Greenburgh Public Library Blog

New Faces: Adriana Manzo

Adriana Manzo felt a little lost after graduating from Manhattanville college in 2015. She had planned a career in early education but was unsure of this decision. While deciding what to do next, Adriana visited the Greenburgh Public Library because of her friend Alexa, who was already working at the library as a page. They came to an annual Friend’s of the Library book sale, and Adriana thought the library was so beautiful. “I was always drawn to libraries. I came a couple of times on my own because I really liked it here.” At the time, the library was looking for a part-time clerk and had offered the job to Alexa. Alexa was unavailable but suggested that Adriana be interviewed in her stead. Adriana still thought she was going to pursue a career in education, and thought this would be a temporary job while she continued to sort out where she was headed next. “I was working here for three years and then got a part-time job at Ossining in their teen department. I loved that! And decided I wanted to stick around libraries.”

It has been five years since Adriana first took the job at Greenburgh as a part-time clerk. Early this summer a position opened in the circulation department, and because of Adriana’s passion for libraries and her exemplary customer service, she became a full-time member of the Greenburgh Public Library. When asked about plans for the future, Adriana knows libraries are where she wants to be. “At some point I want to go back to school and get my library degree.”

With COVID still a major concern, the staff have been rotating in and out of the building in teams. Half the week full-time members continue to work from home and half the week they are in the building providing curbside pickup or in-person appointments. While here, Adriana loves doing the pick list. The pick list is a list of books that have been requested by patrons. A staff member goes throughout the library picking items from the shelf to fulfill these holds.  “By doing this, I have gotten to know our collection pretty well and while I am looking for books for patrons, I find so many titles that I never thought about reading. I take scrap paper with me when I am collecting books and end up putting a bunch on hold.”

Adriana is an avid reader and reads a lot of YA fiction and fantasy but also includes quite a variety in her reading choices.

“The last books I read and loved and highly recommend are Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara and Chase Darkness with Me by Billy Jensen (the last two are true crime books). My quarantine pastime involved delving into true crime in books and podcasts. It is fascinating to see how social media and genealogy are changing the way crimes are being investigated and solved. I am also currently reading We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez."

“History is and will always be my first love (my childhood dream was to be a social studies teacher), so  I take a walk by the new nonfiction all the time. The Lady of Sing Sing by by Idanna Pucci really caught my eye; set in Gilded era New York with a tie to Westchester.  
The other books I am looking forward to reading this year are  Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas and Legendborn by Tracy Deonn”

“Before COVID, it was such a different time. I wanted to reach out to as many people as possible to let them know about books. I think e-books are great, but there is nothing like a physical book, and I think it is important that we get them into the hands of our community.”