Future Library Superstars: Molly Saunders ’12

Where are you going to graduate school and what is the official name of the degree you are seeking?

I am going to attend Simmons College in Boston. The most official name I can find for my degree (although Simmons calls it various things in different places) is an MA/MS in Children’s Literature and Library Services for Children.

Is there a specific type of librarian you want to  be?

I want to be a children’s librarian, especially in a large inner-city library. Many children who have no other place to go after school get dropped off at their city’s library. I see a huge potential in this “captive audience”–a direct way to impact lives by turning children towards books and learning as they are forming impressions of the world and building their value systems. In my opinion, the future of public libraries lies in this direction, becoming more interactive and accessible centers of communities.

Why do you want to be a librarian?

I have always loved books and working with children, and my favorite books have always been children’s literature. At Agnes Scott I was able to write my senior seminar paper for my English Literature major on Victorian and Edwardian children’s literature, and the process revealed to me a whole field of scholarship, one that is still emerging and finding its shape. The great divide in the field is whether to take a child-centric or a book-centric approach to the literature. I quickly realized that I didn’t want to have to choose between writing scholarly analysis or actually interacting with children. With this degree, I feel like I will be enabled to do both. I want to write about the trope of girl storytellers in Victorian children’s literature, and I want to create innovative programming that engages and empowers children to read and learn. Children’s librarians are responsible for a great deal of the scholarship in the field, and I will get to use my theater background to come up with fantastic story times!

What schools did you consider when selecting a program?

I did not apply to any other program. I knew that I wanted the unique dual-degree opportunity offered by Simmons–the oldest Children’s Literature program in the country, in the city where the public library was born. It is perfect for my interests, and I am so fortunate to be admitted!