TCC students to gain library experience in new summer program
Published on June 10, 2026
Joey Terry’s love of books drew him to take classes in Tarrant County College’s Library Technician program, but his love of libraries grew from there.
Terry said what surprised him was how service-oriented library work can be. “It struck a chord with me a lot, feeling like I can do something to help my community,” he said.
Terry is one of three TCC students who will earn practical experience at the Fort Worth Public Library as part of a two-month practicum. Besides learning the ropes of daily library work, each will experience how programming is developed behind the scenes.
Practicums are common for library team members who are pursuing Master’s in Library Science (MLS) degrees. This summer is the first time TCC students – not already working at the Library – can earn practicum credit as part of their associate’s degree program.
For Terry, his time at the Summerglen Branch Library will be a homecoming of sorts, as he used to visit that location years ago as a child. He works at a landscaping company now, and his love of plants might lead him to work in a specialized library someday.
Summerglen manager Uzo Onyemaechi said library work isn’t exactly the same as it used to be, but the institution’s role in the community remains.
“The library is certainly changing,” Onyemaechi said. He noted that in the late 1990s, the rise of the Internet caused librarians to panic. “In the library world, the question was, ‘What are we going to do with all the books we have?’ ” Now, similarly, people wonder what the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence means. “They’re coming to us to help them.”
Getting back on track
Years ago, Wendy Hall’s career goal had been to become a school librarian, but her life took a different path.
Now her deferred dream is taking shape in a slightly different form.
Hall initially wanted to boost her current career in retail, but decided to take an Introduction to Library Science course. “This was something I had wanted to do,” Hall said, and the class reignited a spark. Besides being a career that shares important information, there is a customer service aspect she enjoys.
“I’m committed enough to this path – I just got accepted into the UNT’s College of Information,” she said. “I’m hoping to spend two years to earn my MLS and be full-time in a library.” Specifically, she said she would like to work in a maker-space environment.
Hall will spend her practicum at the Golden Triangle Library. That location’s manager, Nancy Garcia, said she wants Hall to experience as many different aspects of the library as time allows.
Years ago, Tykeia Wright was caring for her father, who suffered from dementia, by keeping a similar routine each day.
“One of the things we would do is go down to the library and look at the same group of DVDs every day,” Wright said. On one particular day, her father became agitated. Not wanting to make a scene in the traditional smalltown library, where a quiet space was demanded, she started packing up for them to leave.
A librarian noticed the commotion and rather than confront them, took them to a quiet space so Wright’s father could calm down. It was an experience that stuck with Wright after she moved from Louisiana to Fort Worth to be closer to family. “I’m just looking for my right place,” she said.
Her practicum will be spent at the Clifford Crossing Branch Library, which is managed by Shawn Goforth.