Welcome to JustintheStacks! I’m your host, Justin. I’m a father, husband, librarian, and all around book nerd. I’m a 30-something millennial who likes to read books and ramble about things on the internet. As I approach middle age, I’ve become more focused on self-improvement, or what we in the library world like to call lifelong learning.
I’m trying to build a life worth re-reading. We re-read good books to find new meaning in familiar words, and I try to approach my life the same way. If meaningful books are worth revisiting, then a good life calls for reflection, continual learning, and living with greater intention. That’s the goal, anyway. Life, laziness, and the occasional bout of apathy often get in the way, but I do my best.
This blog is part of my self-motivated pursuit of knowledge. It’s a place to explore the concepts I read about and to work through my thoughts on a wide array of subjects. I pay particular attention to public librarianship, leadership, fatherhood, and my hobbies. I write about these things because they intertwine to make me who I am. If any of that sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to stick around and read a while.
Professionally, I’m a public library director. I have worked in public libraries for about a decade. In that time, I have worked as a circulation clerk, a youth services librarian, an assistant library director, and now I lead my organization. I love the work. It has its challenges, but I couldn’t have found a better profession for myself. I hold a Master of Science in Library Science from the University of North Texas and am an active member of the Texas Library Association, where I’ve served on various roundtables, task forces, and committees. I’m also a graduate of TLA’s TALL Texan Leadership Institute. For me, a big part of librarianship, at any level, is outreach and engagement. I model this belief by volunteering on several local boards, commissions, and committees, including my local Lions Club.
In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, cooking, and being outdoors with my family. We enjoy visiting the many Texas State Parks to go camping, hiking, fishing, and kayaking together.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for visiting. I hope you’ll take some time to explore my posts, share your thoughts, and follow along as I keep learning. If you want to get in touch, the best way to reach me is by email. I can also be contacted on Mastodon or BlueSky. However you choose to engage, or not, I’m grateful you stopped by.
Disclaimer: The thoughts and opinions shared on JustintheStacks are entirely my own and do not represent the views of my employer or any organization I am connected with. I write here to explore ideas, reflect, and share what I am learning along the way. I make no claims as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this website. Take what is useful, leave what is not.