This is one entry in a series of blog posts introducing LVA employees and exploring what they do day-to-day. If you are interested in what goes on behind the scenes, entries in this series are collected under the tag 7 Questions.
Annie Hatton
What is your background?
I grew up in northern Virginia (Fairfax County), and moved to Richmond to attend VCU, where I graduated with a BA in English and a minor in American Studies. I attended library school at the University of South Carolina, where I focused my studies on cultural heritage librarianship.
How do you explain what you do to others?
I am a reference librarian, so people ask me questions and I refer them to appropriate resources to find the answers to their questions.
Have you held other positions at the Library? If so, what?
No, this is my first position at LVA.
How has technology affected your current job?
With the extensive digital collections available at LVA, we are able to disseminate information to far more people than we could before, which is extremely useful for helping patrons who cannot visit the library (particularly during the COVID pandemic!).
While I am not part of the team that creates digital content, I have had to become familiar with the online digital collections, as well as the new catalog that was implemented in June 2019, in order to help patrons in using these resources.
Describe your best day at the Library of Virginia.
The best days are when patrons come in with interesting questions—I just got one about game wardens in Wise County that’s been fascinating to research. Another enjoyable experience is when I’m able to find information for which a patron is looking – patrons are always excited and grateful for this, and it’s very fulfilling to feel like I’m helping.
What was your first paid job?
I waited tables through high school and college. My first position was at Uno Chicago Grill.
What would people be surprised to find out about you?
I have over a dozen pets—two dogs, three indoor cats, plus one outdoor cat who adopted my porch, four snakes, two tokay geckos, and two fish tanks.
