Your name, pronouns, current or most recent work place and position (for students, please tell us what school you’re attending and if you have chosen a specialization):
Shom Tiwari (they/them), Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, Hyattsville Branch, Bilingual Library Associate II in Youth Services
How long have you been an APALA member? What drew you to join? (If you are currently volunteering on an APALA committee or are an EB officer, please include that here!)
I became an APALA member in October 2022. The organization appealed to me as a space to connect with and learn from other APA library workers. I lead my library system’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Team and felt that APALA could help me think more critically about this work. Joining APALA has helped me feel more confident in and capable of becoming a public librarian.
We’re very interested in the diversity of ethnic/cultural heritage within APALA. Please share your ethnic/cultural heritage with us and any other background information, as desired.
I am a queer and gender non-binary South Asian American from North Carolina. My family is originally from Uttar Pradesh, India. I grew up speaking Hindi and English at home, though the language of my grandparents was Bhojpuri. I am caste-privileged and am learning to work towards ending casteism in the diaspora.
What aspects of library work do you find most compelling? Please share some of your professional goals and interests.
Public libraries are a magical space for self-expression, identity development and, perhaps most importantly, play. I am passionate about serving children and teens. For younger kids, I hope to enhance my puppet skills during storytime. I love seeing attendees’ gleeful curiosity as I use animal puppets to bring the books and songs to life. With older kids, I hope to continue adapting to their interests, community needs, and local opportunities. I enjoy developing teen programs that nourish their passions while also expanding their thinking.
If you’ve got a big move, publication, webinar, conference presentation, or social media presence that you’d like APALA members to know about, let us know here!
Last year, I had the pleasure of sharing my work at a library conference for the first time! My colleague Tamika Gaskins and I delivered a poster presentation titled “Tailored to the Teens: Developing programs that engage, entertain and encourage” at Teen Connect for Maryland Libraries.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
APALA webinars such as Repurposing Myth with Alice Sparkly Kat, resources such as the Youth Literature Evaluation Rubric, and connections through the Mid-Atlantic Chapter have all enriched my professional life.