Husband and wife team, Derek and Kristianne Buker, have worked at FCPL for over 15 years and while their library love story didn't start in the stacks, their shared love of books - and pirates - is one for the ages.
We grew up using the library as kids, which grew into a greater appreciation in our adult lives. Derek would visit the library on Saturday mornings to pick out books for the week, and I would use the Bookmobile that stopped in my neighborhood. We both were avid readers and devoured books as we worked our way through our favorite sections; science fiction and fantasy for him and the classics for me.
I began working in libraries when I was 16. Derek started working for libraries while in college. We met in a writing class at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), not at the library as most believe. Derek has been with FCPL since 2002, and now
works in our IT Department where he manages web projects. I joined the library team in 2006 as a Children's Specialist but recently returned to my first love of adult reference. I've had many roles, including circulation clerk, reference specialist, and worked for many years in the children's department at the C. Burr Artz Library before moving upstairs as an Adult Reference Specialist.
The nature of libraries has certainly changed dramatically during our lives. When we first started working in libraries, there was an actual card catalog, and then eventually, microfiche replaced the card catalog, but it was tedious to update. Finally, dial-up internet connections were introduced, and the online catalog was born.
How customers use the library has also changed quite dramatically. There was a time when we had hundreds and hundreds of print sources students used to write their research papers. These resources were updated only once or twice a year. Now customers
can access the same resource, and the research companies can update them instantly.
Libraries have grown from being a warehouse for books into a community center where people can meet and connect, be creative, and stay informed. Library customers can plan to meet with their knitting club at the library and learn about investments or genealogy or build something in our STEM lab.
We are very proud of the work of our team, and we've chosen to give back by donating to the Library's Greatest Need Fund. This fund has supported special projects, like the early literacy play and learning space at the Walkersville Branch Library. In particular, children's literacy is special to us as we've both been children's programmers (Kris for FCPL and Derek for Howard County).
We love the work that we do, and we don't plan to leave anytime soon. In fact, we've been long-time Frederick County residents and recently moved to the northern part of the county, where we've been enjoying the view of the Catoctin Mountains every day.
Books We Love
Krys: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Derek: Fool on the Hill by Matt Ruff
Each quarter, Frederick County Public Libraries features a story from a library lover. The stories, written by our donors, share their personal accounts of what the library means to them. Are you interested in sharing your love story? Contact our FCPL Development Officer at jel-zeftawy@frederickcountymd.gov.