Literacy and Leadership: Building Community Through Librarianship

Summary

Podcast Summary:

Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks
Episode: Literacy and Leadership: Building Community Through Librarianship
Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Dylan Geschel & Co-host Christine Peel
Guest: Susan Taylor, Branch Manager, Edison Branch Library, Detroit Public Library

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Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Susan Taylor, a seasoned library professional and current branch manager at the Edison Branch Library in Detroit. The discussion centers on the transformative power of librarianship in fostering literacy, leadership, and a resilient, connected community. Susan shares personal stories from her 20-year library career, her philosophy of service, and her vision for the future of libraries in a rapidly changing world.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Susan Taylor’s Background & Early Inspiration

• Susan has worked at Detroit Public Library (DPL) for 20 years, fulfilling several roles.
• Her passion for libraries began with childhood experiences in Jamaica, where she played “library” with neighborhood kids.
  • Quote:
    “When I get them home, I would open a library of my own outdoors and have friends in the neighborhood come and check out those books, of course, for a fee.” — Susan Taylor (01:48)
• Early work experiences as a business information specialist and Wall Street firm librarian influenced her understanding of the power and value of information.
  • Quote:
    “My inspiration really sets in to become a librarian when I worked at a library in an investment firm on Wall Street... I knew then that I wanted to join the gatekeepers of information.” — Susan Taylor (03:18)

Making a Difference: Teaching Literacy & Life Skills

• As a former literacy specialist with the Detroit Reads program, Susan assisted adult learners with reading, writing, and math.
  • She paired learners with tutors, helping them regain confidence and vital life skills.
  • Quote:
    “In that setting, it allows them to demonstrate their intelligence without judgment and still get the help that they need to learn to read.” — Susan Taylor (05:47)
• She recalls a profound impact working for six years with an adult learner:
  • The patron progressed to reading at a 2nd/3rd-grade level, empowering him to participate more fully in daily life.
    • Quote:
      “To see someone grow in confidence and now able to go to the supermarket, to shop, to eat at a restaurant because he's able to read the menu and to read road signs...” — Susan Taylor (07:34)

Surprises & Challenges in Library Work

• Transitioning from literacy specialist to branch manager required learning to make quick, broad-reaching decisions, from facility maintenance to customer service.
• Public libraries involve serving everyone equally—a culture shock coming from the private sector.
  • Quote:
    “Everyone who comes through the door is entitled to the same service, same level of service.” — Susan Taylor (10:34)
• The role has shifted towards curating digital resources, managing electronic databases, and embracing social media.

Essential Skills Learned

• The importance of active listening:
  • Quote:
    “There is a difference between what I think a patron wants and listening to what they are telling me that they want... The lesson I learned over time is to receive the message as it is intended.” — Susan Taylor (11:54)

Advocating for Libraries & Community Engagement

• Susan regularly promotes library resources—beyond just books—to her family and the community, including databases, laptops, hotspots, and educational programs.
  • She often fields research questions from family members at all levels, including graduate students.
• She is an active member of a book club and encourages participation in library events.

Advice to Her Younger Self & to Others

• Susan would reassure her younger self to embrace and enjoy the path of librarianship.
  • Quote:
    “Working as a librarian has given me the window to look at the world and explore whatever I like to do.” — Susan Taylor (15:35)

Misconceptions About Librarianship

• The public often underestimates the scope:
  • Collection curation is intentional and based on community needs.
  • Librarians are at the forefront of adapting to digital technologies and diverse formats.
  • Quote:
    “Librarians in the 21st century are very adaptable.” — Susan Taylor (17:28)

The Future of Libraries

• The next 10 years bring challenges and opportunities:
  • Libraries must respond to increasing digital demands—AI, mobile services, QR codes, virtual references.
  • The ongoing importance of demonstrating safe and effective use of technology.
  • Quote:
    “AI is here whether we are aware of it or we use it or not. And it is our job as librarians to show patrons how to effectively and safely use AI.” — Susan Taylor (18:43)

Motivation & Hope

• Engaging with customers and offering new resources keep Susan motivated.
  • She is excited by the ever-changing library landscape and the chance to introduce patrons to new materials and technologies.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Libraries as Lifelong Community Anchors:
  “Detroiters, they really trust the Detroit Public Library. So once we opened this [Detroit Reads] program, we saw patrons who were coming to us and asking for help in reading.” — Susan Taylor (04:39)
• On the Role of a Book in Life:
  “Whichever book I’m having a conversation with, it would say to me to savor the words, do not rush, to enjoy the journey and do not skip to the end, even if I don’t like it, because I will learn something from it. And that’s very much like life.” — Susan Taylor (16:49)

