University of Alabama graduate Kianna Young received her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Communication Studies. Young was offered a job with the Boston Public Schools  as a library paraprofessional. The offer was rescinded due to the Business Process Services (BPS) 2020-2021 school year being unknown due to the worldwide virus Covid-19. 

Young’s job as a library paraprofessional is to perform the day-to-day functions of a library. She would assist the librarian(s) in the acquisition and preparation of new materials, and other aspects of running a library.

 The difference between a librarian and a library paraprofessional is that the paraprofessional will do the practical tasks involved in the library daily. While librarians generally perform the managerial and administrative function which usually requires you to have a master’s degree. 

Since the pandemic, Young has had various interviews over the past couple of months, she has run into positions that could potentially start in the fall or require remote on-boarding, which would be a challenge for her because she has a two-year-old son. 

While quarantined, Young  has been staying busy by spending time with her son and family. She and her son have been going on walks around the neighborhood and to the park to stay in shape and give him something to do. She has also been playing “teacher” at home by teaching him his letters and numbers. They have been expanding his vocabulary tremendously, giving him a head start for the upcoming school year.

Young has been keeping in contact with a job recruiter and perfecting her resume. She plans to be prepared to her best ability for when it is safe for her to start her career. Boston has 105,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which makes it hard for her to stay positive about the 2020-2021 school year.

“With the number of cases rising daily I have to remind myself to stay calm and positive for the future,” Young said.

At this time Boston’s mayor Marty Walsh has not spoken on if the schools will open back up in the fall. Young has been discouraged about the potential school year because she doesn’t think her job at home will have an impact on students in the district as much as it will in the schools.

“I am learning new ways to learn how to start my job from home and still make it beneficial to all, I’m sad that I won’t be able to have a face to face experience to start off my career” Young said. When the pandemic first happened and caused schools to cancel the remainder of the school year many librarians and assistants were left without work.

In the future, Young plans on returning back to school to receive her master’s degree. Her future plans are to become a journalist and hopes to write and publish a book. She loves to write and talk and hopes to use her communication skills in the Journalism field.