Associate librarian serves children at home and abroad

“I’ve always loved children, and I respect them as people,” said Shamekia Chandler, Heights Library associate childrens librarian . “It’s important to treat them right.”

That love and respect inspire Chandler’s work at the library and abroad. Last summer, on leave from the library, she traveled to Ghana to learn about the culture, and to volunteer tutoring sixth graders at a school in the city of Ho, capital of the Volta Region. While there, Chandler noticed that, while the children had textbooks, they had no “fun” books. “There’s more out there than just textbooks,” said Chandler. “I want the children to understand that reading is fun.”

To help instill a love of reading, Chandler has since sent donated books to the village, which she will visit again this summer, with even more books in tow.

In addition to her work abroad, Chandler, who is currently enrolled in Kent State University’s Master of Library Science program, is also hard at work at home. She recently won the Virginia Hamilton and Arnold Adoff Creative Outreach Grant for Teachers and Librarians. Chandler’s proposal for the children’s program “In addition to her work abroad, Chandler, who is currently enrolled in Kent State University’s Master of Library Science program, is also hard at work at home. She recently won the Virginia Hamilton and Arnold Adoff Creative Outreach Grant for Teachers and Librarians. Chandler’s proposal for the children’s program, “Cinderella around the Globe,” received a $1,000 award to support the program, which she will present at the Lee Road Library on May 19. Once back from her second trip to Ghana, she plans to share what she’s learned with a children’s program about West African art.