Jen Stevenson – Meet Virginia library assistant Jen Stevenson, whose passion for service and advocacy brings creativity, resilience, and heart to her rural library work.
Jen Stevenson wears many hats at the L.E. Smoot Memorial Library in King George, Virginia, where she works as a library assistant. While the title may sound straightforward, her daily work ranges from cataloging and programming to hands-on support for patrons—all in a non-stop, go-go-go environment. “My expectations were decidedly lower key than the reality,” Jen shares. “But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Jen’s path to librarianship is as unique as her approach. A former veterinary technician, she once led an emergency department at a large animal hospital—a role she stepped down from after realizing the importance of trusting others and letting go of perfectionism. “Their failures weren’t my failures,” she reflects. “That was a very important lesson for me.”
Now profoundly deaf, Jen is learning sign language and actively advocating for hearing-impaired patrons—and herself—within her library. She’s also helped bring exciting new programs to her community, including a Maker’s space, a seed library, an RPG club, and a registered butterfly garden that’s part of Monarch Watch.
Jen’s journey into library work stems from a lifelong love of books. “As a kid, I dreamed of being either a librarian or a veterinarian,” she says. “I’ve worked in both fields and fulfilled both of those dreams.” Retiring from her veterinary career didn’t mean slowing down—instead, she found renewed purpose in serving her community through library work.
She credits her introduction to ARSL to her coworkers and has since embraced leadership roles, serving as Co-Chair of the 2023 Membership Committee and as a discussion lead for the Librarians with Disabilities Networking Group.
When she’s not at the library, Jen enjoys checking off items from her bucket list—like a two-week trip to Scotland in 2022, where she bravely drove on the left side of the road!
Originally conducted by Mellissa Clark, 2023 Membership Committee Co-Chair.
Adapted for the ARSL Spotlight format in 2025 by ARSL Office.
