Each month, we feature a Core member for an interview profile called #IAmCore. This month, meet Core Director-at-Large TJ Lamanna!
Describe yourself in three words.
Charismatic, effective, creative, or so they say.
Describe Core in three words.
Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures. The words help describe where Core came from (the former divisions that make up Core) and help us keep in focus what we want Core to be.
What do you value about Core?
Core caters to a lot of my specific interests in the profession, but like ALA or state chapters, or many other organizations, it’s the membership that makes the organization. I have made so many valuable connections both personally and professionally and I wouldn’t be where I am in the profession without them. So now you know who is at least partly to blame.
How long have you been a Core member?
I have been a Core member since the day Core came into being. I joined LITA, which was my pathway to Core, in … 2010 or 2011 I believe. LITA was the first social event I went to at an ALA conference and a warmer welcome I could not have gotten.
What drew you to and continues to attract you to the Core Community?
I was fortunate enough to have met some amazing people in the LITA community when I was a new librarian and the support and encouragement I felt in LITA was a big reason I wanted to be more involved with the organization as a whole. When the reorganization happened I saw who was tapped for leadership and I jumped at the chance to work with them.
What are you working on now that you’re excited about?
I work in a public library and I recently got clearance to add a bee hive to the roof of out library. So everyone I know gets to hear constantly about my bees. We launch in May and I’m so excited. I’ve never been stung by a bee or a wasp so the spring is going to be full of new experiences and opportunities to learn. Those experiences shouldn’t be reserved just for our patrons!
What are you currently reading/ listening to/ watching/ making?
I’m currently reading The Subversive Seventies by Michael Hardt, which is a fantastic walk-through of social movements around the world in the 1970s. I’ve liked Hardt’s writing for a long time and I’m always excited when they give us something new.
What advice can you share with others for a fulfilling and beneficial Core experience?
First and foremost, figure out what you care about, and bring that into your work. This isn’t a sappy “if you enjoy what you do you’ll never work a day in your life” hokum, but you most likely joined this profession for a really good reason, don’t forget about that. You can change your mind and adapt, but don’t forget the feeling you felt when you said, “hey, maybe I would make a good librarian.”
Anything else you’d like to share?
I want to send a positive message because I, personally, find that helpful, but there have been and are going to continue to be what seem like insurmountable challenges. I feel them too. Try not to let mission creep or vocational awe burn you out. If you ever wanted a time to test your mettle, opportunities abound.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the people of Core. If you would like to nominate someone or self-nominate, please fill out this Form.
