Share about your life journey and how you found yourself living and working in the City Heights community.
I was promoted to branch manager of the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library in June 2021, which was a surprise since I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t know how to respond when I was first given the offer. We were still in the middle of the pandemic. I accepted the position and have been in City Heights ever since.
Even though I have only been working at City Heights since 2021, as a Vietnamese American, this community has always held a special place in my heart. City Heights is where I remember my parents taking me to have pho as a child, telling me it is one of the best pho restaurants in San Diego. This was in the 90s when pho restaurants were not as common as they are today. After my father passed away, when I was a teenager, my family would make the trek from Clairemont to City Heights every week, for months, to attend temple service.
For many Vietnamese Americans with family who migrated to San Diego years ago, there’s often a connection to City Heights. That made my decision to take this role as branch manager in this community even more meaningful.
You have served the City Heights community for many years. Describe your current and past roles. What have you enjoyed the most?
I’ve been working with the San Diego Public Library for 20 years prior to coming to City Heights. Before joining the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library, I was the youth services librarian and Legler Benbough Teen IDEA Lab manager. Prior to that, I was the emerging technologies librarian at the main Central Library downtown.
The best part about being a librarian is the opportunity to serve the community. I’ve been fortunate to work in various roles and have seen firsthand the impact libraries have on people’s lives. Some of my favorite moments include seeing kids grow up and thanking me/the library for having such an impact on their lives. I’ve had parents tell me over the years how their child started taking certain classes or learning new interests because of the camps and programs we offered at the library.
One of my favorite stories is about a teen who started taking coding classes at the library. His mom told me that he didn’t want to be a programmer. He wanted to be an aerospace engineer. However, through our coding classes, he realized coding was a skill he would need regardless. Thanks to our coding program, he was able to get an internship at 16 years old and even had to sign a non-disclosure agreement! He went to work on Google’s self-driving cars. When I started working at City Heights, his mom stopped by to share updates on her son. He’s now at San Diego State University, deciding between an internship at SpaceX and another company.
What inspired you to be a library branch manager?
The reason I stayed for 24 years, and eventually became a branch manager, is because of the wonderful people I have worked with and the ability to make a difference in the community.
As a branch manager, I get to make decisions to help the community through programs and outreach opportunities. The team I work with at San Diego Public Library is truly amazing and they really do care about the work they do. I wasn’t necessarily interested in becoming a library branch manager when I first started my library career. I was more passionate about technology and helping others learn.
What aspect of library work do you find most fulfilling and why?
Definitely helping people and building connections with community partners. Library work is very dynamic — it changes daily based on the programs we’re running and the people who walk through our doors.
The impact we have on people’s lives is also very fulfilling. Many people may not realize we’re more than just books. We offer internship opportunities, workforce training/development, homework help, computer classes, and so much more. It’s always great to see our community members, patrons, and even new staff learn about the resources we have at our library.
What accomplishments and impacts are you most proud of with your work in the City Heights community?
The Early Learning Center has been the most significant project I’ve worked on at City Heights most recently. It was a complicated and difficult project, but its impact has been very clear. It’s been wonderful to see so many families visiting our library and sharing how much they enjoy coming because of our programs.
One story that stands out is of a dad who uses our library regularly. It took me a while to get to know him, but I eventually found out he has an autistic child and was going through a custody battle. One day, he told me his story and thanked me for the resources we have at our library. He said it was because of our resources he was able to win his case — he was able to show the judge all the resources that his kid was able to participate in at the library. I’m hoping in the next couple of years, we can offer more programs and activities for older kids because I know that’s also needed.
Can you share a memorable moment from your time working in libraries that reinforces your passion for working in the community?
This one is hard because there are so many moments that it’s hard to pick just one. There was a time when a child shouted, “I love the library!” because she recently came to the United States and saw that we had some graphic novels in her native language.
There are numerous stories from kids and their parents telling us how our library has made a difference for them. Beyond books and kids, we had an elderly patron who was unhoused come to the library and brought us flowers because we had called 911 for him a few days before. Turns out, he was having a medical emergency, and the call saved his life.
What changes have you experienced in City Heights over the years?
I started working in City Heights in 2021 while we were still recovering from the pandemic. Visitor numbers were low at first, but now we’re getting busier every day. One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed is the shifting demographics of our library users. We are seeing more babies thanks to our Early Learning Center, and a more diverse range of ethnic groups influenced by the changing global political climate.
In your opinion, what are the most important challenges facing the community of City Heights today?
City Heights, like many other communities in San Diego, is grappling with the high cost of living. Housing, education, and job opportunities are challenging and becoming more difficult each day. I wish I had a magic book where anyone could read it to have all of their problems disappear. I hope what we’re doing at the library is making people’s lives a bit easier and providing opportunities for everyone to grow and improve their situation.
Do you mind sharing with us a bit about your life outside of your work? What are your other passions, talents, and hobbies that you enjoy?
My husband says that I have five jobs. Besides working at the library, I’m a mom. My child is currently in kindergarten, so that’s my second job. My third job is volunteering for my child’s Girl Scout troop. My fourth job is serving on a board for a nonprofit. My fifth job is volunteering at my child’s school as a site council representative. Besides my “jobs,” I enjoy gardening, baking, and volunteering. Prior to becoming a mom and working at the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library, I helped organize Maker Faires and enjoyed teaching kids coding, 3d printing/modeling, soldering, robotics, and “making.”
Price Philanthropies Foundation recognizes you as a City Heights Hero for all you do for our community, and it is clear you’ve become a hero to those you serve in City Heights. What are your thoughts about this recognition?
I am honored and grateful for this recognition from Price Philanthropies Foundation. It’s both humbling and unexpected, especially when I can think of so many others who are equally deserving. I really appreciate all the support Mr. Price and Price Philanthropies Foundation have given our library over the years. The Price Philanthropies staff have been very supportive of our work, and I know I wouldn’t have received this recognition without their help.