TU alumna shares her passion, knowledge as new TU librarian fellow

By Kyle Hobstetter on November 15, 2022

Whether it’s through her career or by sharing her culture, Emily Minner has always had a passion for connecting people with knowledge and information.

In 2020, Minner graduated from Towson University with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. But after a short time of teaching second grade, she realized she had another passion—books.

She knew then she wanted to work as a librarian. Now, Minner is in the final term of the University of Maryland’s Master of Library and Information Science program. To coincide with the end of her master’s degree, she just began her journey as an Early Career Librarian Fellow at the Albert S. Cook Library .

Now not only does she get to continue her new passion, but she gets to do it by returning to her alma mater.

“One of the best things is I’m always surrounded by books,” Minner laughs. “I really wanted to stay underneath the education umbrella. I always loved libraries, I loved reading and I couldn’t think of anything better that allows me to still teach and stay in the education environment that I love.”

One her favorite lessons learned as a librarian has been how to combine her background in elementary education with her new position in the library. This includes her capstone project, which involves starting a program that helps education majors build their classroom libraries.

“It’s like this position fell from the heavens because it’s been perfect for me,” Minner says. “I get to be in this professional space and learn from these amazing librarians that have been here a long time while getting to experience the needs of the students.”

Along with being a proud Towson University alumna—and now employee—Minner is also proud of her Native American heritage.

Minner grew up in Dundalk and is a member of the Lumbee Tribe. According to Minner, many members of the Lumbee Tribe came from North Carolina to Baltimore to find employment and build community.

Growing up, Minner and her family were regulars at the Baltimore American Indian Center in Fells Point. It was through her childhood that she learned about her heritage. It also inspired her to share that heritage with others.

“When I’m in an education space, I feel like the most important thing I want to convey is that there are so many Natives, specifically Lumbees, around you,” she says. “You might not know that because you expect them to look a certain way, or speak a certain way. But we’re here, and we’ve been here a very long time. We’re still here.”

Minner has also been working to share her Native American culture with the campus, specifically with TU’s Native American student population. For example, she helped create a display of books for Native American Heritage Month.

She’s also been meeting with Native and Indigenous students, like TU senior Gabriel Ortiz, and encouraging them to find space on campus so they can continue building a sense of community.

“It’s extremely important for there to be a sense of Native community on TU’s campus,” Minner says. “It’s a struggle for students to be their best selves because they feel invisible. Being in a community with other Native students reassures you that you’re not alone.”