Jasmine is a Youth Services Librarian who started at Ferndale as a substitute in 2017. She became a full time librarian in 2018 and has been rocking it out since. Frequently found taking selfies in the youth office, Jasmine’s laugh is contagious and can be heard even with the door closed, bringing joy to those around her.
Elissa: What do you love about working at FADL?
Jasmine: The community. I love that they love being here. They enjoy us being involved in their family and playing somewhat of a role in the lives of their children–helping shape their early literacy development. I love getting to do all this programming that the community is very receptive to.
Elissa: What do you love about Ferndale as a community/city?
Jasmine: I just love that Ferndale is overall so accepting. Long before I worked here, I used to hang out with my friends here. My mom is an avid Honda customer and she used to go to the Honda dealership here in Ferndale and we spent a lot of time here for oil changes. I now go to that Honda place and Ferndale just feels like home. It feels like childhood. There’s some nostalgia here for me. I remember feeling so accepted here. When I was a little older, I used to go to the club Boogie Fever and Como’s for pizza because they had the best pizza. Ferndale is such a cool spot to hang out in. And now I work here so I feel like I’ve come full circle.
Elissa: Best or favorite part of your job?
Jasmine: It’s kind of hard…the shy, reserved side of me would say ordering books, the collection development. But the fun and spontaneous side of me would say interacting with the public.
Elissa: What is the most misunderstood aspect of your job?/What do people get wrong about your job?
Jasmine: That we sit and read books all day. My mentor once told me that the brain is a muscle, so when I go home and I’m tired, people think, “oh you’ve been around books all day.” But I’ve been thinking. Thinking and planning about programming, about community partnerships–it’s so much more than books.
Elissa: How do you see libraries adapting to the current situation? What do you like about what libraries are offering?
Jasmine: I think libraries have stepped up to embrace virtual learning, which is not something that perhaps some of them were doing prior to the pandemic. I love that we’ve found ways to cater to our public, especially with our activity kits, and virtual learning–through Zoom, being able to offer stuff for people to do despite not being able to meet in person.
Elissa: What’s your favorite digital resource we offer?
Jasmine: Novelist. It is the one that I’ve recommended the most especially when it comes to readers’ advisory. Especially for patrons when they’ve read complete series and they don’t know where to go, and then Novelist pops into my head to help find new stuff to read. I also like to walk people through how to use our databases because I don’t encounter that a lot as a youth librarian. It’s nice to do a little bit of instruction because it’s not part of my everyday job duties.
Elissa: Best book you’ve ever read?
Jasmine: One that definitely was my favorite within the last six months was Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin. It’s a modern day retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It was something I was fortunate to bring home during the pandemic. When I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. The leading character is a teenager of color and she is sexually assaulted but she refuses to go down without a fight. With her best friends, she exacts her revenge on the young men who assaulted her. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart and there’s a lot of mature language. I love that she wasn’t a coward or a damsel in distress and she was like, “you’re going to pay.” One of the things I really, really loved about that book is that the author gives the woman who’s been assaulted a voice, that she’s not solely a victim. That people who have been assaulted don’t just have sadness, but there’s more. I love the fierce strength that the character had.
Elissa: What have you been doing to stay occupied during quarantine?
Jasmine: (Laughs.) Co-parenting a 3-year-old! #threenager. Potty training. Trying not to go insane. It’s been really hard sharing my home with work. Home used to be home, used to be my sanctuary away from the world, sharing it has been hard, but I finally feel like I’m in a good place. My son has been going back to school full time, which has been helpful, so I’m trying to find a balance between working at home and working at work.
Elissa: What do you miss most about “regular” life? What are you looking forward to doing again once it’s safe?
Jasmine: What I miss most about regular life…I miss being able to go rollerskating. I miss being able to go to the movies. I look forward to, once this is over, going rollerskating and to the movies again.
Elissa: Any pets?
Jasmine: Yes. We have a labradoodle. His name is Rocky. We just got him!
Elissa: We will definitely need pictures.
Jasmine: He reminds me of Marley from the movie Marley and Me, which is not a good sign when you think about all the things Marley got into. He’s very sweet and loves our son. He also has the most stinky breath in the world. (Laughs.)
Elissa: What’s the best advice you ever received?
Jasmine: Thinking back on it, at the time I didn’t understand it, one of my mentors when I graduated from grad school, when I was overwhelmed with new work duties, he said to me, “A boat can’t move forward without making waves.” I think that sometimes the only way to grow is to accept what comes with that growth. Sometimes it’s painful and hard but in the end, it’ll work out for the good. Confrontation isn’t always bad, and sometimes you cannot grow without it.
Elissa: If you were stuck on an island, what would you take with you?
Jasmine: I would take my headphones and my phone so I could have music.
Elissa: If I gave you $100, what would you spend it on?
Jasmine: Taking full advantage of my Amazon Prime membership and ordering up some ish! That would include shoes, books, hair accessories, I can’t stay off Prime.
Elissa: Top three musicians?
Jasmine: I love rap. I really love hip-hop. I love words. My top fave is a Christian rapper named Lecrae. I also really love Jay-Z’s music.
Elissa: New or old?
Jasmine: That’s a good question. Both, but I like the Black album, the Blueprint 3. “Death of Autotune,” which are his older albums. I love Selena but I also love old Madonna, not so much her newer music. I’ve been to two Madonna concerts. Once in Chicago with my mom for her Confession tour. I remember seeing her and completely playing myself and crying and saying, “Oh Madonna, I love you.” The other time was at Ford Field for her Hard Candy tour. She gave an amazing performance both times.
Elissa: Favorite song to sing at karaoke?
