Meet Our Staff: Hespeler

Hespeler is a close-knit community that loves to come together and celebrate. We (Niketa and Shaun) are inspired by this sense of community in the programming we do for our Hespeler location, creating a place where everyone is welcome and engaged.

What current project of yours are you most excited about?

Niketa: I am most excited about hosting Baby Connections this Fall. This is one of my favourite programs! I love learning the babies’ names and watching them grow as they continue to visit us. It is an engaging, interactive environment for caregivers and babies, where we can foster the development of early-literacy and lasting friendships. Baby Connections is in partnership with Strong Start whose mission is to help kids learn to read.

Shaun: It’s the 100th anniversary of the Hespeler Carnegie Library Building this year. We have a number of events coming up that celebrate our role in this community, and let me tell you, Hespeler loves its library. I also love my Board Game Café, which has been meeting once a month for a number of years now. It’s become a safe space for the local neurodivergent and 2SLGTBQ+ communities and a great place for light-hearted socialization. It’s been fun to watch friendships grow and flourish over the years.

What are your hidden talents or hobbies?

Niketa: I am a bit of a foodie. I like to try new foods now and then, but I can never resist a good burger! I always try to tie my interests back to my programming by creating food-themed crafts. I’ve made colourful slices of watermelons, construction paper pizzas, and spaghetti on a paper plate! As a programmer in Youth Services, you never stop creating.

Shaun: I love to read (obviously!) and cook. I’m also a huge fan of the arts - live theatre in particular. I support local theatre companies and other art endeavours as often as I can, and not only as an audience member. Over the years, I have acted on stage with many of the local companies.

What is your favourite book to re-read or movie to re-watch?

Niketa: I have a lot of favourite books! The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and Jane Eyre to name a few. Some picture books that I like to re-read are: The Watermelon Seed and Warning: Do Not Open This Book. These books have an interactive quality that lets me connect with my audience. I can re-watch any movie with Jackie Chan, U.S. Marshals, and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

Shaun: This is tough because I rarely re-read or re-watch anything. There are just too many good works out there to revisit things I’ve already experienced. That being said, I love Neil Gaiman, and often re-read his short stories or re-listen to his audiobooks (which are read by him) on road trips. He has such a charming, sincere voice for someone who writes such spine-chilling material. If I’m having a bad day I will rewatch the same old silent comedies. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton never fail to make me laugh.