LIBRARIAN JOSEPH HARRELL

“Being a librarian allows me to combine and share two of my favorite academic pursuits, reading and research, with the entire school. I love to read and talk about the books I have read, am reading, or want to read with others. Furthermore, I enjoy researching various topics. I joined the county as an English teacher in 2003 and really enjoyed my time in the classroom, but I do like how being in the library lets me work with all of DR’s students and departments. […] Being virtual hasn’t changed my professional goals, but it has affected how I achieve them. All successful endeavors are built upon relationships, and COVID has made me rethink how to best go about this in a virtual environment. […] I miss the everyday, seemingly mundane events that I previously took for granted: holiday gatherings with extended family, eating inside of restaurants in winter, attending sporting events and concerts, getting my hair cut by a licensed barber, not standing in line to get into Trader Joe’s, or going to the movies with my kids and buying overpriced popcorn and drinks. Luckily, living in Central Virginia affords us the opportunity to take advantage of a great deal of outdoor recreation pursuits like camping, fishing, hiking, and biking to avoid cabin fever.”