WLA Member Profile: Kristina Darnell

“My job is incredible,” writes Kristina Darnell, a Children’s Librarian for SPL, “I consider myself lucky to have discovered a career that allows me to work toward social justice, continuously challenge myself, and pay the bills all in one go.” Meet Kristina:

Q. How do you like your job as Children’s Librarian at the Southwest branch of Seattle Public Library?
A. My job is incredible. As a children’s librarian, every day I come to work to solve problems and to play. I help individuals and families get connected to whatever they need. I sing songs and do crazy dances with groups of toddlers and their adults. I get outside my building to build community relationships at schools, festivals, and other events. What other job would allow me to give a presentation to school officials, build a castle of blocks with preschoolers, and show an adult job-seeker where to get free resume resources, all in the same day? 

Q. What is your favorite thing about libraries?
A. They allow people access to reach their fullest potential. 

Q. What area of the library stacks do you like to browse in for your own enjoyment?
A. I used to be a shelver for Minneapolis Public Library, so I learned I could find something interesting in literally any section of a library! 

Q. What is the last book you read? Or what are you reading right now?
A. I’m reading The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman. 

Q. How long have you been a member of WLA?
A. Since September 2013

Q. How have you been personally involved in WLA?
A. I attended the CAYAS workshop in the fall – what fun! 

Q. What does WLA mean to you?
A. As a recent transplant to WA (from MN) I see WLA as a great resource for meeting other library professionals in this state and for learning about important issues WA libraries are currently facing.

Q. Where did you go to library school?
A. I earned my MLIS online through Florida State University while working full-time as a Public Service Assistant at Hennepin County Library in MN.

Q. Do you have any children? Any pets?
A. Yup, 2 girls ages 5 and 2 ½ as well as 2 cats.

Q. What is your favorite travel destination?
A. Paris

Q. What are your favorite foods?
A. Pizza, chocolate, cheese

Q. What is your favorite leisure-time activity, or what do you do to relax?
A. I love to swim, knit, cook with my husband, and throw extravagant birthday parties for my children.

Q. What is your favorite music?
A. I have a B.A. and an M.A. in vocal performance, so I love to sing and listen to opera. But I can find inspiration in just about any musical genre. 

Q. Is there someone you personally admire and would want to emulate?
A. It's really hard for me to identify just one person, but I will say that just about every woman I read about on the "amightygirl.com" blog utterly amazes me. Especially the teen and pre-teen women and girls who change the world with new ideas and acts of kindness.

Q. What are some words to live by?
A. "No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don't ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives" - Neil deGrasse Tyson