You may have already received assistance from Michelle McKinney, the new face in the RWC Library, who has been providing library instruction and reference services. She grew up as a member of a large family right here in Cincinnati and is a “proud alum” of Walnut Hills High School. Ms. McKinney earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications as well as a certificate in Asian Studies from Ohio University, and she recently earned her Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida.
A self-proclaimed book lover, Ms. McKinney’s favorite author is J. California Cooper, because she writes, “compassionate and heartwarming” short stories and novels. More recently, thanks to an hour-long commute to work and school, Ms. McKinney has become a big fan of books-on-CD, because they allow her “to use the time to keep up with the latest books.”
She is quick to say that “there is more to being a librarian than just loving books.”
Ms. McKinney says that she really enjoys working with people and that there is nothing to compare with the look of gratitude she receives when she’s truly helped someone. Her two favorite things about being a librarian are helping someone find answers (“It’s like a mystery or puzzle that you want to solve,” she explains) and also the randomness of the questions she’s asked. “There’s no limit to the type of questions.and that makes my job interesting and keeps me on my toes.