Most people usually don’t get very excited about going to the library. Whether students are going to study, write papers or even do work study, there’s almost always something they’d rather be doing with their time.

Karen Hooper can’t do much about those tests or papers, but she’s doing her best to make the work study program as enjoyable as possible. Hooper, an Indianola native, is the new circulations supervisor in Dunn Library.

Her duties are split between contacting patrons about overdue billing and working with the students in the work study program. Not surprisingly, she prefers working with students.

“I have a great group of students,” Hooper said. “There is a mutual respect that doesn’t need motivation and provides a strong working relationship.”

Before coming to Simpson, Hooper worked as an administrative assistant for an at-risk high school for five years.

“(I’ve) always worked with students and have always enjoyed it,” Hooper said.

Hooper says one of the main reasons she took the job at Simpson was for the educational opportunities. She currently holds an associates degree from DMACC in the human services and liberal arts but is looking to get a bachelor of arts degree from Simpson.

Hooper is pursuing an education at the same time as her son Ben, a freshman at Iowa State who will be transferring to Simpson next year.

“I’d be surprised if he was willing to help me out too much,” Hooper said. “But it will be nice to have him here.”

Besides the educational benefits, Hooper says she really enjoys her job, and she sees herself “being here long-term.”