons excited about the library!

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

When I was younger, I loved classic Nancy Drew mysteries. Then, I discovered a whole new world with The Once and Future King in middle school. As a teenager, I read every Mary Higgins Clark book at the library. In college, I majored in English Literature, and I read Hamlet once a year for at least a decade. I have so many copies with so many notes! It was like my personal literary diary.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

So many patrons come in seeking an author similar to the one they recently read and enjoyed. I always check NoveList and encourage them to do the same if there is a particular genre or author that they would like to further explore. Patrons can sign in with their library card number.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I enjoy going to see a matinee at Tinseltown. I also appreciate sitting outside on a sunny day reading a good book and listening to the sounds of nature.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

I prefer short trips to places like Natchez or Laurel. Exploring a museum, walking a nature trail, and discovering interesting places to eat are easy ways to appreciate the beauty and culture of Mississippi.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

I have always loved the Fourth of July. My family lives on a lake, and I grew up with big backyard barbecues, fireworks, fishing, and fun in the sun.

Angela & Ms. Clyreece, the head of Pelahatchie Library's Friends of the Library group

Meet Our Team - Rose Roberts (G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library - Flowood)

 

Rose Roberts | Circulation Clerk | G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial (Flowood) Library

Rose has been a part of CMRLS for over 10 1/2 years! 

Here's more from Rose:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

I love helping people find specific items.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

I don't remember when I started to like reading, but my current favorite book is And I Alone Survived by Lauren Elder. It is about a woman who survives a plane crash.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

It would be nice if more people knew about Freegal Music. Freegal provides library patrons with 5 free LEGAL downloads per week. Also, create and stream playlists for 3 hours every day. Log on with CMRLS library card and pin. 

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I like to play video games and surf the web. Currently, I'm playing Garden Life which simulates caring for a community garden.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Staycation for the win!

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween.

Meet Our Team - Claire Hoffman (Brandon Public Library)

 

Claire Hoffman | Youth Specialist | Brandon Public Library

Claire has been a part of CMRLS for 3 months! 

Here's more from Claire:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

My favorite part of working in the library is that everyone who comes through our doors has an amazing, unique story. I truly enjoy connecting with all our patrons and families. I have met a lot of families that are from out of state and even a few that have moved here from other countries. As a Youth Specialist, making connections and creating weekly programs to continue to grow our library community has been the most rewarding experience for me. Bringing joy to a new environment is my goal wherever I go. I have truly enjoyed bringing that to the library. So far, my favorite Kids’ Connection event that I planned has been our reading pep rally we had with the Mississippi Braves. It was a lot of fun to see the smiles on the families’ faces as we celebrated Dr. Seuss’s birthday together.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

I have a plethora of books that I love! I am a huge children’s book advocate. My favorite children’s book authors are Eric Carle, Laura Numeroff, Peter H. Reynolds, Jan Brett, and Eric Litwin. It is hard for me to pick just one book that made me fall in love with reading, but if I must, I will say Big Fish by Daniel Wallace. I grew up having many story times with my grandparents on their porch in the rocking chairs. My mother also would tell me stories at bedtime, and we would even play games making the stories up together. When I read Big Fish it reminded me of special childhood memories I had telling stories with my family.
“He believed the stars were wishes, and that one day they would all come true.”
― Daniel Wallace, Big Fish
I love the book so much that I went to Wetumpka, Alabama one summer after HGTV renovated the town and saw, in-person, the house from the movie. It was a sight to behold!

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

Britannica Fundamentals for PreK – 2nd grade is a FABULOUS e-resource for free that I would highly encourage all families to allow their children to explore. It offers math and language arts games that are wonderful for reviewing skills taught at school. The games are so much fun that the kids won’t event realize they are practicing a standard that has been taught. There is also "Explore" where students can see all the biomes of the world, "Create" where students can make digital art, and my most favorite part is there is "Read" where children can select a book and the application will read the book to them.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I have really come to love my job at the library. When I am not at the library, I am constantly thinking of new fun programs I can try to plan for our Kids’ Connection. I also enjoy watching HGTV home renovations, visiting new places, and finding new books to fill my bookshelf with things I will likely never find the time to read.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

My idea of a perfect vacation is to go somewhere where there is much to explore. I love places that are full of rich architecture, nature, art, and history. My husband and I enjoy traveling to Florida and Colorado to visit family often. We love to go on hikes, find new bookstores and art galleries to explore, but my dream vacation would be to one day go to Iceland, or Ireland.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas time is the holiday I hold the most close and dear to my heart. I love all the beautiful lights lit up at night in town squares. Not to mention my anniversary is in the month of December, so the holiday is truly a magical time that me and my family all cherish.

Meet Our Team - Joyce McKinley (Evon A. Ford - Taylorsville)

Joyce McKinley | Branch Manager | Evon A. Ford (Taylorsville) Library

Joyce has been a part of CMRLS for over 19 years! 

Here's more from Joyce:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

I love my patrons and I love the work I do to provide them with services they need. I also love the children and the smiles they have when they leave with a new library card or a book.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I loved that it was a book that kept my interest, and it had a sad but great ending.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

The World Book e-resource, because it has so much information!

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I enjoy relaxing at home and also spending time with my grandchildren.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

My perfect vacation would be in the mountains, on a deck at a cabin, listening to the stream and reading a great book.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas