Diane
johnson
Patience with the Process Story By:
SAMANTHA CHERY
I
f books are windows to the world, then libraries must be the storehouses of society, right? “Not exactly,” says Diane Johnson. Johnson has witnessed how libraries have transformed for the better over the years. Now as manager of the Alachua County Library District’s Cone Park branch, she wants people to see how they are more than just book repositories. “Libraries have changed their image,” she said. “They’re a lot more engaged directly in the community with a lot more to offer.” She first fell in love with the tranquil environment that freed her mind to think as a little girl living with 13 siblings in Newark, New Jersey. “There was a lot of activity going on in my home all the time,” she said. “So
libraries as a child turned out to be a place where I could find quiet and peace.” She moved on from the community library to the downtown branch of the Newark Free Public Library at Rutgers University in her teenage years. “It’s always just had a wonderful presence,” she said. “I just enjoyed milling around and the sense of hope that resonated through being in a place where people were engaged in academic activities.” Despite her passion, she didn’t immediately dive into a library career after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania. She instead married Darryl Johnson, and the couple raised six children together. As the kids entered grade school, she put her career ambitions on hold and opted for administrative assistant jobs with set hours to put her family activities first. She had to “have patience with the process” gainesvilleblackprofessionals.com
47
