Kristin Graf

Branch Manager, North Branch Library

How long have you worked at BPL?  This question is a lot more complicated than it should be! I worked here for two years as a page in my teens, five years as a library assistant in my twenties & thirties, and now five years as a librarian in my (redacted), so about 12 years altogether. Hmm, I guess it was only complicated if you’re bad at math.  

What are your responsibilities? I help kids and teens find the right books and resources for homework and/or pleasure; deliver story hours and craft programs; order new materials; and represent the library in visits to schools, daycares, and community events. 

What’s your favorite thing about working at the library? Having grown up in Bridgeport, I get such joy from spending my days working in a place that gave me so much comfort and delight as a kid. The best part, though, is helping our youngest patrons, whether it’s putting the right book in their hands; helping them to find the right resources for a school project; or just watching them enjoy one of our programs.   

What is your favorite book? My favorite children’s book is Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. For adult books, it’s about a hundred-way tie. Let’s just say that today, my favorites are The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (fiction) and What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool (non-fiction).

Favorite genre?  In fiction, mystery & historical fiction are perennial favorites. In non-fiction, I love psychology and social history – reading about the culture and habits behind our history really makes it come alive for me. 

Favorite food?  Cheese, potatoes, & my mom’s strawberry shortcake.

Your hobbies? Reading, writing, baking, collecting random trivia, and word puzzles.

Tell us some surprising things about yourself. I cry every time I read the Declaration of Independence. I have a wildly competitive streak for just about everything. After having rabbits for 25 years, I now find myself a perpetually surprised dog owner.