Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Allison Driscoll
Posted December 7, 2013 by Maggie Davidov
It’s that time of year. The end of the semester when I feature one of my favorite classmates from the semester. As usual, I can’t resist the intelligent dual degree children’s lit and library science people. Allison was in my storytelling class and she blew us all away the first day with her interpretation of Don Coyote and the Burro. Please meet the lovely and talented Allison Driscoll…
Q: What made you choose the dual degree Children’s lit and LIS program?
A: I’d thought for a long time that I’d like to be a librarian, because I could see myself being satisfied doing it for a long time. Still, I held off on applying to any programs because I was hesitant to invest time and money into something if I wasn’t 100% positive about it. Then I found out Simmons had a dual-degree program, and I immediately started getting my application together. I’ve always loved children’s lit, and the idea of spending time with others who felt as strongly about it was really the last push I needed. I would say it was one of the best decisions I’ve made to date!
Q: What is the biggest challenge when it comes to approaching children’s literature and YA literature from two different perspectives?
A: Speaking from a pragmatic standpoint, I’ve struggled with the divide between children’s and YA when doing Readers’ Advisory. Discovering a patron’s reading level and level of emotional maturity is hard enough, and finding the right book to suit both of those levels gets even trickier when you take into account children’s and YA labels. The best advice I’ve received is to ignore the labels and try to listen above all else to what the patron is telling you he or she wants.
Q: If you could have any job after Simmons what would it be and where would it be?
A: I’m working right now in a youth room at a public library north of Boston and it’s the best job I’ve ever had. After I graduate, I will probably be trying to find a similar position in a new city. To me, the best part of being a librarian is that no two days are the same, and that is especially true when it comes to working with kids. You can never know what to expect when talking to children, and I’m looking forward to a career being surprised by them every day.
Q: What’s the best class you’ve taken at Simmons so far?
A: I could spend hours debating myself over this question! I don’t have a real answer, because (with the exception of one or two classes which I will not name) at the end of every semester I’ve wished that I could take those classes again.
Q: If you had a super power what would it be? Would you use that power for good or evil?
A: Teleportation, definitely. I’d never have to sit in traffic, and I could pop over to other libraries when a patron wanted a book that had been checked out.