Between the Lines – January Member Spotlight

Margaret “Meg” Miller

Adult Services Librarian, Pflugerville Public Library

What inspired you to become a librarian?
While I didn’t follow the same career path, it was all of the school librarians I encountered growing up that showed me what an integral and vibrant part of a community libraries are. Once I started working in a public library setting, I knew I had found my place.

What is an innovative practice at your library/organization (current or former) that you’d like to share with others?
One of the gems of the Pflugerville Public Library is the collaborative makerspace, our Pfab Lab. Available to guests for working on their own projects, the equipment we provide, the tools and devices, are items that most people can’t house or maybe couldn’t afford. I have had such an amazing time fostering the community of diverse makers from grandmas to hobbyists to small business owners. Their creativity astounds me and I’m glad their library can be a part of that.

If you could have dinner with three authors (living or dead), who would they be and why?
My early reading life leaned heavily towards science fiction, so I would love to have had the opportunity to dine with Roger Zelazny. I’ve reread the Chronicles of Amber more than any other books. The author Diane Duane is another nostalgic pick for me. I found her So You Want to be a Wizard series as a teen and loved that a library was a nexus of the journey to wizardry. Moderating our library’s Tumblr presence, I recently reconnected through her wonderful blog. Bonus points that she often posts about their culinary endeavors, which look amazing. My third is the author Joe Hill because, in addition to the topics of going into a family business and graphic novels, the Locke & Key series is brilliant.

What are you reading right now?
On my phone it’s the ARC of Jill Shalvis’ next book The Backup Plan, since I can never wait until the eBook shows up on pub day. Back with the wizards, I’ve just started listening to Tom Felton’s Beyond the Wand in Libby. The physical library book I’m reading and enjoying is the graphic novel A Career in Books by Kate Gavino.

What is your most memorable Texas Library Association Experience?
So far, it has been the year (2019) we brought a litter of kittens to our panel presentation on pet-friendly programming. It was my first time on a panel and even with the support of the rest of our panel, the serotonin boost from those babies went a long way towards assuaging any nervousness on my part. From comments we received, it also gave a boost to attendees. (Meg is pictured with her dog, Diamond, in the photo above.)

Anything else you would like to share?
I feel honored to be working in this profession and with the members of this organization.

 “I am a TLA member because…” I feel it is important to engage with my colleagues of all stripes, to support our profession and to keep up with innovations & issues that affect libraries.