Jackson Free Press

Jessica Bryant, branch supervisor at the Fannie Lou Hamer Library in the Golden Keys Activity Center, really enjoys working with kids.

Bryant, 28, a native of Jackson, attended Piney Woods County Life School and graduated in 2000. She attended Belhaven University where she studied health-care administration and graduated in 2009. When she couldn't find a job in the health-care field, Bryant found work at the Fannie Lou Hamer Library. She is pursuing her master's degree in library and information science at the University of Southern Mississippi and plans to graduate in 2012.

Between traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends, Bryant runs organized programs for both senior citizens and children.

"With the help of my coworkers, we implement different programs for senior citizens and children... like daycare and preschools, and religious programs for the community," Bryant says. "We provide books to read, computers, and help researchers do research. Basically, that is what we are doing."

Among the many different programs that the library has is an annual summer reading program--this year's theme is "One World, Many Stories." A new development for the program is expanding from just children to include people of all ages. People in the community can participate in daily readings, movie matinees, arts and crafts, safety tips for seniors, and visits from interesting quests, such as the Ringling Brothers. The library branch has 30 to 40 people a day access the many services that they provide.

Along with her job at the library, Bryant is also a senior caregiver for the Home Instead Senior Care organization. She provides a helping hand to people with illnesses and people who are unable to care for themselves.

Through her work with the community, Bryant has found that it is largely comprised of people who have lived there for a long time. She lives by herself in north Jackson.

"My favorite thing about Jackson is, as far as this neighborhood, it is homely and close-knit," Bryant says. "Everybody knows everybody."