Northern California’s Humboldt County boasts some of the most beautiful hiking trails on Earth, with majestic views of the Pacific Ocean and towering redwoods. For Josie Vasquez, librarian, Media Technician, and avid hiker, it’s the open air and rocky coastline of Humboldt, where she lived for nine years, that revives her spirit.
But while Vasquez loves adventuring outdoors, her greatest passion is indoors, deep within the pages of books. Now, she’s channeling that love of literature into her work in BOHS’s library.
The library at Brea Olinda High School is frequented by students looking to study, read, and utilize the space’s technology and text resources, but more than the benefitting from a range of materials, BOHS’s student body benefits from the support and experience of Vasquez.
After obtaining her bachelor’s degrees in English and film from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State University), and then a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Denver, Vasquez has returned home to Southern California — she was born and raised in Los Angeles — to manage BOHS’s library, among other duties.
The start of the school year is always a bit hectic, especially for a high school librarian. Already, Vasquez has participated in the registration of 1659 students; coordinated textbook and novel distribution with academic departments; and organized textbook shipments.
“So far, it’s a lot of running back and forth between the library and the textbook room,” Vasquez said of the first few weeks of school.
Beyond these day-to-day duties, Vasquez is updating the library’s literature selection with a full makeover for the dated fiction section. There have been few additions to the collection since 2019.
“There are so many incredible young adult books that came out in the last five years that I want students to be exposed to,” Vasquez said.
Referencing the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)’s “Best Fiction for Young Adult” list, and BOHS student recommendations, Vasquez has compiled a list of new titles that she hopes to acquire for the library via community donations.
“I think nowadays it’s kind of difficult for students to get excited about reading,” Hillary Herrington, assistant principal, said. Herrington acknowledged that an updated novel selection “will get students to read more, or get into reading if they haven’t already.”
Joey Davis, principal, said that Vasquez’s project is what BOHS needs to increase student literacy. “By having the right books in our library, we can definitely get students checking out more,” Davis said.
As the library’s media technician, Vasquez also aims to connect literature with technology at BOHS. She acknowledged that there is a “changing environment” for reading, with youth recreational reading rates on the decline in the past 10 years. Vasquez hopes to combat this by making the library more accessible by partnering with a public library to provide e-books or audiobooks to BOHS students.
Another goal for Vasquez is to create a more appealing study space for students. Currently, the library offers the basics — bookshelves, texts and magazines, tables, Chromebook carts — but little else, including personality. Vasquez envisions the space to be an inviting information hub for students, where research for any class, extracurricular, or personal project can be conducted using the library’s resources in a cozier and more comfortable setting.
Outside of her spacious, book-filled office, Vasquez enjoys photography, journalism, and hikes with her dog. With her recent return to SoCal, she has prioritized spending time with family and catching up with old friends.
“I was away from them for a long time,” Vasquez said. “It’s all about reconnecting right now.”
While she does exude a calm and methodical presence — common stereotypes of the “quiet” librarian — Vasquez is tackling her many projects and vision for the library with the same energy and action as her hikes through the rugged hills of Humboldt.
