Hi, I'm Azana Carr, and I work as a student assistant for the W&M Libraries External Relations office. The best way to describe my job is: "You know all the events, workshops, and therapy dogs that happen in Swem? We do that!"
My adventure as an employee at W&M Libraries started when I became a Mosaic Intern the summer of 2017. Mosaic Internships are opportunities where students can learn about the different departments that support our Libraries, and each student is assigned to a particular department that fits their interest. I have a huge interest in storytelling, so it was perfect when I got to work with our Oral Historian Carmen Bolt. During my internship, we were preparing Oral Histories for the 50th Anniversary of African Americans in Residence. It was exciting to help Carmen and the Special Collections staff by researching the individuals we were interviewing and shadowing Carmen as she conducted Oral Histories. We met influential people who were connected to William & Mary and even assisted our Mosaic Fellow Mallory Walker curate the "Brave Enough to Be First" Exhibit on display this year for the 50th anniversary.
Working with W&M Libraries gave me an awesome chance to make personal connections with library staff and come to love libraries even more. My appreciation for libraries and Oral Histories has motivated me to volunteer this summer with my hometown's Oral History program "Suffolk Speaks" through our public libraries. Every day I realize how much W&M Libraries has transformed my college career and I'm so happy they are a part of my experience!