Meet Our Team - Chelsea Downs (Mendenhall Public Library)

 

Chelsea Downs | Circulation Clerk | Mendenhall Public Library

Chelsea has been a part of CMRLS for 2 months! 

Here's more from Chelsea:

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

Seeing all the excitement in the children's eyes when they pick out a book.

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

Green Eggs and Ham! I was in the doctor's office a lot as a child and that book was in every room. I would ask my mother to read it to me every time!

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

hoopla! It's a fantastic resource for readers who enjoy audio and electronic books. They also have a large selection of magazines that you can check out. You can find more about hoopla at https://www.hoopladigital.com/. All you need is your library card!

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

I like to crochet, binge watch television, and play the Sims.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Sitting in a cabin in the mountains with a book in my hand.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween because you get to dress up, and its the start of all the other holidays!

Meet Our Team - Whitley Lee (Morton Public Library)

 

Whitley Lee | Circulation Clerk | Morton Public Library

Whitley is fairly new to CMRLS! She has been working at the Morton branch for a little over two months now as the Circulation Clerk!

Here's more from Whitley:

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

I enjoy helping patrons and encouraging their passion for learning.

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

In second grade, my class read Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I became immersed in the story from the first page, and by the last page I felt connected to the story and characters. I learned the meaning of empathy, and it left a profound mark on my young mind.

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

We have so many great e-resources, it's too hard to choose just one. Check out all of them in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

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

In my free time, I read, cook, paint, crochet, and shop online for cat toys. In between those hobbies, I spend time with my grandparents and my extremely spoiled cat.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

I love to visit any place with museums, art galleries, historical sites, etc. I also loathe sand, so I tend to stay far away from beaches.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas is my favorite holiday because it brings my family together. I enjoy decorating with my siblings and cooking with my mother.

Meet Our Team - Brenna Renfroe (Brandon Public Library)

 

Brenna Renfroe | Reference Specialist | Brandon Public Library

Brenna has been with CMRLS for little more than a month now! 

Here's more from Brenna:

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

I love talking to patrons about books! Getting to see someone enjoy one of my favorites that I recommended makes me so happy.

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

That would be The Hobbit! My mom read it out loud to me when I was a young kid, and it sparked a love for reading books and being transported to other worlds, times, and places!

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

For students doing research, Magnolia is a great place to start looking. Find out all about it in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

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

Aside from reading, watching movies, and spending time with family and fur babies, one of my favorite things to do is listen to music. Concerts are my happy place! I also am very passionate about traveling and seeing the world. Oh, and I'm a huge Star Wars fan, so I'm always catching up on the latest releases from that galaxy far, far away.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Exploring somewhere new.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas

Meet Our Team - Mandi Townsend (Brandon Public Library)

 

Mandi Townsend | Reference Supervisor | Brandon Public Library

Mandi has been with CMRLS for 5 months! 

Here's more from Mandi:

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

I love meeting new people and helping them to solve their problems. I also love researching new books and making sure that our library represents all of our patrons.

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

Seeing all of these Babysitters Club graphic novels has reminded me of how much I loved those books as a kid. I wanted to have my own babysitters' club. I loved all of the characters, but Claudia was my favorite. She was so spirited and unique. I love her!

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

We have so many great e-resources, it's too hard to choose just one. Check out all of them 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 to play video games. While I'm not as much of a gamer as I used to be, I like to explore new worlds through video games. I also like to macrame. It's so relaxing.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

I would love to take my husband and my son on an extended vacation to Scotland to really explore Edinburgh and Glasgow. After that, we would go to the moors and the Scottish Highlands. We would travel to some of the quaint Scottish villages and delve into some old castles (hopefully, we will see a ghost!). Finally, we would go to one of the Pebble beaches.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween. I love the fall, and Halloween has such a great vibe!

Meet Our Team - Ryan Powell (G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library - Flowood)

 

Ryan Powell | Circulation Clerk | Flowood Public Library

Ryan has been a part of CMRLS for 3 months now! 

Here's more from Ryan:

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

I love helping patrons find books for their kids, for a school project, or summer reading. It gives me a distinct sense of pride to know I am helping patrons achieve their educational and personal reading goals.

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

I dove into the Harry Potter books as a child, particularly Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was like I was growing with the characters and discovering the strength and self-reliance I needed to face challenges in my own life.

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

Rocket Languages--it's a great way to learn or boost your skills in Spanish or any other language! You can find more about it at https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/digital-library/virtual-reference-collection. 

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

I enjoy writing sci-fi/speculative short fiction, playing drums, going to the gym, and watching whatever my latest Netlfix TV obsession is at the moment.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Visiting all the film locations in New Zealand for the Lord of the Rings films.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween has always held a special spooky place in my heart.

Meet Our Team - Pam Hamrick (G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library - Flowood)

 

Pam Hamrick | Circulation Clerk | Flowood Public Library

Pam has been a part of CMRLS for 10 years! 

Here's more from Pam:

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

I enjoy interacting with the patrons.

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

B is for Betsy by Carolyn Haywood. I read this book in the third grade along with my best friend at the time whose name was Betsy. Reading Carolyn Haywood books at that age just made me feel happy and pleased that I was enjoying reading.

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

LearningExpress Library features online tutorials, practice tests, and e-books to help patrons of all ages. It offers job search and workplace skills improvement, skill building in reading, writing, math, and basic science, career certification and licensure exam prep, college and grad school entrance test prep, GED^® test prep, and more.You can find more about it at https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/digital-library/virtual-reference-collection. 

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

I enjoy reading and spending time with my family.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

My idea of a perfect vacation is going to the beach with family and friends.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving is my favorite.

Meet Our Team - Stephanie Gandy (Raleigh Public Library)

 

Stephanie Gandy | Circulation Clerk | Floyd J. Robinson Memorial (Raleigh) Library

Stephanie has been with CMRLS for 7 months.  

Here's more from Stephanie:

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

I enjoy recommending books to patrons and discovering their favorite reads.

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

Not really. I have been reading since I was 3 years old. However, my favorite novel is Jane Eyre.

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

Our resources for ebooks and audiobooks are awesome! I tell all my friends about them. Check them out at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

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

I enjoy reading (of course), spending time with my family, and doing DIY projects around my home.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

A mountain lodge where everyone sits around a roaring fire reading and sipping hot chocolate.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas, because everyone is kinder around that time of year.

Meet Our Team - Jacob Pilgrim (Richland Public Library)

 

Jacob Pilgrim | Reference Clerk | Richland Public Library

Jacob has been a part of CMRLS for over 4 years! 

Here's more from Jacob:

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

I love answering interesting reference questions and talking about books with our patrons. Most of our patrons read historical romances, murder mysteries, and westerns. I mostly read fantasy, sci-fi, and historical military novels, so when a patron comes in that enjoys those types of books I get very excited!

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

As a child, my favorite was Harold and the Purple Crayon. Harry Potter got me into novels as a teenager. In college I very much loved books, so much so that I got a minor in Literature! The Epic of Gilgamesh is another favorite.

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

The e-resource I want people to know about is Auto Repair Source. I have never heard anyone mention it and it seems very useful! You can find it in our Virtual Reference collection at https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/digital-library/virtual-reference-collection/.

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

I play video games with my brother, read comic books, and collect swords and action figures.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

My perfect vacation would be an isolated cabin retreat in the mountains. I would sit on the porch and just enjoy the scenery and quietness.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas, without a doubt. My family has always made Christmas special for me. I love the winter season and the cold weather.