Melissa St. Pierre of Presque Isle has always loved libraries, and now she has turned her enthusiasm into a rewarding career. As youth services librarian at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle, she organizes literature-related programs and activities for children in Aroostook County. Her greatest moments come from sharing her love of books with all children who come to the library.
St. Pierre has worked in her current position for three years, but has been a supporter of libraries for much longer. While growing up in Limestone, her mother homeschooled St. Pierre and her brothers during elementary and middle school and often took them to the public library. The children’s section, St. Pierre said, was small, but being there helped her become an avid reader. With every book she read, she exposed herself to new worlds and possibilities.
“I remember clearly this little bookshelf that was an oval spinning one and had Dr. Seuss books. I read those books a million times,” St. Pierre said. “At a very young age I started to move into the adult section and I remember being encouraged to do so by the librarians.”
When she was a student at Limestone High School, St. Pierre volunteered at the school library and gained even more learning experiences. But it wasn’t until two years after graduating from the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 2012, with a degree in English, that she found herself in her current career. After she found out about the youth services librarian position in Presque Isle, St. Pierre didn’t hesitate to apply.
Today she is in charge of youth activities such as storytimes for babies, toddlers and families, celebrations of beloved children’s authors and holiday-themed parties. She enjoys interacting with children and seeing them develop their unique interests in books. St. Pierre hopes that children realize her excitement and pick up books that lead them to new discoveries in literature.
“It doesn’t matter what they read as long as their reading is the most important thing,” St. Pierre said. “You find this one chapter book or this one graphic novel or anything and if they enjoy reading that, that opens the door for them.”
Working in a small library means St. Pierre has come to know many of her young patrons by name. She often talks with children about what books they like to read and gives them further suggestions. St. Pierre wants the library to be a great place for children to come whether they are there to read or just engage in the many educational toys and games in the storytime area. Being around children has taught her much about what is most important to her.
“I think that the innocence and excitement that children have is catchy,” St. Pierre said. “Seeing things through the eyes of a child makes the world so much simpler. I just try to remind myself to relax and have fun.”
St. Pierre has continually found herself drawn to careers that allow her to serve her community. Before she joined the staff at Presque Isle’s library, she worked for Personal Services of Aroostook, a homecare agency. She helped clients with day-to-day tasks such as taking medication, grocery shopping and creating healthy lifestyles.
Though St. Pierre enjoyed her work for PSA, she has discovered her ultimate career path as a children’s librarian. She can pass on her love of reading and watch children explore their curiosity about the world around them. Every day St. Pierre goes home knowing that her work has made a difference in the lives of children. She wants to continue giving them positive learning experiences for years to come.
“I want children to come here and feel welcome and know that it’s a safe place for them to play and learn,” St. Pierre said. “If I’m able to do that and they can leave with smiles on their faces and ask their parents to come back, that makes my day.”
