New Member Profile: Laurel Crump
I was hired in April 2018 as a part-time Reference and Instruction Librarian at Lane Community College in Eugene. When I retired as Director of the Whittier College Library in California in 2017, I didn’t think I’d be working in an academic library a year later, but happily, I am! Graduating with an AA degree from LCC in 1972 and being a federal work study student in the library qualifies as coming “full circle”! Working at Lane and helping students as they proceed on their academic journeys is very satisfying and the part time status allows me to explore retirement activities, too.
Librarianship was a second career after ten years in the medical field and a break to start my family. I received my MLS from the University of Arizona and then was a corporate special librarian for a multinational biotech company in Los Angeles for a number of years. Changing gears, I progressed through public services and administrative positions in a for-profit university, an honors college, a state university, a small liberal arts college, and now a community college. I have enjoyed and learned from each position and marvel at the talented, wonderful librarians and staff members I have had the privilege of working with along the way.
My husband of 30 years has always been very supportive of my career, despite a number of coast-to-coast moves for new opportunities I wanted to pursue. We have three grown children and two grandchildren and, unfortunately, none live in the Pacific Northwest. Nine rescue dogs have shared our homes over the years, and we currently have three small elderly rag-tag poodle mixes who think they own the house, and sometimes I think they do!
Besides working at Lane, I’m exploring pottery and have dabbled with watercolor media for years. Flower gardening brings me a sense of peace and joy, especially here in the Northwest. I’m trying out pilates and love going to the gym. Did I mention reading??
I tell people that librarianship for me was the perfect profession, and it’s true! I am a firm believer in giving back, and as such, was very active in the Special Libraries Association (SLA) for many years, and also took an active part in the local chapter of ACRL wherever I’ve been living. I hope to meet some of you in the coming months at a meeting or professional event, or if you get to LCC, please stop by the library and say hello!
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