Your name, current work place and position, and a little bit about the path that’s taken you to where you are (i.e., where else have you worked? How have you been able to grow professionally?)?
My name is Jaena Rae Cabrera. I am currently the manager of the Ocean View Branch of the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL). I started at SFPL back in 2010 as an on-call library page and technology volunteer. I was rehired as an on-call librarian in 2016 and moved to permanent part-time in 2017. I spent about two years with the Excelsior Branch in this capacity before moving to the West Portal location to become full-time. While at Excelsior and West Portal, I did two stints as the acting branch manager for each branch. I’ve only ever worked for SFPL in my career thus far. I have grown exponentially as both a person and as a librarian, and I hope to continue this growth and pull up others along the way.
How long have you been an APALA member? Why have you continued to be an APALA member? Are you currently involved as an APALA officer/committee member/other volunteer?
I’ve been an APALA member since October 2011, when I first started library school. Since my classes were primarily online, I was looking for opportunities for networking and professional development in the Bay Area. APALA was one of the organizations I came across that seemed to have many Bay Area members, and I was also very interested in its mentorship program.
APALA is about supporting librarians and library workers. I’ve continued to be an APALA member because I believe in its mission and purpose, and I really enjoy meeting new colleagues and collaborating with librarians across institutions. I also believe in uplifting others, and being in APALA has taught me to lead by example.
I am currently the APALA Treasurer, and I am a member of the Media & Publicity Committee, as well as the Literature Awards Committee, specifically for adult fiction.
What aspects of librarianship are key to your personal satisfaction at work? Has that changed since you entered librarianship?
It’s all about people for me. Collaborating with colleagues, other library staff, patrons, and community organizations is enormously fulfilling and engaging. I also find the culture of librarianship to be very collaborative in general. Being a librarian has allowed me so many opportunities to experience and learn new things. It’s the perfect profession for being a lifelong learner. So far, I am happy to find that none of this has changed. Librarianship isn’t without its issues, but for me personally, it has been enriching and fulfilling.
If you could go back in time a few years ago, to when you participated in the Member Highlights series, what would you tell your younger self?
Oh, tough question. Hindsight is 20/20, right? One thing I would definitely tell my younger self is to have faith. It took me three years after graduating with my MLIS to land a permanent librarian position, and I went through many ups and downs during that period. Now I’ve recently been promoted to branch manager so my perseverance paid off, and the journey has been great. I’ve met a number of great colleagues-turned-friends in my library career.
What’s next for you? If you’ve got a big move, publication, webinar, conference presentation, or social media presence that you’d like APALA members to know about, let us know here!
Well, the biggest thing is that I was just promoted to permanent branch manager this past July. It’s only been three months so I’m still feeling out this new location. I’d been acting manager at my last two branches, so the work itself isn’t new to me, but Ocean View is a brand new staff and community to me. I have a lot of work to do!
I am also now the editor-in-chief of WOC+Lib, an online space for BIPOC library voices.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Because I’m an overachiever, I am taking three Philippine Studies courses through City College of San Francisco. My identity as a Filipina/pinay informs so much of how I see the world, and I wanted to learn more about the history and implications of that identity. I also want to be better informed when I create Filipinx programming for the library. Next semester, I plan to take Tagalog language courses as well.