JOEL RAMIREZ

Library Aide, Euclid Avenue Elementary

PRIMARY SERVICE ROLES: As the library aide, also known as the school librarian, at Euclid Avenue Elementary, part of LAUSD, I provide school library services, which includes access to books, story times, collection development, and programming to students in grades K-5.

HOW DOES YOUR WORK ALIGN WITH SERVICE TO LATINOS AND SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES?

Euclid Avenue Elementary is located in Boyle Heights and serves a predominantly Latino and Spanish speaking community. As someone who is Spanish speaking and of the community, the work that I do here is especially important and fulfilling. My parents immigrated to East Los Angeles from Guatemala during the 1980s seeking a better life. The struggles students and families face on a daily basis at my school are ones that I have experienced. And because of this, the work that I do in serving a Latino/Spanish speaking community I feel is even more impactful and comes from a place of true care and empathy.

FAVORITE ASPECT OF THE WORK:

Connecting with students, and inspiring them to become lifelong readers, learners, library users, and kind human beings.

WORDS OF ADVICE TO OTHER LIBRARIANS AND PRESENT AND FUTURE MSLIS STUDENTS:

Don’t be afraid to fail, to try, and keep striving no matter what setbacks you encounter. Always remember that If your heart’s in the right place and you try your best, you can do no wrong.

PROGRAMS THAT I’VE DONE:

Every school year I have the honor of running the Scholastic Book Fair which brings in the whole community into the school library and gets everyone excited about books and reading. During Book Fair week, I host raffles, games, activities, and give away hundreds of free books. It’s a lot of work, but the reward of seeing students with their families walk away with books is worth all of the effort.

PERSONAL INTERESTS OR HOBBIES YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE:

When I’m not at the library, I like to keep active and engaged by exercising. I love running, hiking, weight lifting, and trying new physical activities. I also enjoy reading, playing video games, and watching anime. I’m currently replaying The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask on the Nintendo switch, a game I hadn’t played since I was in elementary school. If you're a gamer, it’s definitely a must play.