OCE Viking Corps Student Snapshot

My time as a tutor with the OCE America Reads program was such a great experience. The library staff, students, and parents were so welcoming. We did good work, and it was always lighthearted and fun. One of the best parts was being able to help students from nearly all grade levels with many different subjects. There was plenty of variety and I enjoyed that. I was also allowed to work independently at the Cleveland Public Library Rockport Branch. I am thankful I had the opportunity to work independently with minimal supervision. That can sometimes be a difficult skill to gain when trying to acquire work experience. I am close to finishing my Master’s in Library and Information Science from Kent State University. I have been working in public libraries since I graduated from Cleveland State in 2017. I have to give the OCE America Reads Program some credit for that! I loved the atmosphere and being able to help others, so I wanted to continue to be a part of that. Most recently, I have accepted a Reference Librarian position in a library system in Southwest Florida. It’s a big change but very exciting! One time I had a shy, young student approach me and tell me that she wanted to sit down and read with me, but she didn’t know what book. I suggested, The Boxcar Children, and together we went and found it on the shelf. She read aloud for quite a bit. Some might say it wasn’t a remarkable exchange, but I was really honored she felt comfortable enough to ask me for a suggestion and to read aloud, which can be daunting for quieter students. That will always be one of my favorite memories.

Julie Sayers
OCE America Reads Tutor
Bachelor’s Degree, Linguistics, Cleveland State University