Collections manager and trivia buff takes interim leadership of ELPL

Professional librarians must bring a wide range of skills to their jobs. However, Chrissie Evaskis-Garrett, the new interim director of the East Lansing Public Library, brings a whole new dimension to her job, with a vocation and an avocation that are a perfect match.

In addition to holding a master of science in information from the University of Michigan, Evaskis-Garrett is a trivia expert and even competed on the television game show “Jeopardy!”

She had just returned from SporcleCon, a three-day trivia convention held this year in Chicago, when she spoke with City Pulse.

Previously the East Lansing Public Library’s collections team leader, she replaces former Director Kevin King, who left after 16 months for a position at Midwest Tape/Hoopla.

She called the library “small but mighty.” It has a $3.1 million budget, an eclectic collection of nearly 80,000 books and 5,500 DVDs and Blu-rays, a “library of things” that can be checked out and a maker studio that allows for 3D printing. The staff of 29 includes five professional librarians.

Evaskis-Garrett said that libraries have evolved dramatically over the years, becoming “third spaces” where guests are “allowed to just be and anyone is welcome.’’

“Libraries have become community centers where patrons can go for tutoring, community resources and free entertainment,” she explained.

For the head of collections, she emphasized that selecting books for the library is the hardest part of the job.

“We follow trends, and we keep tabs on ever-changing demographics,” she said.

As an example of reading demographics in East Lansing, she said, “Mysteries are very popular, versus Westerns, which are not.”

She has always approached collections duties with the maxim, “Do you like the things on the shelves? If you do, thank you, and if you don’t, thank you.”

“Space is finite, so you have to make decisions about what to keep and what to dispose of,” she said. For example, she pointed out that “The Great Gatsby” is still shelved despite low circulation because it’s considered a classic.

“I think book selection is the most fulfilling aspect of libraries. There’s something magical about getting patrons the book they want and need,” she said.

She personally reads both fiction and non-fiction but leans toward fantasy and science fiction.

“My favorite book is Stephen King’s ‘The Tommyknockers,’” she said.

She also appreciates when genres are blended, like the popular “romantasy” fiction, a mix of romance and fantasy that includes adventures and magical experiences.

But “blended books can be a bit of a nightmare in shelving,” she said.

She can trace her love of trivia to her childhood, when she would play along with “Jeopardy!” episodes with her mom and dad. Additionally, her mother would take her to visit the many museums and libraries in and around Nashville, Tennessee, where she grew up.

Since competing on “Jeopardy!” in 2017, she said she’s gradually withdrawn from watching the show.

“For me, it’s like, ‘I did it — now what?’” she said. “I say I’m semi-retired from trivia.”

However, she noted that “the Lansing area has a large number of former ‘Jeopardy!’ contestants, and we keep an eye on each other since it’s a unique and shared experience.”

She said she’s not actively seeking permanent directorship, but I got the impression that she wouldn’t say no if offered the position. For now, she’s dedicated to providing continuity at the library and answering those hard-to-answer questions when working at the information desk.