We are excited to introduce you to the new Member Programs Coordinator, Karen Adjei (she/her/hers). In this role, Karen administers, monitors, and advertises Atla’s professional development opportunities for its members.
Please share some of your work history.
My first impactful work experiences started in Chicago. While there, I worked as a researcher for the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, an academic coach for Northwestern University students, an exhibitions development intern at The Field Museum, and a digital curation and preservation aide at Northwestern University Libraries. After moving back home, I completed a series of internships and a fellowship working in museum curatorship at D.C. Public Library and the Smithsonian Institution. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, I had to pivot to administration, and worked for two local nonprofits before I served with my church as its office administrator. Then, when I started my Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) graduate program while still working for my church, I simultaneously completed another series of internships and fellowships in librarianship with Northwestern University Libraries, the University of Maryland Libraries, the University of Colorado Boulder University Libraries, and the National Agricultural Library. I feel that these whirlwind work experiences have honed my skills in administration, academic librarianship, and storytelling, all of which have prepared me well to support the mission of Atla.
What inspired you to become a librarian?
I always like to think that even though I just so happened to stumble upon librarianship, it became the right path for me to take. After I graduated from my undergraduate program at Northwestern University, I really needed a job! While looking for options, I saw a sign on the sidewalk about a summer job opportunity at the campus library. I applied for the position, and since no one was applying for the opportunity that was originally meant for graduate students, I received an offer. At first, I was pretty skeptical about librarianship: my office space had no windows, I was working with spreadsheets all day long, and true to the old-fashioned image of librarians, people were very quiet. But after a while, I started to feel a sense of gratification that my work with metadata translated into someone being able to access a resource that would help them succeed in their education. After this realization, my supervisor affirmed my work and encouraged me to consider getting a MLIS. I had no idea that librarianship was even a career option, but after that meeting, I received more confirmation from seemingly random places that this was the right fit for me.
Saying yes to this opportunity and walking through the open door of librarianship has led to many adventures: it is truly a calling for me.
Looking back, I realized that I always got a lot of joy out of combining my curiosity with my research skills to help friends and family discover information that could help them better appreciate their life and open up new possibilities for their own journey. And so, I am looking forward to embracing what the future holds as a freshly minted librarian.
What are you most looking forward to working with Atla members?
I’m really excited to connect more with Atla members on a daily basis. I have been a student member of Atla for the past three years throughout my MLIS program, and always looked forward to meeting people face-to-face at Atla Annual and gaining a broader scope of what theological librarianship is all about. Now, as someone who works behind-the-scenes at Atla, I feel that I can harness this experience along with my MLIS degree and administrative skills to better serve the needs of Atla members and to steward the ecosystem of theological and religious studies education and librarianship as a whole. It’s pretty cool to be a librarian for other librarians.
Can you share some of the programs you will be supporting?
Currently, I coordinate the Library Juice Academy, Skilltype, Atla Serials Exchange, E-Book Lending and Reciprocal Borrowing programs. I also facilitated Atla’s transfer of the CRRA Program LibGuides and am currently supporting preparations for Atla Annual. Each new project that I am involved in gives me a deeper understanding of how Atla supports the landscape of theological librarianship, so I’m looking forward to supporting more programs in the future.
The Membership & Engagement department expands all time zones in the continental United States. So, when members contact you, which state are you in? And can you tell me your favorite part of where you live?
Although I was born and raised in Fairfax County, Virginia, I now proudly call Germantown, Maryland home in the DMV (that is, the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area for those who are not familiar with the geographical version of the acronym). There are so many great things that I could point to about where I live, but I will always be thankful for the many great hiking trails right in my backyard that are easily accessible and provide a momentary escape to nature away from the hustle and bustle of Montgomery County, Maryland.
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
In addition to hiking and the occasional bike ride, I am an avid traveler! I have prided myself on taking over ten trips every year for the past three years (I’m not sure how long I can keep this up, though!). Travel has expanded my understanding of the unique regional differences in America and has also helped me to better appreciate where I grew up. I always look forward to exploring a new place and the creation around me whether it’s in this country or abroad, but I would have to say that my favorite place to visit is California. Beyond travel, I also really appreciate music. I grew up playing the violin, and I savor the moments when I can perform with my church. I love discovering new music on Spotify – no genre is off limits for me (except for maybe death metal). I have also recently begun to take up collecting and perfecting recipes. And like any true librarian, I have a pile of books that I am working through.
What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
While it has been a bit difficult to find the time for leisure reading as a graduate student, I truly enjoyed reading Pachinko at the end of 2023. Pachinko follows the stories of four generations of a Korean family as they live under Japan’s occupation of Korea, move to Japan before the beginning of World War II, and rebuild their lives through the 1980s. It is such a rich and riveting story based on interviews that the author conducted about this history. The book added another layer to my own understanding of Japanese culture and society, since I had previously studied Asian American history during my undergraduate program, had traveled to Japan twice, and created a LibGuide on Koreans in Japan. I highly recommend reading this moving book to anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of how the past informs current events.
Welcome to the Atla staff, Karen!
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