2009 Eureka! Leadership Institute: Mara Cota

In the job three years, I’m a Library Assistant at Newport Beach Public Library’s Central Library, in Newport Beach. I coordinate Teen Services for our four-library system and am lucky to be a part of both Youth Services and Adult Reference so I get to dabble in many kinds of projects (including the local cable show about the library—no one told me this would be part of the job!). Newport Beach PL is my first library job. Before this, I was a wine sales rep. Before that, mostly after college and during graduate school, I interned at a theatre, taught high school, taught college (briefly) and worked at a number of bookstores. The bookstore jobs have been my favorites and equipped me with very useful experience for my current position. I’ve started coursework for my MLIS and am almost halfway through. The library is definitely my place in the world.

My favorite things to do are read, sleep, go out to eat with sociable folk, listen to music, travel and other difficult tasks. I have also been known to play golf and laze about on the couch watching TV. I hate running errands. I’m extremely thankful to have a job that challenges and entertains me while allowing me to work with a bunch of smart, creative, funny colleagues.

My primary goal for the Institute is personal: learn to hone the abilities that enable me to do my job well and learn to do without some that hold me back. And I have to say, I’m excited to spend time with a roomful of library people—some of the most interesting, engaging people I’ve ever met.