Employee celebrates 40 years with O’Neal Library

Very few people work for decades with the same employer in today’s mobile society.

However, Nancy Sexton — supervisor of the Technical Services Department at O’Neal Library — has defied that trend.

Sexton is celebrating 40 years on the job, according to an ONL news release.

She began her career at ONL in September 1981 as supervisor of the Circulation Department.

After taking a cataloging course at UAB, Sexton assumed her current position.

She later earned with a master’s degree in Library and Information science from the University of Alabama.

Sexton also has advice for anyone considering a library career.

“Be flexible and bring your sense of humor,” she said.

The Technical Services Department is essential to the library’s smooth operation, according to the release.

Sexton’s team orders, receives and processes over 15,000 items annually.

They make sure all items are added to the appropriate category of the collection with as much detail as possible so patrons can easily search the titles.

The team also makes sure each item has the right loan period and fine rate.

Sexton and her staff “are the cornerstone to having a well-organized collection, and Nancy deserves all the credit,” ONL Director Lindsy Gardner said.

Sexton said she has fond memories of spending time with her staff, hanging out with other ONL employees on staff development days and taking work trips with co-workers.

In addition, Sexton will never forget the day she walked four miles in the snow to get home from work.

She ruined a new coat after falling so many times along the way, she said.

Sexton has also served as secretary of the Jefferson Library Cooperative and head of the JCLC Technical Services Roundtable.