Each month we will take the opportunity to introduce you to a Library employee. This month, fellow cat lover Shawnna Maki tells us a little bit about herself.
Shawnna came to the library as a volunteer in 2014 while she was a student at McKendree University majoring in English.
“I thought I wanted to teach. I didn’t. Working at a library allows me to help people with their educational needs in addition to their entertainment wants.”
Within a few months, she was hired to work in Circulation. In 2017, Shawnna started working more behind the scenes as a Cataloger and recently earned her master’s degree in Library and Information Science – although patrons will occasionally see her helping out in Circulation or Adult Services.
Shawnna said her favorite things about working at OFPL are “helping people find what they want and need and processing materials so they can be found and used by those who need them.”
When asked about her hobbies, Shawnna reported, “Reading (obviously),” and her favorite book is Watership Down by Richard Adams. But she also enjoys “walking (everywhere), playing video games, and doodling.”
As mentioned earlier, Shawnna’s favorite animals are cats. “They are independent, curious, and lazy. Also, kittens are the cutest beings in the world. I melt when I see them!” Like any good pet-person, Shawnna just happened to have a picture on hand. The orange one is Garfield and the brown one is Filly.
Shawnna confessed that her secret obsession is, “Straightening, tidying, and cleaning the shelves here at the library. I’m not like this at home; but when I see the stacks all messed up, I get OCD and feel compelled to fix them. If I am working circulation, you are sure to see me circling the stacks looking for anything that looks out of place.”
If she could magically possess a certain ability, Shawnna said, “I am still waiting for a genius to create a replicator like the ones in Star Trek which are capable of creating and recycling objects. Reduce, reuse, and recycle! Plus, 100% delicious and nutritious cake at the touch of a button? Yes, please!”
I’m with you on that one!
More about Shawnna’s favorite book:
Watership Down by Richard Adams – An allegorical tale of survival about a band of wild rabbits who leave their ancestral home to build a more humane society chronicles their adventures as they search for a safe place to establish a new warren where they can live in peace.
The O'Fallon Public Library News 