Pam is the Library Director at Olivet Nazarene University/Benner Library in Bourbonnais, IL (2800 FTE). She has been a member of ACL for 19 years.
Librarian Career
I began my career as a librarian…I had no plan or aspiration ever to be a librarian! When the Interlibrary Loan position opened at Olivet, I left substitute teaching and accepted the job because it would result in free tuition for our college-bound daughter. I found I loved the work. Our library director pushed me into library resource instruction with the graduate students. When accreditation required a librarian dedicated to the graduate programs, the university helped me with the MLIS. A few years later, a colleague persuaded me to do the Masters in Organizational Leadership. When the idea of becoming Director surfaced, I resisted it, until, praying about it and reading Hebrews 11 one morning, v. 8 punched me: “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Those last two phrases, “obeyed…not knowing” got my attention. I remember thinking, “Abraham obeyed and went, though clueless; I guess I have to too.” If God kicked me through the door, I could trust Him to guide and use me for the work.
Between the Pages: Getting to Know Our Member of the Month
Describe yourself using a book title: An Unexpected Grace by Tracie Peterson, or the same title by Kristin von Kreisler. It’s the title that matters. All through my life I can see places where God opened unexpected opportunities or slammed a door when I was not on track, and He did so whether I was seeking His guidance at the time or not. That’s unexpected Grace. That’s Romans 8:28 over and over again.
What’s the best thing about being a librarian? I love working with students and faculty, discussing their research options and the foundations for their projects. I enjoy the people, their ideas, and the literature hunt. It is always fun to see how the early ideas morph into the final project.
What are you currently reading? Martha Washington by Patricia Brady for my book club, Micah by Richard Caldwell, and intermittently, I dive into the daunting journey through From Dawn to Decadence by Jacques Barzun. I always have a pile of tempting titles by the bedside.
How do you as a librarian contribute to your campus or community? I enjoy the research process, so my main contribution is working with student and faculty projects. A recent assignment to shepherd the Institutional Review Board fits with that work and offers a new challenge. I also like to work with faculty to find articles or books to support their course objectives and to discuss assignment ideas that use scholarly resources.
Do you have any specific interests in the library world? I love well written children’s literature, especially the older classics. Good children’s lit is as engaging for adults as for children with the bonus that I can share it with our grandchildren.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work? Grandkids! and reading what they are reading so we can discuss their books. Also, reading, puzzles (word, logic, and jigsaw), and supporting the ministries in our church. I also dabble at gardening in the summer, but it is honestly a pitiful effort.
ACL Involvement
How were you introduced to ACL? Our former director, Kathy Boyens, encouraged me to attend conference and join.
Describe ACL in three words: Encouraging, Inspiring, Practical
What do you value about ACL? Friendships. Practical presentations at ACL Conference. Cost benefits to my library.
How are you or have you been involved in ACL? Primarily I have worked with the Christian Library Consortium, monitoring the ill@ACL listserv and the Christian Library Network OCLC group.