“Librarians have an opportunity to create a third space: a place in the community where everyone is welcome, where you can easily find what you are looking for, or just as easily stumble across something unexpected that becomes a new favorite.”
Rachel Hertzberg is embracing the opportunity she described in her role as the newest full-time Children’s Librarian at the Bedford Free Public Library. Library patrons will recognize Hertzberg in the Children’s Room and around the Library – she has been working at the Bedford Library since November 2022, serving as a part-time library assistant and part-time librarian before becoming a full-time Children’s Librarian last month.
“As a Children’s Librarian, I hope to be a resource for children and the adults who care about them. So many people love the library but may not be utilizing the librarians.”
Hertzberg completed a bachelor’s degree at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. As an English and Spanish double major, the Minneapolis, MN native took a class in children’s literature, volunteered in local elementary schools, and wrote her thesis on “the representation of the mother-daughter relationship in Cold War-era children’s books.”
This seems like the recipe for a children’s librarian, but it took Hertzberg a brief minute to get there. She started her professional career in nonprofit and grant writing work.
“I learned a lot from my first job after college, but I missed working with young people and being around books!” she said. “Becoming a librarian seemed like the perfect way to combine my interest in public service with my other skills and background.”
Hertzberg went back to school in 2021 and last month completed a dual master’s degree in Children’s Literature and Library Science at Simmons University, leading to her current full-time position.
In her year plus working at the Bedford Library, Hertzberg has had an impact on the children’s department, leading story times and other activities, and creating projects around the Children’s Room. She says, “I really enjoy crafting, and you may have seen some of the window displays I’ve created for the Children’s Department.”
In addition, Hertzberg undertook a full evaluation of the Folklore and Fairytales collection – nearly 500 titles, and is looking to “bolster and diversify the section.” She’s also been working on expanding the book list selection that helps patrons find books on a specific theme or for a specific age group.
One of her future goals for the children’s department is expanding programming – two of those initiatives include “adding early literacy storytimes as well as after-school programs for elementary schoolers.”
An exciting responsibility in her new position is purchasing picture books. She said picture books are “such a well-utilized area of the collection already, so I hope to focus on acquiring books that are relevant to our patrons’ needs, including the new ‘bedtime book’ neighborhood, books on social-emotional learning, and great read-alouds.”
As an expert on children’s literature, the Librarian thinks that picture books are “an overlooked genre” and one of her favorite types of books. “The best picture books combine text and artwork to create a story that neither medium could tell on its own.” Some of her current favorite picture books include “Nell Plants a Tree” by Anne Wynter and Daniel Miyares, “Orion and the Dark” by Emma Yarlett, “Rain!” by Linda Ashman and Christian Robinson, and anything by Kevin Henkes, Oge Mora, Grace Lin, or William Steig.
Along with picture books, Hertzberg has a leaning towards fantasy. “My all-time favorite children’s books usually have at least a hint of magic, and express some of the excitement, yearning, melancholy, anger, mystery, and sense of possibility that childhood can hold.” Some of those personal favorites include the Bayern series by Shannon Hale, the “Ella Enchanted” line by Gail Carson Levine, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” by Lemony Snicket, “Holes” by Louis Sachar, and “Greenglass House” by Kate Milford.
Beyond books, in her personal life she enjoys collage, painting, knitting, creative writing, visiting art museums, the zoo, and the aquarium, and animals – especially her roommate’s cats, and Murphy the library turtle.
Hertzberg invites patrons to stop by the Library, participate in programming, and to use the librarians. “We can suggest books of similar reading levels, genres, or topics to those you have enjoyed before.”
“I am lucky to work in a community that supports its library so strongly, with high circulation in the Children’s Department.”
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