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Key Timestamps

• 00:02 — Introduction and host greetings
• 01:09 — Susan Taylor’s background & childhood library memories
• 03:18 — Inspiration for becoming a librarian
• 04:39 — Impactful stories from Detroit Reads literacy program
• 07:04 — A patron’s lasting impact on Susan
• 09:30 — Surprising responsibilities as a branch manager
• 10:34 — Changes in public service and the evolving role of libraries
• 11:54 — The value of active listening in librarianship
• 13:45 — Approaches to community engagement and advocacy
• 15:35 — Advice for her younger self and others considering librarianship
• 17:28 — Misconceptions about the librarian’s role
• 18:43 — Challenges and opportunities for libraries in the next decade

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Tone & Language

Susan speaks with warmth, humility, and clarity, offering practical wisdom and stories rich in empathy and perspective. The tone is conversational and encouraging, reflecting the deep community-centric values at the core of librarianship.

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This episode is an inspiring look at the ongoing evolution of libraries and librarians as critical anchors in their communities, empowering individuals through information, empathy, and innovative service.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Chapter in Verse Storytime from the Stacks, an original podcast series from the Michigan Library association and Library Cooperatives of Michigan. We would like to give a shout out to our episode sponsor, Midwest Tape and Hoopla. I'm Dylan Geschel, interim Executive Director of the Michigan Library association where we lead the advancement of all libraries through advocacy, education and engagement. And I'm joined today by my co host, Christine Peel.

[B]

I'm the assistant director at the Detroit Public Library and I am also on the MLA board.

[A]

Very happy to have you as a co host today. Thank you, Christine. This is our 11th episode and in every episode we provide insight and inspiration from Michigan Library leaders who bring purpose to their work and are proving that libraries positively change the communities we all work and live in. With us today is Susan Taylor. Susan is the branch manager at the Edison Branch Library at the Detroit Public Library. Welcome to the podcast, Susan. Thanks for joining us. We're really happy to have you. I wonder if we could start with just having you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

[C]

Certainly. I started out in Detroit Public Library and it's an experience that I really cherish. I've been here 20 years now and I've taken on several different roles and I've loved each one. I'm now the branch manager and it is great to talk to you and tell you more about my personal experience and I look forward to having a great conversation with you.

[A]

Thanks, Susan. Looking forward to it as well. 20 years in different roles at the Detroit Public Library. That's a lot of experience. So I'm excited to hear about your passion for libraries.

[B]

Okay, Susan, what was your first memory of the library?

[C]

My first memory goes back to when I was 7 years old in Jamaica. There was a new library that was built in a shopping mall a couple of miles away from me. And through my child's eyes, it was a very grand establishment with bound books and encyclopedias. There were picture books, of course. I was of that age and it was just an amazing scenery whenever I go in. And the staff was so accommodating. So that was my experience. And I would check out books and three and four books. And what I did, which was interesting, was when I get them home, I would open a library of my own outdoors and have friends in the neighborhood come and check out those books, of course, for a fee. So I always relished that memory of that library and how it introduced me to reading and just knowing that there's information out there that I can mine at any time.

[A]

You've been a librarian long before you were one professionally.

[C]

Exactly, Exactly.

[A]

That's so cool. And knowing that you had that experience where you. You can vividly remember your early experiences to a library, and then you would go on to run your own library as a kid, did that play into your choice to work in a library one day? What inspired you to become a librarian?

[C]

Yeah, I stumbled into the idea of librarianship when I worked for a company that was a clearinghouse for business information. At that time, what we did, we collected information, industry and company stats, profiles, and other type of information. Everything was rudimentary, and you get the brochures and paper clip ins and it's that sort of library. So we had business type information of all types. But it was an eye opener for me for the demand for information and how that was. But my inspiration really sets in to become a librarian when I worked at a library in an investment firm on Wall street that actually had librarians. It was a glamorous world. We used computers to download annual reports and quarterly reports, and there my experience allowed me to see how information was monetized and how important it was to have the correct information. I knew then that I wanted to join the gatekeepers of information.

[B]

Susan, can you share a memorable moment when you made a difference in someone's life through your work? And how does your work at the Edison Brands change lives now?

[C]

I can think of several moments, especially during my position as a literacy specialist, which ended just before the pandemic brought everything to a halt. But interacting with adults at that time who were struggling with reading and writing, and Detroiters, they really trust the Detroit Public Library. So once we opened this program, we saw patrons who were coming to us and asking for help in reading. So I was at the forefront of this program, and this is the Detroit Reads program. And being at the forefront, you are the ones who get to hear their stories, which are disarming. And these are intimate sessions that you're having with these customers, with these patrons. They are looking for someone like me who would help to solve this lifelong problem with reading, writing, and often math, and to help them to make their life normal. In my position as a literacy specialist, I knew I was impacted in lives, pairing those adults with adult tutors who understood adult life and its challenges. And these adults came from, of course, various backgrounds. They were parents, grandparents, bartenders, you know, truck drivers, carpenters, chefs, to name a few. And in that setting, it allows them to demonstrate their intelligence without judgment and still get the help that they need to learn to read. Or to improve their reading skill. It was a very humbling position, humbling time for me. And I learned empathy, courage and strength through all this.

