By Giovonny Bland, Marketing and Communications Assistant

Learn about the many facets and faces of FCPL and our community — one story at a time.

In Branch Out’s “Our Library, Our Stories” section, we spotlight one person’s story about life and the library in each issue with the hope that it helps us all get to know and connect with each other just a little bit better. Our latest story comes to us from Katherine Einspahr, information assistant at Burke Centre Library.

Since 2006, Katherine Einspahr has been a valuable member of the FCPL family. For the last 17 years, she has been instrumental in bringing a variety of fun and educational events as well as providing exceptional customer service to library guests. Starting off as a children’s programmer at Richard Byrd Library, Katherine would later transition into her current role at the Burke Centre branch.

Born in Canada, Katherine spent her early years near the city of Stratford, Ontario before her family made their way to western New York when she was six. Experiencing culture shock in her new environment at first, she found solace through reading and music. “Reading provided an escape; I became a regular at the public library,” she says. Enthralled with learning about different cultures and the lives of others, she became keen on expanding her knowledge of the rest of the world.

Katherine earned a degree in education from Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska after attending Concordia College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Prior to making her way to Fairfax, she lived in many places including New Jersey and Virginia Beach. During those years, Katherine held jobs as an elementary school teacher, postal carrier, music teacher and deaconess. She believes it was the skills she gained from those positions that helped prepare her for her job with FCPL.

Calling her work with FCPL “the best job I’ve ever had,” Katherine constantly finds pleasure in being able to help all those who cross her path. As the library “is a good place where you can be accepted,” Katherine has made it her mission to make sure everyone feels welcomed when walking through the doors. When she is not working to enhance the experience of guests at the library, you can find her watching Korean dramas, like “Crash Landing on You.” Additionally, Katherine loves performing music in her church, reading contemporary women’s fiction and spending time with her two daughters and seven grandchildren.