Growing up Lutheran, I knew, of course, that there was a seminary in Columbus, Trinity Lutheran Seminary. My undergraduate degree (BA in Communications, 1993) was received from a small Lutheran college in South Carolina. When I took the “Special Libraries” course in the spring of 2014, I chose to focus my type and site visit assignments on a theological library. I chose Hamma Library at Trinity.
Upon visiting Hamma, I found the staff very enthusiastic about my assignments and my studies in general. I began to look for opportunities to volunteer in the library and spent a few hours a month working on basic circulation and weeding tasks. Due to budget shortfalls and staffing shortages, they were most welcoming and patient in helping me to become familiar with the operations of this small library in ways that are difficult to learn in a classroom.
When I began to look around for an internship opportunity in the spring of 2015, Library Director Ray Olson asked if I’d be interested in fulfilling that obligation with Hamma. Because of the huge variety of tasks available, I accepted the offer. It was apparent from the beginning that I would be able to gain experience in a great many areas of library life at Hamma.
Elyce "Elli" Cucksey 