[A]

Yeah, that sounds like really impactful work. Susan, it strikes me when you talk about your former role as a literacy specialist that the work of public libraries in ways is to make sure no one is left behind. Right. Those are people who otherwise that education piece would slip through the cracks for them.

[C]

Exactly.

[A]

Susan, I wonder if you could speak to a time when a patron made an impact on your life. I know for a lot of folks who work in libraries, that impact we just talked about goes both ways. Right. What experiences do you have where patrons have had an impact on your life?

[C]

Yes, of course. And if I have to pick one patron, it would be again, going back to that time that I spent so much of my tenure at Detroit Public Library. I worked with a young man, an adult learner, who I worked with for over six years. And this gentleman came to the library looking for help with his reading skills because he had none. And his boss was the one who recommended him. And what we did, we started off with phonics. And what's really humbling about working with patrons, library patrons, is the trust that they put in the library and the services that the library offer. And by the end of the the time that we worked together, this gentleman was at second, third grade level in reading and a third grade level in math. So it was not just quite an achievement for him, but it was for me as well. To see someone grow in confidence and now able to go to the supermarket, to shop, to eat at a restaurant because he's able to read the menu and to read road signs and to become more involved in his. That is the role that the library also plays, and I'm grateful to be a part of that institution.

[B]

What was the one thing you wish you had known when you began your career?

[C]

I wish I would have known how amazing and satisfying it would be to work at a public library. This is where in the public library it would have started my career. The patrons that I'm in or have encountered during this time have really inspired me. And I've seen how interesting it is to work with them and the amount of time and energy that these patrons have dedicated to understanding the information they receive and how they use it.

[A]

So I have a kind of a follow up question to that, Susan. When you talk about how interesting the work can be in terms of getting to work with patrons, all kinds of different patrons over time, and knowing that the scope of the Work in a public library is so broad, on any given day, what you might be helping someone with. What would you say is one of the most interesting or unexpected things that's happened to you in the library?

[C]

Oh, I'll go back to just being a literacy specialist for so long. When I became a branch manager, which is after the pandemic, that was a different world for me. It required a different set of skills and responsibilities. And so now I'm not responsible for volunteers, I'm not responsible for adult learners who are coming in. But I am now interacting with customers. So the position makes me aware and ready to make decisions at all times. It could be making a decision on the leaky pipe or a customer who comes in and is being disruptive. You have to be ready to handle those things. So I take this position very seriously, even though I enjoy it very much, enjoying being a team player within an amazing staff setting.

[B]

So, Susan, how has the work changed over time for you since you walked in the doors?

[C]

Yes, it has changed so much. When I came to the DPL from the private sector and I started in the business science department, and that was where I had my first introduction to public service. And it was a culture shock. And in service in the public, there are so far less variables to control, such as who gets what information. Everyone who comes through the door is entitled to the same service, same level of service. So I, at that time was a part of a very dynamic team of librarians who taught me the ropes of interviewing and listening to patrons. And so now we're providing so much content and so much varied type of information. We talked about electronic databases and various curated web pages, social media and things of that nature. So it does change over time. My role has changed too, in how I'm curating those information and dispensing them.

[A]

Susan, thinking about your 20 year plus career with Detroit Public Library, what's one of the most important or impactful lessons you feel like you've learned in that time?

[C]

Oh, easily to be an active listener. I still struggle with active listening at some point, but it requires patience and skill, and that's the skill that I'm still working on. I think there is a difference between what I think a patron wants and listening to what they are telling me that they want. And this is what we do as librarians. We actively listen and our patrons know that what they need and how they want to use the information. So we definitely have to trust our patrons. The lesson I learned over time is to receive the message as it is intended and to be able to communicate with that patrons. For a patron, I can provide the right information, and for a coworker, we can provide or improve our collaborative efforts.

[A]

Yeah, that's so important as a librarian. Right. Trying to distill what people are actually asking you for because they might not know what resources are available or how to couch what they need.

[C]

Right. Let's take a quick break to hear more from our episode sponsor.

[D]

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[C]

Right.

[D]

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[B]

So, Susan, our tagline here at the library is we love Detroit, we love the library, we love what we do. How do you share your love of libraries with your family and community?

