So in Summer 2024, Meredith began working at her local library. There, she works in cataloging, circulation, and book selections – a real utility infielder for her library.
She takes a special pleasure in the cataloging processes. Copy cataloging (which begins with importing a record for a book from another library and customizing it to the catalog at the Morris Public Library) is precision work. In a week, dozens of books pass through her hands – in some ways, a Writing and English major’s dream. “I like seeing what comes in,” Meredith says, and she is responsible for ordering books, too.
Meredith handles the selection and ordering of young adult books. “There’s always some fantasy and romance. The hardest part is finding stories with male leads and stories with LBGTQ characters,” she says, acknowledging that most young adult literature tells a story with a female lead. When Meredith works the circulation desk, she sees the books she chose leave the library in a young reader’s hand. Meredith loves the interactions with families and children.
This is just a first step toward Meredith’s life after graduation. After graduation, she’ll continue to hone her skills in writing and editing. She’s interested in a career in publishing, where she will put the writing and editing samples she developed as a student to good use.
For more information on the major in Writing Studies, visit https://cahss.d.umn.edu/elws