SWLF's New Assistant to the Director

by Ryenne Cordeiro

With a passion for literature and a deep-rooted love for libraries, Amanda Bressler has taken on the role of Assistant to the Director of SWLF here at Oregon State University with undeniable excitement. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Amanda's journey to her current position at OSU has been one of hard work, dedication, and a genuine commitment to fostering a love of reading and learning in others.

Amanda's academic journey began at the University of Utah, where she pursued her undergraduate degree in English. “I just always loved reading and writing, and so I think I always kind of knew that that was something I wanted to do,” she explained. After volunteering for a public library and working in a medical library for a year, she realized she wanted to be a librarian. Driven by her love for books and her desire to share that love with others, she made the decision to further her education and pursue a degree in Library Information Science and a Masters in Children's Literature at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts. Amanda's time in Boston would prove to be a defining period in her life.

While in Boston, Amanda took on a few different jobs. Her favorite job, though, was when she worked for the Boston Public Library as a youth outreach librarian. “It was my job to take library services and materials outside of the library buildings and out into the community,” she said. She traveled all over Boston, serving kids, teens, and their families. Amanda also worked with underserved communities, paying monthly visits to juvenile detention centers to talk to incarcerated teens, and starting a partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital so she could take library resources to chronically ill and hospitalized children. Her passion for connecting people with literature and fostering a love for reading in young minds shone through in all her endeavors. Obviously, Amanda’s time in Boston played an important role in her life. It was there that she not only honed her skills as a librarian, but also met her future husband.

Photo courtesy of Amanda Bressler

"I love being around writers and creators and learning more about them and their work.”

Photo courtesy of Amanda Bressler

After completing her studies and embarking on an impressive library career in Boston, a new opportunity presented itself to Amanda. Her husband's job brought the pair and their two kids to Corvallis. “I had never actually been to Oregon, never set foot in Oregon, until we came here for his interview,” she joked. Luckily, Oregon felt right for her. For a short time, Amanda worked as the assistant director at Albany Public Library. But, wanting to be closer to her family, Amanda found herself seeking new opportunities in Corvallis to continue her career.

Fortunately, the position of Assistant to the Director at Oregon State University opened up. Amanda found it to be a perfect fit. “It felt like I would be coming home,” she said with a warm smile. With her experience as a librarian, she noticed a wonderful overlap in what’s important to the department in terms of having quality literature, freedom of expression, and freedom of information. She saw this role as an opportunity to combine all the skills and experiences she had acquired throughout her library career and other jobs, and she eagerly embraced the challenges and responsibilities it entailed. When asked what she is most excited for in her new role, Amanda responded, “Helping with bringing in authors and doing the programming… I love being around writers and creators and learning more about them and their work.”

When she is not busy in the office coordinating events and making strategic plans to help the school, you can find Amanda on a hike with her family exploring the natural beauty of Oregon, or sitting at her piano playing a beautiful melody. Amanda carries herself with a genuinely warm and approachable demeanor, and her obvious passion for literature and the arts is contagious to those around her.

Amanda Bressler's journey from Salt Lake City to Boston and now to Corvallis for her current position has been one of unwavering dedication to her enthusiasm for literature and libraries. “The newness of it and feeling like I’m learning and growing again is super exciting,” she said. Her obvious commitment to her position makes her a valuable asset to the SWLF team.

Ryenne Cordeiro is a second-year student studying Creative Writing with a marketing minor at Oregon State University. She enjoys writing fiction and creative nonfiction, and hopes to be a screenwriter in the future. She is also drawn to the publishing world. Her favorite authors include Madeline Miller and Khaled Hosseini.