Quick takes: The goal is thought

Sarah Steiner; photo courtesy of Steiner

Editor’s note: The following Q&A is part of Xpress‘ annual Women’s Issue. 

Sarah Steiner, Western Carolina University’s head of research and instruction services at Hunter Library, shares her thoughts on community, uplifting fellow librarians and the importance of asking questions.

Who is a local woman you admire and why? 

A couple of years ago I met Dawn Neatherly, the executive director of the nonprofit Circles of Jackson County. Through Circles, she works with families in poverty to get them the educational, community and transportation-related things they need. I was very impressed with her work, openness and commitment to the community.

What is one specific way women can help uplift other women within your field? 

I’m a librarian, and librarianship is a female-dominated profession, so there are many of us to uplift! Our goal as librarians is, in part, to stimulate thought and conversation on a wide variety of topics. Often librarians face challenges to the materials we choose or are asked to purchase. Challenges are natural; if questions can be posed kindly and with understanding of the varied perspectives we honor, it goes a long way.

What’s one way men can better support women in WNC? 

We are so diverse — each woman needs unique support. I think the best way to know how to support anyone is to ask. I’ve tried to guess in the past and have not done as well as I had hoped!

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.