Librarian’s Corner
A message from Dan:
Thanks for the warm welcome to Fort Bragg Library. It’s nearing the end of my first week and I’ve been lucky to have great encounters with library patrons and clear instruction from colleagues behind the desk. The Quilt Exhibit fills the branch with beautiful patterns and colors. Our table at the Farmers Market was a great introduction to the town of Fort Bragg. First-grade classes have been visiting the library for tours hosted by Elizabeth. The need to make new cards for the kids pushed me to learn the computer system faster than I might have done. It was great to see the library filled with children, parents, and teachers.
I come from a library in the Bay Area with many similarities to Fort Bragg: curious, demanding readers of all ages; a Friends group with tenacity and wisdom about what makes a good library; and a staff that cares about the quality of the collection and is very approachable when people have questions. I’m happy to be working here.
My library work began in the 1980s with student jobs in college and public libraries. I moved to the Bay Area in 1991 and worked in a large county library system there. I received my M.L.I.S. at San Jose State in 2011. Over the years, I’ve held various jobs that taught me the full range of tasks that make a library system function smoothly. I’ve done circulation, delivery, and supplies. I’ve done outreach to the county jails and juvenile hall, tutoring inmates and providing books. Many of our “jails books” were donations, so I developed a great respect for Friends of the Library groups. Since 2010, I’ve worked at a branch in Albany, California. My work has encompassed poetry nights, political discussions, author visits and a noon-time speaker’s forum. As Children’s Librarian since 2013, I’ve had great times bringing books to life for local children and hosting entertainment and art displays that sparked young imaginations.
Libraries are a wonderful place for self-paced education. They spark a life-long love of reading and the joy of sharing stories with each other. As Branch Manager, I will help Fort Bragg continue to be a place of discovery for anyone who walks through the door.
Dan Hess, Branch Manager
Fort Bragg Branch Library
