Mary Hennessey For 20 years in East Lansing.

SN What does your job entail?

MH Really, it’s different at every library. I started off as a part-time reference librarian before I started working with teens. That was 20 years ago and we didn’t have a teen services position, then I started doing programming for them. I read a lot of young adult literature, visit middle schools and do book talks. I try to make it exciting so they want to read the books. We have programs, do gaming. Sometimes we have board game days or crafts — kids like to get together and socialize. These are middle school and high school students and they like to get together with other kids who like books and like to read and do things to reach out in the community. We have a teen advisory board that advise me on the things they’d like to do and see.

SN What’s your favorite part of the job and why?

MH Working with the teens, I think. Because they’re pretty energetic and enthusiastic. I like when we get into a project together. I take them to the (Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden at MSU) to read stories to younger kids and they love to do that. That might be my favorite program that we do.

SN How did you get into this position?

MH I got my master’s degree in library science from (the University of Michigan) and I started working at Ann Arbor Public Library and I started helping the young adult librarian. I liked young adult literature, I liked working with kids. Then I had a job in a small town in Michigan before I came here as a part-time reference library. I started doing book talks and middle schools started asking, “Can we do book discussions?” When we remodeled the library maybe 10-15 years ago, we made a young adult room.

SN What are some of your most popular programs?

MH It kind of depends. Gaming is getting more popular. Our (technology), people set up gaming like Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution. We just had a book discussion about “Twilight,” and that was obviously really popular. It just kind of depends. The kids around here are so busy and they’re really into everything. I think they like coming and volunteering to help put on other programs.