When Rivka was a high school senior at JCFS Chicago’s Knapp School & Yeshiva, she worked with a JCFS employment specialist to plan for her future. Based on her interests and volunteer experience at the time, she applied for part-time positions at a craft store and an animal shelter, but neither job panned out.

So, her employment specialist from the Duman Opportunity Center, Luis Martinez, helped her build a strong foundation for future employment: they conducted a series of career assessments, worked on her resume, discussed ways to market herself, and practiced interview skills. Doing these exercises boosted Rivka’s confidence and got her thinking about the possibility of working at a library.

Luis believed the library would be an ideal place for Rivka to thrive, with its steady pace and accessible setting. He helped arrange an internship position at the Skokie Public Library and accompanied her to the interview shortly after her high school graduation.

Rivka secured the position—and thrive she did.

“I would check in every now and then, but she excelled in that role,” Luis said. “I just let her do her thing, watched her shine.”

Rivka enrolled in online college courses to study nutrition and dietetics, all while working at the library.

“I solely viewed it as a part-time, temporary job,” Rivka admitted. “I never intended to get into the library field.” 

The library was accommodating when Rivka needed time off for major surgery several months into her internship. She returned as soon as she was able, and shortly after her internship ended she was hired to a permanent position as a Materials Page. She worked her way up to become a Materials Handler and endured a second major surgery, but that did not deter her from accomplishing her goals.

“As I was working at the library, I recognized how excited I was to go to work, and I realized that this is something I want to do forever,” she said.

Rivka changed her course of study to English, graduated from college, and enrolled in library school.

“I’m almost finished already with my master’s degree,” she said. “I have one more semester after this and then I’ll be a librarian.”

Luis recently reconnected with Rivka after he spoke at the library’s “Getting to Know Your Community” staff day, which Rivka attended. When Luis learned she was on track to become a librarian, he was not surprised.

“She had real motivation,” he said. “I just knew that she had the personality to make it happen.”

Rivka looks forward to continuing her career at the Skokie Public Library.

“The ethics behind being a resource for the community and making a direct difference is something that really appealed to me,” she said. “I also just love literature in general, and to be in an environment in a place that I love—it’s very calming, it’s very fulfilling, it’s wonderful.