Dr. Parrish and Ms. Satterfield are Butler’s librarians. If you haven’t stopped into Butler’s expansive library yet to say hello and maybe even find a new book, put that on your to do list right away! Until then, keep reading to get to know a little bit more about our wonderful librarians in this exclusive Q&A.

Q: What is your favorite book? 

A- Dr. Parrish: Oh no- this is such a tough question. I have different books that have been favorites at different times in my life- always the ones I like the most are the ones that hook me in that you want to stay up all night reading. But I also believe that if you don’t like a book, then switch it out for another book! Reading should be enjoyable, so if something isn’t connecting with you, move on to a different book!

A- Ms. Satterfield: My favorite book…that is so hard to answer because I have lots of favorites depending on my mood or what genre I am currently obsessed with. Right now, I am hooked on sci-fi, and one of my all-time favs in that category is Kindred by Octavia Butler.

Q: Why did you want to become a librarian?

A- Dr. Parrish: When I was in High School, I loved my French classes and I thought I wanted a career in international business of some sort, and planned in college to major in Business and minor in French. When I got to college, I loved my French classes but didn’t like my business classes, so I decided to change my course of study and double major in French and in Education, with an end goal to be a high school French teacher. I started teaching French in JCPS after I graduated college, first at the Brown School, then at Valley, and finally at Butler starting in 2005. I found out about the French teacher opening at Butler from Ms. Currie, who was my very first teacher friend when I started teaching. I taught French at Butler for the next 11 years. I loved teaching French, but decided it was time to learn and do something new and different. I always loved being in libraries and around books, so I went back to school to become certified to be a librarian.

A- Ms. Satterfield: I have always loved libraries but never really thought about working in one. When I moved to Louisville from Atlanta a few years ago, I met Dr. Parrish, and her excitement about being the Butler librarian was so contagious that I applied for and got a job as a teen library assistant at the Louisville Free Public Library. After a few years there, I was lucky to join the library staff at Butler High.

Q: What is the best part of your job?

A- Dr. Parrish: When I left the classroom, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the same teacher-student relationships with my students as a classroom teacher has- I was worried I wouldn’t get to know students since I wouldn’t have them in my classroom each day, and I really enjoy being around students. Now I realize that as a librarian I get to know even more students than I did as a classroom teacher. But the best part of my job is just helping people- students and teachers alike. My colleague Lisa once described our jobs as “customer service,” and this description has stuck with me, as we really do help people all day every day- it may be in finding the right book, and one of my greatest joys is when a student who doesn’t think they love reading finds a book that resonates with them, but also could be with printing a paper, troubleshooting technology problems, helping teachers with copies.

A- Ms. Satterfield: What I love most about working in the Butler Library is helping students find that perfect book that opens up a whole new world for them. If your doctor offered you a magic pill that makes you smarter, more empathetic, and feel better about yourself, a pill that reduces stress and boredom and is proven to help you live longer, wouldn’t you say “Yes, please?!!” Books are that magic pill. 

Q: What book would you recommend for students? 

A- Dr. Parrish: Right now my recommendation for students is “That Can Be Arranged; A Muslim Love Story” by Huda Fahmy. This graphic novel is our current Butler Book Club selection, for our meeting on February 15th. Anyone who is interested in reading the book and joining the Book Club is welcome, come on by the library to sign up!

A- Ms. Satterfield: My recommendations for books to check out from the Butler library are: That Can Be Arranged (graphic novel); All the Light We Cannot See (historical fiction); Punching the Air (realistic fiction); The Devil in the White City (non fiction); Dread Nation (science fiction).