Image credit: Rose Carlson

For some, spending all day working in the library might be boring, but Ms. Blessing-Hartley, known to many simply as Ms. Blessing, loves her job. She is one of several friendly faces at the front desk of JP’s IMC. 

Although many initially assume that she is a librarian, Ms. Blessing describes her role as the library’s para-professional. “The librarians are the ladies in the back. They do the back work of ordering the books and all sorts of things that I am not involved in,” she said. Ms. Blessing’s job is to help students find the books they need, answer questions, and decorate the library, just to name a few of the tasks. The things she does can vary from day to day, since her role is structured around meeting the needs of the students. 

The best part about her job, according to Ms. Blessing, is interacting with the students. “Sometimes I can come in, kind of having a rough day, and a student comes in and tells me a great story, and it makes me realize why I’m here,” she explained. Getting to know the students has been rewarding for Ms. Blessing. 

Covid certainly changed that aspect of Ms. Blessing’s job, but “now it seems to be back to pre-Covid,” which makes her happy. Prior to Covid, the library was a place for students to come for books and spend time studying. With students doing school at home, the library wasn’t in much use. “An empty library is a sad library to me,” said Ms. Blessing. She’s glad to have students using the library again.

Ms. Blessing hopes that the library is seen as a safe haven. She says, “I try to make the library a welcoming place that kids want to come to. That’s my number one goal.” She knows that with all the pressures students are facing, from schoolwork to relationships to national and global events, some simply need a space to relax and breathe. “I think the library is considered one of those safe places, if they need a little quiet to collect themselves, or a place to work, or just a friendly ear to listen if they’ve had a bad day,” Ms. Blessing said. She also hopes she can get kids reading. She shared the example of a student she knew two years ago, before Covid: “He would only read Anime books. He would come down here two or three times a day and get three new books. And by the end of the year, I got him reading novels. That brought me joy.” Ms. Blessing finds satisfaction knowing that she can influence the lives of the students for the better. 

And of course, as someone who works in the library, Ms. Blessing likes to read. Recently she’s been reading young adult books to expand her knowledge of what students are reading and to be able to recommend good books. “I like a book that challenges me and leaves me guessing,” she explained. “You know, sometimes you read a book or watch a movie and you know exactly what is going to happen. I like a book where I don’t know what’s going to happen.” One book she read recently is Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe, by Preston Norton. “I highly recommend that book,” said Ms. Blessing. “It’s one of the best young adult books I’ve read.” 

So whether she’s checking out books or decorating the library, Ms. Blessing does it with the intent of creating an environment for students to relax and learn. When you walk through the doors of the library, her smiling face will be there to greet you and make you feel welcome.