Jaena Rae Cabrera - Acting Manager at the West Portal Branch, San Francisco Public Library

Jaena Rae Cabrera is Acting Manager at the West Portal Branch, San Francisco Public Library. Spending a lot of her childhood at the public library inspired a career change from online journalism to library science. She’s worked at San Francisco’s Excelsior Branch producing Fil Am programming centered around food, dance, arts & crafts, as well as immigration information classes and digital skills classes. Jaena also worked with the Filipinx American Library and hosted readings by Filipinx authors and was part of the group who produced the Filipino American International Book Festival. Her favorite books and books Jaena recommends include “America is Not the Heart” by Elaine Castillo, “His Dark Materials” series by Philip Pullman, “The Chronicles of Narnia”, “I Was Their American Dream” by Malaka Gharib and “The Body Papers” by Grace Talusan. While public libraries are still closed due to the pandemic, Jaena hopes to get programming started once they open. Public library work in San Francisco is involved and complex, and for Jaena, “it boils down to empathy and a desire to help.”

Website and Social Media:
Blog: jaenarae.com
Twitter: @jaenarae
FB: facebook.com/jaenarae
IG: jaenarae

How did you create your career path? Were you always interested in Library Science?
I actually started out in journalism. In high school, I was convinced I wanted to be a writer and reporter or editor. I attended SF State to study journalism, with a focus on online journalism. I have always been a little creatively inclined, so I eventually became the art director for SF State’s newspaper, [X]Press. After I graduated, I became a web producer for Renaissance Journalism, then a web producer for Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. I formatted investigative news pieces for the web, as well as created additional online elements for the stories. After a year or so, I started to rethink my career choice. I truly believe that a free press is an integral part of a democracy, but I felt like I could personally be doing more to help people in my community. And that’s where library science came in. The public library was a huge part of my childhood. I’d visit with my dad and check out everything from science books to spooky fiction. I studied there, made friends there, and enjoyed the many resources available to the public. It just hadn’t occurred to me until 2011 that I could actually be a librarian. I promptly enrolled in the library science program at Syracuse University, focusing on public libraries and digital libraries. I knew I wanted to work with the public specifically, especially in under-resourced communities. After I graduated in 2013, it took about three years before I got my foot in the door of the San Francisco Public Library. And I haven’t looked back since. 

What programming have you worked on for the SF Public Library?
I coordinate a huge variety of programming. Part of it depends on the community you’re working for and their needs. When I worked at the Excelsior Branch, which is in a very blue-collar neighborhood, I taught many digital skills classes, as well as fun craft programs to help people unwind. Because I’m Filipina American and Excelsior has a sizable Filipino population, I also did programming around Filipino food, crafts and dance. When SFPL had a partnership with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, I hosted a couple of Filipinx readings there with the Pilipinx American Library.

How do you involve the Fil Am community in your work?
When I was at the Excelsior Branch, I partnered with the Filipino Community Center down the street to host informational classes on immigration. Through the Pilipinx American Library, I’ve developed contacts with a number of Filipinx authors. When I do craft programs, like creating parols for Christmas, I get my supplies from the Bayanihan Community Center downtown.

What goes on behind the scenes to create the Filipino American International Book Festival?
We spend two years planning each Filipino American International Book Festival. Members of SFPL and Philippine American Writers and Artists, Inc. (PAWA) meet once a month to discuss themes, develop logistics, and brainstorm who we’d like to invite to participate.

Do you have any advice for those interested in a career in Library Science?
Spend time in the libraries you’re interested in. If you’re interested in public libraries, shadow a librarian there. Volunteer there. Same goes for special libraries and academic libraries. The most valuable knowledge I gleaned was from other professionals. While in grad school, I volunteered at SFPL and did an internship with the University of San Francisco library. I also joined the Asian Pacific American Library Association to connect with others in the profession who might have similar lived experiences as my own. I participated in their mentorship program, which connected me with a librarian at USF, as well as the director of the Cambridge public libraries in Massachusetts.

Working with the public isn’t for everyone, especially in a dense city like San Francisco. Be prepared to do a lot of things that college courses won’t prepare you for. Some days I feel more like a social worker than a librarian. But for me, it boils down to empathy and a desire to help. 

What are some of your favorite books? Recent books?
“America is Not the Heart” by Elaine Castillo. From my childhood, “His Dark Materials” series by Philip Pullman and “The Chronicles of Narnia.” I also really enjoy anything by Neil Gaiman, particularly his Sandman graphic novels. “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoevsky is also another book that left a very strong impression on me.

What books are you reading now, what do you recommend?
Due to the state of the world right now, I’ve been selecting lighter reads. Short stories or graphic novels are my jam. Things I can read in one sitting because my attention span is pretty short. I’ve been focusing on Filipino literature. I picked up a lot of books during the last Filipino American International Book Festival, and I’m slowly working my way through them. “I Was Their American Dream” by Malaka Gharib is a current favorite, as well as “The Body Papers” by Grace Talusan. I also just finished “Know My Name” by Chanel Miller.

Do you have any upcoming projects you are excited about?
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, libraries have been closed since mid-March, and we’ve had to cancel most of our programming that we planned through the summer. I’m hoping we’ll see a return to the library in August or September, but it will take a while to ramp up programming again.

Photos courtesy of Jaena Rae Cabrera