The Burlington County Library System is so lucky to have a team with wide-ranging knowledge and diverse interests. While many customers may know the names and faces of librarians at their local branch, we want to take the time to introduce more of our staff from around the system.
Hello! My name is Megan Dehmelt and I am the Youth Services Librarian at the Maple Shade Library. With the help of my lovely coworker Kiran, I plan crafts and activities for everyone from babies to teens, schedule great performers for the Summer Reading program, and act as the link between the Maple Shade School District and the library. Most recently, the teachers at Steinhauer Elementary School and I set out on a quest to have every student signed up for a library card in time for a visit by the BCLS mobile library! My favorite part of my job is finding new tech-related opportunities for children and teens; in the coming months, I hope to become a facilitator for the Girls Who Code program, which aims to help close the gender gap in the tech industry.
When I’m not at the library, you can find me hanging with my pet rabbit, Mr. Bun Bun, my Black Labrador Stella, shooting sheet film with my 4x5 camera, or at a concert in Philly with my crazy but amazing best friends.
Some fun facts about me:
- Growing up, I split my time between Horsham, PA, and Surf City, New Jersey, where I worked for many years at The Bookworm.
- I got both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Drexel University, the undergraduate degree in photography, and the graduate degree in library and information science: archives.
- I shoot and process all of my black and white film by hand, and continue to display my work on my website.
- I lived and worked in Dublin, Ireland, for part of my Drexel Co-Op period and studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic.
- I’m a big “nerd,” having read the Harry Potter series and seen most superhero and Star Wars movies more times than I can count. I’m currently binging the DC Comics original animated movies thanks to a patron recommendation!
- Whenever I get tired of new television shows, I go back and re-watch my favorites, Gilmore Girls and Midsomer Murders.
- I also re-read my favorite classics fairly often, which include North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell, and Persuasion, by Jane Austen.
- My favorite band is Arcade Fire, with Muse running a close second, though I love everything from R&B to EDM (Electronic Dance Music) to Classic Rock.
- I am a longtime loyal listener of the Preston and Steve Show on WMMR and podcast daily. (I started listening with my Dad while I was in elementary school and they were on Y100, when I was definitely too young to be listening!)
- I turned 26 on April Fool’s Day!
