If you frequent the library, I’m sure you’ve seen me around. I’m the one on staff with the crazy hair and bright smile; always ready to greet you and answer a question or even read a book to your child. But let me officially introduce myself. My name is Lauren Piszczor and I’m the Youth Services specialist at Robeson County Public Library.

It’s been a year and half since my husband and I first moved to North Carolina and while it’s always an adjustment living somewhere new, I’m so happy we did.

My story begins in Washington, Pennsylvania, which is just a short drive from Pittsburgh. I was blessed with an incredible family who was there every step of the way. They sat through countless softball games on hot days, cheered at every band concert, and waited with flowers after every play performance. I even remember them going crazy in the stands after I was crowned prom queen my senior year of high school. They supported me in everything I did and still do. But I have to give credit where credit is due. There is one person in particular who helped me realize my full potential and what I was meant to do in life and that person is my mom.

When it was nice out, my mom and I would take walks together in the afternoons and talk about our day. There was one walk in particular, my junior year of high school, where we started discussing where I would go to school and what I would study.

I always imagined I would be a teacher, but as my peers were picking their fields of study, I was unsure of what I wanted. My mom loves to read and I feel that she passed this love down to me. Growing up I could open a book and finish it in a day. I would even give books to friends to encourage them to read.

The Scholastic Fair in elementary school was my favorite day of the year and I always had a hard time choosing a book because I wanted them all. It is with this love that during our walk my mom asked, “What about becoming a librarian?” and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 2009, I began studying library science at Clarion University of Pennsylvania and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 2013. I got married the following year and my husband’s career ultimately took us to Colorado Springs.

In October 2015, the next chapter in my story began when we moved to North Carolina. I was first hired at Robeson County Public Library as a branch assistant at the McMillan Memorial Library in Red Springs. This position quickly solidified my decision to work in a library. I loved being able to put what I learned at Clarion to use and enjoyed getting to know the many patrons who walked through the doors.

Then, after three months, an opportunity arose where I would eventually be hired as the Youth Services specialist at the main library in Lumberton. One of my favorite parts about my position is that I get to perform outreach services in the community by holding Storytime’s for the headstarts and daycares.

I am also responsible for some of the creative displays you see around our children’s room. Working alongside our Youth Services librarian, Lisa Bowden, I get to assist in implementing ideas and be a part of the planning process for our programs. In doing this, I have planned my first youth services program, Sci-Fri S.T.E.M. Time, which runs every second Friday of the month from 4 to 5 p.m. for ages 8 to 12 with an adult present.

It is with these opportunities that I will be continuing my education through Clarion University’s online master of science in information and library science program to one day become the librarian I’ve always wanted to be. In being named the 2016 Employee of the Year, I’m happy to be a part of this community. I look forward to my future at Robeson County Public Library and I hope my next chapter is just as exciting as the last.

Piszczor
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Piszczor201745102949395.jpgPiszczor

By Lauren Piszczor

Lauren Piszczor is the Youth Services Specialist at Robeson County Public Library.