Michelle Hoskins: Dedicated & Witty Library Staff Member, Community Supporter

This month, the Altadena Library District looks to honor and celebrate the work, accomplishments, and lives of just a few of the African Americans, both past and present, who are making or have made a significant impact on or contribution to Altadena and the local community.­­

Michelle Hoskins has served library patrons and the community of Altadena for 42 years. To put it another way, she has supported the community for close to 75,000 hours. 

Her favorite part of working at the library…the patrons.

“I like the connections and how close we are. We ask how their families are doing,” she says. She’s also received a lot of good advice from the community over the years (though she didn’t follow all of it).

Michelle spent most of her childhood in Altadena, and in 1979 her sister’s friend mentioned that the library was looking for a page. Michelle filled out the application (not online) and got the part-time job.

Her dependability and work ethic helped her move up to full-time clerk and various library tech positions in the 1980s and 90s. In 2003, she was promoted to circulation supervisor, responsible for training, supervising and scheduling desk staff. 

She transferred in 2008 to the Bob Lucas Memorial Library, where she oversees daily library functions and customer service. Her people skills, positive nature and dedication to the community can be seen in every facet of the branch’s smooth operations.

In recent years, she also took on programming responsibilities (planning events and activities for the library). Last fall, she facilitated a highly popular adult crafts program that brings together neighbors to connect and learn from each other.

Though library operations have changed over the years – remember card catalogs, microfilm, and typed overdue notices? – Michelle’s humor, smile and spirit have not.

“Michelle has an outstanding reputation for warmth, wit and kindness among her colleagues and the community,” says Diana Wong, Bob Lucas Memorial Library branch manager. “Her dedication and patience are amazing and have definitely paid off. Patrons often return to tell her that they secured employment or found an affordable place to live with her help.

“Thank you, Michelle, for your tireless efforts for the library and community. We wish you a beautiful retirement.”

Michelle will be greatly missed by the entire District after she retires Friday, February 25, 2022. 

But she says she will continue to be a regular at the Altadena Libraries… this time as a patron. 

“I like the connections and how close we are.” — Michelle Hoskins

Top photo: Michelle Hoskins (right) with Director Nikki Winslow; Michelle Hoskins in the 1980s; Michelle planting a garden at Main Library in November 2021; Michelle with Innovations Librarian Aaron Kimbrell at Bob Lucas Memorial Library; Michelle (front right) with coworkers (left to right) Modesta Nava, Vicky Escobar and Nikki Winslow in the Main Library.