Meet Jina DuVernay | Librarian and Arts & Culture Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jina DuVernay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jina, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Honestly, I make it a habit of not taking myself too seriously. I love being a librarian, an adjunct English instructor, and freelance writer, but I know that if everything does not go as planned, all will still be well. I take my work seriously, but I am able to be flexible and go with the flow. Additionally, I make it a habit to give myself permission to fail at something or to even change my mind. While I am definitely not the world’s greatest risk taker, I do challenge myself. At times, I do the things that I thought I’d never do such as travel abroad alone or even get a master’s in library and information science to become a librarian! My younger self would have thought that I was way too cool to be a librarian, but then I became one and found out that all the cool folks are…you guessed it…librarians!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What I am most proud of regarding my career field is that I am even in it! After years of working for both city and state governments, I was not feeling fulfilled creatively. So, after some soul searching, I decided to go to library school. I attended the University of Alabama while working full-time and volunteering on a part-time basis at a library. That volunteer position turned into my first academic librarian job. I remember people warning me that I’d better be sure that I wanted to be in academic libraries and not public libraries or any other kind of library because supposedly, whatever kind of library you chose, that would be it, it will be too hard to get a role in a different type of library. Well, I didn’t subscribe to that notion. I have worked as an academic librarian, an archivist, and I currently work at a public library. I sought after roles that interested me, that would give me new knowledge and skills and allow me to exercise my potential. In other words, I followed my heart, I stepped out on faith, and everything turned out as it should. What I want people to know is that the library is a place for them. If you want to learn something new, do something creative, but don’t know where to start, go to the library. It is at the library where you can learn how to use a cricut, record your podcast or learn how to use free databases to assist you in your genealogy research, learn a new language, join in on community discussions, sit in on lectures, take writing workshops, learn how to start a business, Python, or hear bestselling authors discuss their work. All of this and more is free. All people have to do is remember that today’s library is not the library of old. Try one out for size and be amazed.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting the area, it would be so hard to decide where to take her first because there are so many awesome places in the Atlanta metro area! However, I would definitely take her to the High Museum and the Spelman College Museum to be impressed by stunning art. We would then fill our stomachs with delectable dishes and yummy cocktails at Marcus Bar & Grille while we enjoy the exciting and welcoming ambience. The next day we would find my favorite yoga instructor at Freedom Park and reward ourselves afterward with a stop at Jeni’s Ice Cream! After our two scoops, we would venture to the Beltline for a scenic stroll that would require us to need to pop into Stretch ATL for a pilates class or a life-altering stretch session. The next day we would put on our fancy wears for a good ‘ol chat session over eye-catching pastries and an assortment of tea at The Dirty Tea. By then, we would be in the mood to shop, so off we’d go to Ponce City Market headed straight to The Village Retail for all of the beautiful things and Williams Sonoma for an in-store tasting and a new bottle of lemon-infused olive oil. We would then end our day with a film at The Tara movie theater or catch a comedy show at City Winery. There would not be enough time to do and see all the things, so bestie would definitely have to come back!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to all of the people who have supported my efforts to bring educational and engaging programs and services to the community. Their attendance, participation, and declaration of enrichment that they have received from my work is what fulfills me and drives me to keep going. I do not only want people to have a good time at the programs that I organize and facilitate, I also want them to leave a little better than when they came and that goes for me as well. I love learning new things, which is one of the reasons that I love librarianship. Many of the events teach me something new and foster greater empathy and/or a new perspective, and this is what I want to share with others.

Instagram: @goodbookingout

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jinaduvernay

Twitter: @jinaduvernay

Other: https://www.sistersletter.com/author/jina-duvernay

Image Credits
photo by Wade Moricle, Emory University