Meet MLC: Charlie Simpkins

Elisabeth Scott

Reference and Social Media Librarian

Meet Charlie Simpkins, Special Collections Coordinator at the Mississippi Library Commission! MLC's kits collection is geared toward meeting public libraries' programming needs, and Charlie is in charge of all things kit here at MLC. He identifies new and interesting products libraries could want or need; then he acquires them so that Mississippi libraries can use them in their communities. The range of items is wide and all-encompassing: from kits focusing on STEM skills, 3D printers, and building kits that fire the imagination and promote learning, to board games, puppets, storywalk, and book club kits that make learning as a community exciting and fun... MLC has them all and Charlie is their curator. He also handles training libraries in kit use, as well as other MLC training needs, and he catalogs our giant large print collection as new books arrive. Charlie loves his job. He says, "My favorite part is getting to hear stories about how excited patrons get at library programs. Getting to see pictures and videos that libraries and their patrons share is like spotting a rainbow on a stormy day. It hits me right in the feels.”

Charlie began working at MLC in June of 2018. Prior to that he held positions as Reference Librarian at the G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library in Flowood and Branch Manager at the Northwest Point Reservoir Library, both part of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System. Before jumping into the library world, Charlie taught fourth grade at Highland Bluff Elementary School in Flowood. Charlie holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with endorsements in English and Social Studies. He also holds a master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Southern Mississippi.

We asked Charlie what it is that he loves about libraries, and he said, "Libraries equalize the playing field. A library is a place people can go to explore concepts and ideas that they might not otherwise get to discover. I tell my wife that if I don’t learn something new in a day, it feels like a day wasted. Libraries have helped me learn something new so many times because they encourage lifelong learning."

Charlie loves books and loves to read. He says his favorite adult books are probably Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, but quickly gets distracted listing his favorite children's books. Reading Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes was a transformational experience in college. He regularly recommends Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings and What Do They Do with All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz to his friends, young and old alike. This paragraph could extend into eternity if Charlie had his way.

When he's not championing libraries or reading, Charlie is spending quality time with his wife Kelly and his pup Walden. He likes watching movies and TV, tabletop gaming, attending church, and attempting to write. Charlie has also begun picking up new crafts, like knitting and crochet with his wife.

If you have questions about book, STEM, or other MLC kits, give Charlie a holler at 601-432-4498 or send him an email at csimpkins@mlc.lib.ms.us.

Meet MLC: Amanda Minor

Meet Amanda Minor, Library Consultant at the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC). Amanda works with public libraries across the state, providing advice and access to information and resources. Although she only began working at MLC in January, Amanda has already become heavily involved with agency work-life, like getting our new cookmobile project up and going. Amanda holds a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Arkansas at Monticello and a master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Southern Mississippi. She loves working at MLC because of the welcoming and positive work environment.

Amanda is a lifelong fan of libraries. She says, "Libraries are a unique institution in that their materials and services grow alongside their patrons. As a child, going to the school library was my favorite part of the school week. As a teen, I grew my love of reading with books from the public library. As a young adult, I spent countless hours in my college library studying and countless more working as a service clerk at my local public library. As an adult, I have worked as a high school librarian and now as a library consultant for MLC. My time spent working in public and school libraries has shown me exactly how important the materials and services libraries provide are to the communities they serve. Libraries are an indispensable community resource where people can connect with information, opportunities, and each other. I love that I have the opportunity to work with libraries and communities all over the state."

Unsurprisingly, Amanda also loves to read. Her favorite books are The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. When she isn't busy working at MLC or discovering new books, she enjoys cooking, baking, traveling, genealogy, and spending time with friends, family and pets.

Meet MLC: Jeremy Hammack

Elisabeth Scott

Reference and Social Media Librarian

Meet Jeremy Hammack, IT Support Technician at the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC). Jeremy installs, upgrades, troubleshoots, and maintains library operating hardware and software systems on-site at MLC and remotely at Mississippi's public libraries. He also assists with on-site technology assessments.

 

Jeremy began working at MLC in February of 2023. He says that his Technology Services team has been very welcoming, with distinct personalities and a shared drive. "I hope to learn a lot from them as we work together."

Jeremy is already a library fan, and adds, "What makes libraries so vital is their potential to expand accessibility of stories, knowledge, and community."

He also loves to read, enjoying stories in almost in any medium. Novels and Manga are his go-to faves.
His current favorite read is The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin; one of his latest reads was The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giefsbrecht. When he's not hard at work battling any tech mishaps at libraries, he likes to write and draw; he says he's constantly crafting characters and narratives. His guilty pleasure is Table-Top RPGs--including Dungeons & Dragons--which he plays weekly, if he can.