CORY CASTOE

I had worked for Home Depot for nearly six years when I had applied for an assistant manager position. When I went in for my interview, the interviewer told me, “Cory, you’re the best candidate and most obvious choice for the position. This interview is basically just a formality. You’re right for the job.” Needless to say, I was shocked when not only was I overlooked for the position, I was told I needed to train the person who was hired to fill the role.

 

This resulted in one of those life altering moments, where I took an objective look at my life, where I was at, and where I was going. In that moment, I knew it was time to leave the safety of the job I had known, and to venture out into finding a career. A place where I could make a difference, and leave a legacy for the world to come. I asked myself the question that is asked so frequently when discussing career choices; “If money didn’t matter, what would you do?” All I knew was that I wanted to work with books in some capacity. I loved reading, and I loved sharing that love with others. I also knew that working in retail left me feeling unfulfilled. Having a lasting impact on someone’s life for the better was more important to me and to my future than having great financial wealth. Taking both of these things into consideration, it seemed to me that working in a library would be the logical choice to attain both of these goals. 

 

I wasn’t sure what was needed to become a librarian, so I started by applying for a student employee position at the University of Central Oklahoma, at which time I was currently attending, at the end of 2012. I was offered the position to begin in January 2013, and I immediately knew I was on the right path. I never dreaded coming to work, I loved helping patrons find books on the shelf or through the web-based catalog, and I found there was no task to small or large that I was unwilling to do. I was promoted to a staff position in June 2013, shortly after graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor’s degree in General Studies. It was during that summer that my supervisor recommended that I apply to the University of Oklahoma for their graduate program in Library Science and Information Studies. I unfortunately waited another four years before I enrolled, as I kept finding excuses to wait. Finally, in the spring of 2017 I decided to enroll for the upcoming Fall semester. 

 

Since enrolling I have discovered my desire to become a Children’s/Young Adult librarian. I have been able to pursue this goal through various electives offered by the program, such as Information Resources and Services for Young Adults, and Libraries and Popular Culture. 

 

Looking back over the last eight years, and the journey I have completed, from working at Home Depot to graduating from the University of Oklahoma, I know that I have chosen the right path. I have elected the career that will provide me the most fulfillment, and allow me the opportunity to make the greatest change. I anticipate the adventures ahead of me in my career as a librarian and fostering a love of reading and learning in children and young adults. 

 

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