[C]

Yes, I'm very passionate about the library, and so I do share my passion with families and the community members by reminding them that the library is not just about books. And depending on who I'm interacting with, I give them an overview of the library and the library resources for family members. They're always coming to me and asking questions, especially those who are in school studying, if it's they. If they have an assignment where they would be able to find that information. Up to the point where I have relatives who are going through or may have gone through doctoral studies, and they still come to the library and they would call me to find out, is there a database that has such and such and information? And for the patrons, we still have to remind them that various sources that we have at the library now, we have laptops and hotspots that they are able to access to download books and magazines and to stream movies. And these are the things that the most of our community members are not aware of. And so we are still getting that information out there. We're inviting them to our programs and presentations and workshops that are informational as well as educational and making books and database recommendations. Of course, I belong to a book club, and so I'm always suggesting new books and authors for our book list, and I keep them informed about the author's visits and book signing at the library.

[A]

Susan, if you could go back in time to when you first started your career in librarianship, what advice would you give your younger self?

[C]

Yes, I would definitely advise myself that you're going to Love the, love what you do. So there's no need to second guess if you want to spend your years as a librarian. And working as a librarian has given me the window to look at the world and explore whatever I like to do. And my younger self would really appreciate that and look forward, put blinders on and definitely enjoy the journey in becoming a librarian and developing my skills.

[B]

Encumbered what do you wish everyone understood about your job? Susan?

[C]

Oh, my job as a manager is to guide and offer clarity and of course to support the staff and for my community that I serve. My job is to represent the branch, attend meetings and do outreach to make sure that the community is always aware that we're here to serve and support them.

[A]

If you could hold a conversation with any book, what would it say to you?

[C]

I can't think of a particular book. However, whichever book I'm having a conversation with, it would say to me to savor the words, do not rush, to enjoy the journey and do not skip to the end, even if I don't like it, because I will learn something from it. And that's very much like life. And so that would be my conversation.

[A]

I love that that you found a way to pull a life lesson out of a conversation you might have with a book. That's great. Thanks.

[B]

Susan, what's one thing about being a librarian that you wish more people understood?

[C]

That as a librarian I'm just not interacting with the books on the shelves. But even those books are carefully curated by our librarians based on our customers demographics and preferences. And also that my job is to keep up with ongoing changes in technology and changes in how we select, assess and distribute information in the library. And the information in the library, what I want them to understand, comes in many formats. We have online, we have books, we have magazines, we have newspapers and Timeline as well. We have history and contemporary and futuristic information. And that the librarians in the 21st century are very adaptable.

[A]

Susan, you mentioned staying on top of changes in technologies and I agree when you say libraries are so adaptable. I think that's one of public libraries strengths especially is being early adopters of technologies, no matter how challenging it might be in the moment. What are some of the biggest challenges that you think are facing libraries and librarians in the next 10 years?

[C]

Yeah, I think that patrons demands are driving the changes we are making in the library. We're reaching into cyberspace which is exceeding the physical boundaries of the library. So in the next 10 years. Right now we're talking about banned books and that will definitely be in the not something that we're talking about anymore. In a few years we'll be talking more about AI, and we are talking about AI at the moment, but there in other ways of using AI and other emerging technologies in the library. AI is here whether we are aware of it or we use it or not. And it is our job as librarians to show patrons how to effectively and safely use AI. Mobile phone is also a big part of our lives now. I foresee that we'll be doing more mobile friendly services, including possibly virtual reference services and content delivery and QR code which we also use. That will also take another role in how we disseminate information. To get more information out by using QR code, it could be to view information in other languages or around the library where people can view these QR codes and see what the content of a room is. We do have a challenge going into the future, but I think we can really surmount those challenges and get to where we want to be and keep up with everything else.

[A]

Yeah, I love the way you talk about those challenges, Susan, because really what it sounds to me is you're talking about new opportunities for services. So rising to the occasion to meet those challenges and turn them into services. That's great.

[B]

What motivates you to go to work every day? What gives you hope, and what are you most excited about for the future?

[C]

There are many stimuli in the library and no two days are the same at my branch at least. So I look forward to engaging with the customers to be able to offer those exciting workshops and programs and doing story times for kids and just building and maintaining our collection. That's always exciting about receiving new materials and introducing our customers to new things. And so that's what I'm hoping, that we'll be able to offer new things to our customers, new technology and that we can keep up with what's going on.

[A]

Thanks again, Susan for joining us today. It was really special to hear about your experience in libraries and how the passion you bring to work every day is impacting patrons at the Detroit Public Library. So thank you so much and thanks to everyone for listening to the September episode of Chapter and Verse Storytime from the Stacks. We also wish to thank our episode sponsor, Midwest Tape and Hoopla. Join us each month for new episodes and be sure to subscribe to our podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Much appreciate appreciation for listening and we will be back in October for another episode of Chapter and Verse. Take care.