Photo courtesy of Holley Wesley.
O'Neal Library Reference Librarian Holley Wesley
O'Neal Library Reference Librarian Holley Wesley
Q: Please tell our readers about yourself.
A: I grew up in Hueytown, Alabama. My father moved there with my mom early in their marriage because he drove race cars and Hueytown — if you know anything about stock car racing — was a bit of a racing epicenter for a while. In fact, I was named after the Holley automotive performance brand and my dad was inducted into the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2011! We moved to Woodstock, Alabama when I entered sixth grade, and I continued to live in that area until I moved to Birmingham in 2018.
Q: You’ve recently completed your 25th year working at The O’Neal Library. Congratulations! What do you do at the library? What do you love most about it?
A: I started at The O’Neal Library as a part-time library page when it was still located at Brookwood Mall while the current building was being constructed. I’ve filled a few roles since then, but I have been the reference librarian since 2005. Reference work has obviously changed as technology has evolved, so my role has shifted from the traditional scouring of encyclopedias for answers to focus more on sharing and teaching technology and digital literacy and information search and evaluation skills. My very favorite part of my job is reader advisory for adults, both in print and digital. I’m an audiobook power listener, so I also do a good bit of listener advisory. My best days are those in which I can help readers and listeners find something that becomes transformative for them. I’ve taken this work out into the community, doing book talks and highlighting library services for area book clubs and social groups. Recently, I’ve also discovered a passion for working with the library’s social media team filming Instagram posts and reels. If it’s silly, I’m on board to play the role!
Q: What experiences have you had to prepare you for being a reference librarian? Where did you attend college and graduate school and what did you major in?
A: I wasn’t a big reader until my early teens when my dad introduced me to the ‘60s/’70s Doc Savage sci-fi novels, which I still collect to this day. After that, my interest in reading of all kinds took off! However, I was always a curious child and loved opportunities to share facts about all my favorite topics. That curiosity continues to serve me very well in my career. I received a B.A. in English from the University of Montevallo in 1999 and got my Master of Library and Information Studies degree from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2007.
Q: What attracted you most to being a librarian and why?
A: I volunteered in my high school library, but only because I liked playing “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” on the computer. I never imagined that a short volunteer gig would turn into my career! I leveraged that small bit of experience into my first real job while in college. People are always surprised to learn I suffered from severe social anxiety as a teen and young adult, so imagine my own surprise when I started working in a public library and it opened my world like a key in a lock! I discovered that I loved helping people, that suggesting books came easily due to my already voracious reading, and that my curiosity, attention to detail and my eye for pattern recognition were all perfect for a career that I honestly stumbled into. Luck was on my side!
Q: If you did not become a librarian, what would you have been and why?
A: My childhood dream was to be a veterinarian. I worked at the Vestavia Library from 1996 to 1999 while I was attending the University of Montevallo but decided to try my hand working at a veterinary clinic after graduation. I was at Riverview Animal Clinic for nearly a year — long enough to learn I wanted back in libraries! I started at The O’Neal Library in November of 2000.
Q: Please tell our readers about your most memorable experience working at The O’Neal Library.
A: Around 10 years ago, I discovered a dinner-plate-sized toad in the mystery section on the second floor. I thought it was fake until it hopped! I admit it, I screamed a little. You are in luck because I did take a picture!
Q: What accomplishments/achievements are you most proud of?
A: Working here has given me so many opportunities for accomplishment! I was proud of the work I did to get my master’s with a 4.0 while working full time and grateful when I was finally able to pay off the small student loans I had. Most recently, I ran for office in the state library association and won my election! I am now serving a three-year term as the Alabama Library Association’s (ALLA) chapter councilor to the American Library Association (ALA). I attend national conferences to vote on issues in national association governance and keep the ALLA leadership up to date on those issues. I just learned I was selected as The O’Neal Library’s 2025 employee of the year. I cried a little bit, but I’m excited!
Q: What are your hopes for yourself over the next five years?
A: On a personal level, I would love to travel more. I’ve only had three stamps in my passport to date, and that’s a shame. I’ve explored the world through books so many times. I need to get out there and explore it with my feet! Professionally, after 25 years, I’m finally right where I love to be. I help people read and listen for pleasure, for education and for connection with others, and I help people better their businesses, their families and their lives through access to information and knowledge. It’s the best of all worlds.
