Since I was a child, I have loved writing and books. Becoming an assistant librarian was the perfect career choice for me as it allowed me to continue working with books as well as honing my writing skills.

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For as far back as I can remember, my first career choice was to become an author. As I grew older, though, I realized that choice probably wasn’t the best career path for me. After graduating high school and spending a year with my parents adjusting to a new culture in Taiwan, my mom suggested becoming a librarian.

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That one suggestion from my mom started me on a career path that began five years ago on August 30th, 2016. Out of all of the universities and colleges that were available, I chose Valley City State University. I chose Valley City State University not just for its online program, but also for their friendly staff. Valley City State University allowed me to complete a bachelor of science degree in Communication with a Concentrate in Journalism and Media while also spending more time with my parents and living in Taiwan at the same time. I chose this degree for its flexibility and because most librarian positions within the United States required at least a bachelor’s degree of some field. Communications seemed relevant enough to me that it would be applicable to the library. The minors that came with it—English and Library Science—are just bonuses that I’m hoping will gain me more recognition that I know what I’m doing.

 

During those five years, I also gained experience from working as a volunteer at Morrison Holsinger library located on the main campus within Taichung, Taiwan. Morrison Holsinger’s library staff took me under their wings and taught me the meaning of what it is to be a librarian. I had always thought that I would work in the background, away from kids and people, doing shelving and other projects. Much to my surprise, that viewpoint has changed drastically. Under the K-12 Library Media Specialist and High School Librarian Assistant, Scott Pagel and Floyd Lima, I came to understand that in order to be a librarian you need to have a servant’s heart.

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Serving alongside the librarians at Morrison Holsinger library strengthened my resolve to work within a library and has given me a newfound joy of working with patrons. No matter if it’s finding a lost book, or weeding out  old resources, or adding new books to the catalog, it’s always fun to see how much the library is changing to adapt to the needs of the community they serve. Hopefully, when I return to the US this summer, I’ll be able to use the skills I’ve learned from college and Morrison Holsinger library to serve God and be a blessing to those around me.