April Lafferty
March 1 - May 31, 2019

I became a librarian in 2007 after earning my MLIS from the University of South Florida. I have since worked in both public and academic libraries. Currently, I am a Reference Librarian at Florida International University, where I serve as the liaison to Hospitality and Nursing. At FIU, my passion is outreach, regularly working with members of the university community to create dynamic and engaging learning experiences for students. With each of the positions I have held, my main goal has been to promote ways in which the library can serve students beyond basic reference or research. I believe that bringing people into the library in innovative ways is the key to getting them to come back and making them into lifelong learners.

Share a library program or service that you are excited about:
Open Mic Poetry Night: This program, hosted in collaboration with FIU’s Campus Life department, gives students the opportunity to perform pieces of poetry, spoken word, rap, music, and other creations. Every time we host the event, we have a turnout of more than 50 students, and get to experience a variety of talents. I believe events like these do more than bring students to the library, they foster a sense of community in a predominantly commuter campus where students often report feeling disconnected from the college experience.

What do you most like about working in libraries?
My favorite thing about working in libraries is connecting people to needed information or services. Whether it is at the reference desk answering research questions or in a workshop or program, I believe that there is an answer to every question or a way to solve almost every problem if we are willing to dig far enough to find it. It is a rewarding experience help someone find what they need. The bonus is that I always learn something new along the way.

Three words that describe you:
Service oriented, Team player, Friendly

How long have you been a member of DCLA?
I am a new member!