Jacob with one of his favorite books this year.

Welcome to #FDL’s feature column, Five Questions, where we ask library staff and other East Peoria residents roughly the same five questions. For this Five Questions column, we’re interviewing Jacob Roberts, one of FDL’s new faces upstairs in adult and reference services.

1. Who are you?

Hey everyone! My name is Jacob and I work upstairs as a part-time Adult Service Reference Assistant! I am a junior English major with a concentration in creative writing and a minor in Spanish at Bradley University. I’m also married to my beautiful wife Sarah, and we both live in Peoria near campus. I grew up in Creve Coeur, and I loved growing up in the area, even though there are many people that would disagree. In my free time, I run, read, write, pray, and play my saxophone; but enjoying new experiences is where I get the most enjoyment from. I love going to new places,  learning new information, and trying new things. I think working at the library is a perfect job, exactly because of this. It allows me new experiences and knowledge each and every day.

2. What is your favorite part of working at FDL?

My favorite thing about the library is the atmosphere. Whether it is the library staff or the visiting patrons, there is an infectious friendliness and good mood that pervades through it.

3. What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?

As my semester is winding down, I am currently finishing up my last assigned reading, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and plan on starting on my winter break reading list. I also have been able to find some time here and there to watch some of The Officeprobably a little too much time, if I’m honest. I also enjoy listening to a couple Catholic Podcasts for about half an hour every day. My favorites are by far Father Mike Schmitz and “Pints With Aquinas.”

4. If you didn’t already have your dream job, what would you be doing?

I honestly love working in the library setting, and can imagine a long career remaining within the folds of the library system. If I were to do anything else with my life, I would try and make a career out of writing fiction. It’s a passion of mine that I do in my spare time, but to be able to write as a career would be just as fulfilling as working in a library.

5. Donde esta la bibliotecha? Es la bibliotecha increíble?

La biblioteca está cerca de Target en East Peoria. ¡Además, está increíble y mucha interesante! Todas personas en la cuidad, y otros lugares, pueden beneficiar desde nuestra biblioteca. Me interesa porque, tenga la impresora digital, las películas, los libros de todos temas, las computadoras, y muchas actividades que son muy divertidas. ¡La mejor razón que estos recursos son tantos increíble, es porque no deben nada para todas estas cosas (menos la impresora digital)!

Interviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.