Hello, welcome to my blog!
My name is Josh, I’m in my third year of the SJSU MLIS program and will graduate in Fall ’24. I started working in a library in high school after almost dropping out of school. The school counselor decided to offer me an “easy” class of being an assistant in the high school library. That led to working in libraries for almost twenty-five years – and deciding that it was time to finally start my MLIS degree well into my 40’s. Libraries caught me while I was falling as a teenager and I want to have a hand in creating spaces and services for others to experience that kind of support in their communities.
My library career has spanned many job responsibilities – being a library shelver, courier van driver, one-person IT support for a rural library district, managing a one-person library in a town of 300 people, planning nine summer reading programs, providing reference services at a public library, supervising a team of eight reference staff at busy municipal library, and currently performing cataloging and technical services tasks at a community college library.
I currently live in Kennewick, Washington – known for the Columbia River, the nearby Hanford Nuclear Site (the most polluted site in North America), and the beautiful Shrub-Steppe ecosystem.
I enjoy gardening, spending time with my husband and our two dogs, and escaping to the nearby Oregon Coast, hopefully, each summer.
Hi Josh,
What a great story. You are the living embodiment of the power of libraries.
Have you always lived in the most polluted area in North America? Do you have to take special considerations in gardening and planting to counteract the pollution? I see from your pictures that you have a container garden. Is this due to the pollution? We lived near this https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/more-drums-dug-up-near-kadena-schools-amid-pollution-scare-1.264344 and were told not to plant things in the ground and not drink the water.
Hi Carly,
I’ve always lived in South Eastern Washington State but have lived in this more central area for the last ten years. I don’t take too many considerations when gardening for the pollution – we’re a bit farther out from the site and on the other side of the Columbia River which I hope helps. Although there are folks in this area that avoid well water due to high rates of cancer. Mostly I do containers because the soil here is very sandy and needs amendments to work well for vegetables.
” They say” there isn’t much nuclear threat but we still have local governments recommending what to do in case of a nuclear meltdown (how to seal up your house and to have supplies on hand) they also test the emergency sirens often. One of the local high schools has a nuclear cloud for a mascot. Here’s an interesting article about that: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/japanese-exchange-student-offers-her-views-on-richland-high-schools-mushroom-cloud-logo/
Local university archives are also documenting the Hanford Site’s association with racism and documenting stories of Black Hanford workers who were made to live in segregated living quarters and not allowed to buy homes in nearby cities, including Kennewick where I currently live.
Here’s more information on that: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/african-americans-and-manhattan-project-richland-wa-1942-1945/
Sandy is probably a whole different experience- I garden in the Bay Area but between destructive ground squirrels and clay , it has been a interesting adventure.
Sandy soil is interesting! With the sandy soil I get to plants lots of Irises, Lavender, and Lilies which I love. I did have two rabbits come through regularly two years ago and eat almost every bulb in my flowerbeds in early Spring! I tried to take it in stride and say, hey, I get to plant new things now.
Oh wow! That poor student. Just to commiserate that questionable taste is not just a Pacific Northwest problem. https://search.app.goo.gl/HE3Mvjb This the high school my husband attended.
Hi Josh,
What a powerful story! I just want to say that libraries also played a pivotal role for me when I was in high school. I grew up in a poor area without a computer or internet at my home. But the public library had computers I could be on for a period of time each day. I came every single day and taught myself how to code; I also did my homework there (which required a computer and the internet). My ability to apply to college, apply for financial aid, get good grades by being able to do my homework, etc. all hinged on the accessibility to technology the library gave me. Working in a campus library was also the job that got me through my first years of college. So this sentiment of yours hits me deeply in appreciation –> “I want to have a hand in creating spaces and services for others to experience that kind of support in their communities.” I’m glad you’re here.
Hi Alexis,
“I’m glad you’re here” is such a powerful phrase. I’m going to use that more often. I’m so happy to hear your story about the library being the resource you needed – there’s so much benefit from just having the building open and available. We never know what our patrons are accomplishing or battling each day they walk in the door. I’m glad you’re here too!
What a nice garden! What are the plants in the middle pic? In my house my mom is know to kill most of the plants she takes care of but surprisingly she has a orchid alive a blooming. Much like you libraries helped me during a hard period life and I wish to help others by providing a space for others in the library.
Hi Kimberly,
My mom is good with Orchids too but I’m not brave enough to try them!
The plants in the middle picture are my current garden: Butternut Squash, Calabacita Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, a Pumpkin, Corn, Red Onions, and Cucumber. We went a little overboard this year! But gardening really is my happy place.
I’m glad to hear that the library helped you out during hard times as well – libraries are more impactful than most people know.
Great looking garden. You must not have the pesky ground squirrels that are destroying my garden!
@jcwest I absolutely love this:
“ Libraries caught me while I was falling as a teenager and I want to have a hand in creating spaces and services for others to experience that kind of support in their communities.”
I am so glad you found your way to libraries as a teen and now you will soon be a professional!
Your pups are so sweet – beautiful faces! Cheers to you and your husband!
Washington has a special place in my heart. My aunt who has arranged for us to all be in Myrtle Beach this week lived in Puyallup Washington in the 70s and my mom and I visited in 77 and I was so taken with the Pacific Northwest. Add to that being a huge Twin Peaks fan in the 90s and still today It’s one of my favorite places.
Welcome to #hyperlib!