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Anntwanette is a young woman with long dark hair.
Anntwanette Sulton was a LOCI intern during the summer of 2022. [Photo courtesy of Anntwanette Sulton.]

LOCI Intern Spotlight: Anntwanette Sulton

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We regularly feature the interns whose hard work positively impacts the Library. Today’s interview is with a 2022 Summer participant in the Library of Congress Internship (LOCI) program, Anntwanette Sulton.

Describe your background.
My name is Anntwanette Sulton. I am a 23 year-old African American woman born, raised and currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. I am the youngest of two brothers and one sister. I am in my first year of graduate school at the University of South Carolina and will receive my master’s in library and information science in the fall of 2023. I have aspired to become a librarian since the 5th grade, which has driven my academic, career, and personal goals throughout my life.

What is your academic/professional history?
My passion for librarianship has led me to receive a bachelor’s in library and information science with a minor in early childhood education from the University of South Carolina. I am currently pursuing my master’s in library and information science from the University of South Carolina as well. My goal within four years of obtaining my masters is to continue my academic career by receiving my doctorate in library and information science. Whereby then I plan to have a full- time job in librarianship and be a part- time professor at a historically Black college or university teaching library and information science to young professionals to give back to my community and spread my love and joy for the field.

Professionally, I have dedicated my life to librarianship. I have been active in the field for ten years. I have volunteered and worked at several libraries. Currently, I have experience working in two government, academic and public libraries. In addition to holding a library position, for the past five years, I have been working at a child development center on a military base. There, I am a child and youth program assistant working with children six weeks to 18 years old.

How would you describe your job to other people?
I am working within the Library of Congress in the Congressional Research Service with the Office of Administrative Support. I was put on two projects: a redesign of the CRS website and a diversity recruitment project. Through research and analysis, I am establishing professional contacts and providing recommendations to look for and promote diverse, equitable, and inclusive recruitment in a government agency. This will allow me to identify the best practices for recruiting and retaining diverse talent while fostering a culture of inclusion.

Why did you want to work at the Library of Congress?
Working for the Library of Congress has been my professional goal since the 6th grade, shortly after I figured out that I wanted to pursue librarianship. The Library of Congress to me embodies everything that a librarian would want in a library: a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace and a vast number of resources and patrons. As an African American woman, I understand that our field is not yet fully diverse, and my goal is to help open the door for other African Americans and minorities by showing them that you can thrive in a field that looks nothing like you. I also believe that minority communities need to promote literacy more especially at a young age. As a librarian, I see that education is the base for knowledge, and literacy is the base for education. Therefore, the earlier children are introduced the earlier we as librarians get to influence a child’s love for lifelong learning. Applying for this internship was the first step in achieving my dream career job and working toward my goal.

What is the most interesting fact you’ve learned about the Library of Congress?
The National Book Festival is an event I had never heard of before interning with the Library. As a librarian, I fell in love with it as soon as I heard about it during an Internship and Fellowship Programs professional development workshop. I hope to come up to DC to volunteer with the Festival next year.

What is something most of your co-workers do not know about you?
A fact that most of my coworkers don’t know about me is, although I can’t speak Latin as fluently as I would like, I did take Latin for four years, so I can read pretty fluently in Latin.

 

Comments (3)

  1. Congratulations!

  2. Thank you so much! It was a wonderful opportunity!

  3. Congratulations Anntwanette! It was great working alongside you!

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