“I found my home here” says Deputy Director Ellen O’Brien of her time at Warwick Public Library.

Ellen O’Brien has been with the Warwick Public Library since she was a student at the University of Rhode Island. She has a passion for public librarianship, speaking slowly and kindly, making sure that each word she utters resonates with you.

O’Brien has been coming to the Warwick Public Library since she was a kid, when she attended Randall Holden Elementary School, and fondly remembers walking there with her dad to check out books. “It was always a place that I felt comfortable, and I enjoyed just being here, whether it was looking for materials or just kind of spending time,” she said.

Finding her place

While working at the library as a part-time shelver during college, O’Brien first fostered her love for public librarianship. She graduated with a degree in elementary education, spent some time substitute teaching, and then accepted a position as a full-time circulation aid. While she worked at the circulation desk, she investigated getting a Masters of Library and Information Science at her alma mater, URI. While she initially planned to use that degree to work as a school librarian, she quickly realized that her true home was in the children’s department of the public library.

“As a children’s librarian at a public library, you have the ability to service entire families, all the way through their growth when they switch down to the teen space,” she said.

O’Brien spent ten years working as a children’s librarian before transitioning to the administration team. She speaks fondly of her mentors, as she rose through the ranks. “Throughout my career, the administrators and managers I worked for were always so supportive of me, really let me go with any idea I had, and the ability to execute it,” she said. As Deputy Director, O’Brien feels her role is to serve the entire population of Warwick, not just the children.

When asked about the threat of increasing reliance on technology and movement away from physical books, O’Brien emphasized the variety of programs the library offers besides the books on the shelves. “There’s room for both: the print and the ebooks. We’re very adaptable, and we’ve grown tremendously. We really have become a community hub,” she said. O’Brien described with pride the various offerings of the library, which are all free of charge, such as the 211 outreach RV, the Charlie Cart mobile kitchen, and the pop-up library van.

A place for culture

“It’s a place for culture and community. And people need the connection more than ever,” she said. Her energy and love for public libraries is contagious when she speaks about the mission of the Warwick Public Library.

O’Brien’s favorite books are “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd, “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak, and “Charlotte’s Web” by E. B. White.

O’Brien says, “We’re working hard to keep books free, available, and open for all,” in response to book banning in libraries across the country. “Everyone has the right to decide what they want to read. It might not be the correct choice for you or your family, but it might be the choice for someone else’s family, and they have the right to decide that.”

There are a variety of ways to support the Warwick Public Library. The first step is to get a library card, and there is even a digital card option for those who want to use the website and online resources such as ebooks and audiobooks. But O’Brien says, “I encourage everyone to come in. If you haven’t been here in a while, stop in and see what's happening. Browse the shelves, pick up a flier, see what's going on. You'll be happily surprised.”

The Warwick Public Library no longer has late or missing book fines. O’Brien stresses that “if you had one in the past, it’s okay. They’re gone. I just want people to come in and use the wonderful resources that we have here for everyone.”

O’Brien plans to spend more time with her family, especially her parents once she steps back from her work at the library. She hopes to collaborate with Mentor Rhode Island, an organization she was involved with earlier in her career, again in her retirement. She expects to volunteer at the library, so you might find her in the children's library, back where it all began.