Putnam Library Hires Adult Services Librarian

The Putnam County Library has hired a new adult and teen services librarian to better understand community needs and assist in promoting library programs and services.

Adult and Teen Services Librarian Spencer Traut was already filling the position part-time before getting the full-time gig. Traut said with his position he is focusing on assisting disadvantaged populations and teens.

“I think that the people who are able to best use the library come here overall for the space and for primarily the people,” Traut said. “This is a great place to come and bring your group here if you want to have your group meet here if you are whatever kind of group you have going on.”

Traut said the library offers many services to adults and teens such as the meeting room, the Tennessee room, and access to computers and the internet. Traut said he will be actively reaching out to the community and looking to offer more programs the community needs.

“We all work together to see what would bring a crowd and what kind of services and programs would best serve the community,” Traut said. “We kind of determine programs and what kind of needs are in the community and how we can best fulfill them.”

Traut said a majority of adults who visit the library are visiting with kids. Traut said he wants to encourage adults to use the library as a resource while they are with their children.

“Whatever child you see come into a library there is always an adult with them and the amount of adults that we help with various things is vast,” Traut said. “For the adults here it’s more than just a collection of books. Once you hit a certain age you are able to use so many more aspects of the library.”

Traut is currently attending Valdosta State University to get his master’s in Library and Information Science. Traut said he wants to learn how he can make the library even better.

“I want to sort of put myself in a position where I’m more involved in how the library functions,” Traut said. “This is sort of what I am hoping to make a career out of. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to be able to get to know this place a little bit more because I love this library and working here has been the best job I have ever had.”