Jasmine: Britney Spears. Years ago, there was this karaoke bar, called Ponykeg. Some friends and I went and they played “I’m a Slave 4 U” and I had on these pleather pants and was wearing a long wig. (Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssss). I was getting up and down with the song! Vocally, it was meh, but the moves. They. were. cold. My boyfriend at the time told me that this old man in the corner couldn’t take his eyes off me the whole time. I cringed at hearing how the old geezer was watching me, but laughed at all the fun I had from going out there and doing my thang!
Elissa: Best book-to-movie adaptation?
Jasmine: I would say Mystic River by Dennis Lehane. I loved that Clint Eastwood directed it. I think he does such a phenomenal job directing. Sean Penn stars in it, and I think it was nominated for some Oscars. I think that Clint was able to bring out a lot of stuff from the book, which doesn’t always happen.
Elissa: Chocolate or vanilla?
Jasmine: Chocolate.
Elissa: Rollercoaster or merry-go-round?
Jasmine: Rollercoaster.
Elissa: Do you have a favorite?
Jasmine: Millennium Force, Cedar Point. That’s another thing I can’t wait to do once the pandemic is over.
Elissa: Beach or woods?
Jasmine: Woods.
Elissa: Favorite season?
Jasmine: Fall!!!
Elissa: Is there anything I should have asked you that I didn’t?
Jasmine: I want people to know that I really enjoy serving the public and I hope that that comes across in how I do my job. That it’s fun and not an obligation or burden. I feel so blessed to do the work that we do. It’s a competitive job market with two library schools in our state, and I never take it for granted that I have a job as a librarian.
Since we’re closed to the public, you will most likely find Jasmine on curbside duty, bringing out your much-needed materials. Or you can also find her on the youth Facebook page and teen IG page, where she regularly posts live and recorded storytimes, dancing fun, and general cheer.
As part of the Biography Section, we invite other staff members to give their kudos to Jasmine. Here is what they had to say:
Ed: Jasmine certainly has a lot of positive energy.
Jordan: Jasmine is full of ideas, is a team player, and has done great work with our teen patrons and teen collections. Her laughter could clear a cloudy day.
Jeff: Jasmine is always bringing enthusiasm and positive waves into the building, and she has a passion for her work that is inspiring.
Kelly: I love talking to Jasmine! She is thoughtful, respectful of others, and really, really fun! I love seeing her outreach work!
Maggie: I admire Jasmine’s willingness to extend herself and try new things. Her play to bring attention to mental illness, and her tutorial on Domestic Violence come to mind. Jasmine inspires me.
Kerrie: Jasmine is always bright and positive and it’s nice how she greets everyone by name every day. As it’s been already mentioned, she has great ideas, and she’s amazing with kids with patrons. I also appreciate her inclusiveness with LGBT+ book clubs and her awesomely curated teen selections.
Amber: Jasmine is a breath of fresh air. I really appreciate how she walks into a room, individually acknowledges and greets everyone present. I can tell she was raised right! She’s always professional, positive, and on point. She goes out of her way to lift people up with a simple compliment, an offer to help, or just a smile. I love her carefully selected choices for our teen collection, and her enthusiasm for working with our youth. She has a special way of interacting with all of our patrons, whether they’re toddlers, preteens, teenagers, or adults. Working with her is always easy and pleasant.
Marigold: Jasmine is so sweet! She’s always helpful and willing to talk. She is also so creative! I love all her programs, and I am so excited to watch her play!
Darlene: I love hearing Jasmine’s laugh filter through the backroom. It always makes me smile. I also really enjoy her Instagram series #WellnessWednesday! I love hearing about the things she’s trying and I think it’s very inspiring.
Jenny: Jasmine is friendly, kind, and always looking for new ideas. She works hard to find ways to engage with the teens and her enthusiasm shines through. She has a great sense of humor and brings a lot of fun to the library. Thanks Jasmine!
Michelle: Jasmine is so joyous, but always sincere and direct in her communication. She does an awesome job reaching teens, who are not always an easy group to program for. I know at least one tween who is eager for her Animaniacs program to begin again. 🙂
Susan: The first time I met Jasmine was at one of our end of the year parties back when she was subbing for us and wasn’t here as often. I remember talking with her and thinking it would be nice if she were here more often and we could work together. When she joined the youth staff permanently a little while after that, I remember hearing her read “Pete the Cat and his School Shoes” during a story time and I thought: wow, that’s the best read aloud story time I have ever heard! It sounded very fun. She was reading it with so much enthusiasm and joy, I could tell she was loving it and so were the kids! Then I found out she has experience in theater and dramatic arts and then I understood how well children’s librarianship and theater can fit. She is in charge of the young adult collection now, and she does a wonderful job with it, she has a deep understanding of not only the books for young adults, but how they fit into the lives of young adults.
I’m always really happy that she has taken over that collection- I ordered for it for a long time, but she is the best person to be in charge of it now. We had a good time talking about the collection when I showed her some sources for ordering and reading reviews etc. and she continues to build an excellent collection which has something for everyone. She does a fantastic job with programming and events for teens especially Anime club, and always seems ready to try new things for the younger story times like her bilingual English-Spanish story time. She is a really good listener and friend overall.
Tricia: I love hearing Jasmine’s laughter in the distance while I shelve books. We have also talked about many topics, from library science to parenting. She always has a kind word or a compliment for me
Kathleen: Jasmine is beautiful inside and out. She’s interested and interesting, an amazing laugher. She gives the tightest hugs ever. Her work is impressive. She’s creative and talented. We are lucky to have her at FADL.
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FADL Observer: Ferndale Area District Library 