Staff Profile

Meet Ralph Henderson,
Library Associate Senior
at the Southeast
Branch Library.

Q: Where have you worked outside the Jacksonville Public Library, and do you view the library differently now that you work here?
A: My prior employment was with Probation and Parole Services, State of Florida. I view the library differently in that I had no idea the library provided so many electronic resources through the database system. I wish I had known about them when I was working on my masters degree.

Q: Who is your favorite author and why do you think he/she is most interesting?
A: I have always enjoyed Kurt Vonnegut Jr. I believe, as one person once said, he is the Mark Twain of the 20th century.

Q: What are your hobbies or favorite pastime?
A: Reading of course. I also dabble in trail hiking, collecting autographed celebrity pictures, and trap shooting.

Q: What is something most people may not know about you?
A: I soloed in a Cessna 150 at the St. Augustine Airport when I was sixteen years old.

Q: What do you think is the library’s most valuable contribution to the community?
A: The ability to provide resources to the community on a variety of topics and needs. A good example being the economic and employment problems we are having now. Customers can get information on investing during these difficult times, as well as employment information like how to complete resumes and interview for jobs. Customers also have access to computers for obtaining employment. There are very few places in our community where so many resources are provided under one roof.