Search Interviews

One Small Step conversation partners Jean Bourg (78) and Brad Sealfon (36) talk about family, growing up, religion, sexuality, community, libraries, planning boards, and living in small towns.

Significant partners Tara Anura (47) and Rebecca Varney (64) sit down to discuss rural politics and local activism. They express their appreciation and pride for one another and the work they do in their community despite how disheartening it can...

Colleagues Elma Nieto-Rodriguez [no age given] and Jim Jimenez [no age given] discuss their paths to becoming librarians. The two have been colleagues for nearly 20 years and reflect on the future of libraries.

Coworkers, John Ramirez (33) and Maira Sanchez (25), have a conversation about sandwiches, their experiences, Hispanic culture, their job at the library, and how their life has been since COVID-19 began.

Kathleen O’Dell (68) interviews her long-time friend, Annie Busch [no age given], about her work in the Springfield community, from serving as the Executive Director of the Springfield-Greene County Library to her efforts to aid children experiencing homelessness.

Friends, Anna Sandidge (47) and Donna Young (66), share a conversation about Quakerism. They discuss the role faith plays in their lives, describe their spiritual experiences, and explain what being a Quaker means to them.

Richard Nawrocki (83) and his wife, Kathleen Nawrocki (79), share a conversation about their childhood, courtship, marriage, and family life.

Melanie McMullen (26) and her grandmother, Marie Hewlett (79), sit down for a conversation about their family, Marie’s teaching career, and their shared love of reading.

Keith Jemison (64) shares a conversation with his dear friend Maybelle Wallace (92) about the history of Black Wall Street, including the Tulsa Massacre, as well as the continued importance of the Greenwood community and the power of love to...

Best friends Connie Meyer (61) and Sue Hartwick (62) share their childhood memories growing up in the Sixties, especially their families and experiences at school, discuss their individual career paths, and reminisce about their friendship.

One Small Step participants Michael Anderson (59) and Margaret Jackson [no age given] discuss their respective upbringings in the Wichita and Boston area, their love of the outdoors and the countryside, and how they wish politicians would listen to everyday...

Sarah Padgett (25) shares a conversation with Bunny Balbachan (59) about Bunny’s childhood, the different places where she has lived, her family, her faith, her career as a nurse, and the advice she would like to share with others.

Sarah Padgett (25) interviews new friend Dr. Henry Lewis III (72) about his childhood, his work on the Board of County Commissioners, and his careers in pharmacology and education.

Friends and colleagues, Erma Banks [no age given] and Callie McGinnis (77), discuss their former workplace: Columbus Area Library Association (CALA). They talk about the formation of the organization, pivotal characters in its development, and the events they created to...

Coworkers Silvia Bunn (67) and Deborah Clark (60) gather to honor and appreciate Deborah's years of service at the Mildred L. Terry Public Library, the first public library for African Americans in Columbus, GA. Deborah reminisces about coming to the...

One Small Step conversation partners Nick Probst (38) and Cari Rerat (41) talk about their time serving the public in different capacities, discussing how family members can impact your politics and ethics and how assumptions based on a label can...

Brenda McMahon (56) and Karen G. Gates (61) talk about meeting at the Gulfport Public Library and becoming friends. Brenda is a ceramics artist and Karen is a writer. They discuss the many ways they're involved in the Gulfport community.

Allison Arcos (27) interviews her father, John Arcos (65) about his work as a technologist/software engineer. They cover how he got into software engineering, his earliest encounter with a computer, and how he has stayed active in the industry over...

Mary Graybill (63) and her daughter Amber Mussman (39) talk about Mary's relationship to her own mother, and her work with young people overcoming difficult circumstances. They also talk about Mary's parenting, and their gratitude for their mutual support and...

Charity Tyler (43) talks with her professional predecessor Katie Geiken (38) about their experiences in the role of Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation, the process of city planning before and after the 2008 flood, and their...

Colleagues Kristine Olsen (39) and Dara Schmidt (41) talk about their work at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, what their experiences of the library were like as young people, and the fulfillment they feel in their work as librarians.

Colleagues Kirsten Delegard (49) and Ryan Mattke (37) talk about Kirsten’s project, Historyapolis, to map the history of Minneapolis and understand the legacy of racial discrimination in the city.

Ken Behringer (66) talks with Valerie Horton (59) about their work as librarians over several decades--changes they've seen, what makes the Minnesota library system unique, and what they think makes libraries successful.

Richelet Jean (42) speaks with librarian Hasina Islam (27), as well as his daughter Abigail (no last name given) (7), about how Hasina's work with families at the public library has made a huge impact on Abigail's learning, curiosity, and...

Christopher C. Culbreath (72) tells his life partner, Leora Senior (55), about the difficulties he faced growing up during segregation in rural Georgia, about the career he made for himself, and about the work he has done to facilitate healing...