Ms. Angina Montgomery

Ms. Montgomery is a resident of Sumter, South Carolina where she resides with her twin daughters and works as a middle school Digital Multimedia teacher. She has been blessed to have employment in a profession that she loves and is truly passionate about. It was at this middle school that she recognized a passion for encouraging students to explore reading more. Angina wants to be a positive influence in the lives of students and impart in them the tools needed to be resourceful, independent thinkers, and knowledgeable individuals who will continue to have a desire to learn. Her career goals are to transition to a school library after she completes her coursework at the University of South Carolina. As a teacher, she has noticed the lack of interest in reading in some of her students and since then it has been her mission to help change that perception. With a position in a library, her goals are to be innovative and offer programs that support and promotes the joy of reading to students. Ms. Montgomery graduated from Manning High School in 2004, graduated from University of South Carolina in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Media Arts, graduated from Saint Leo University in 2016 with a master’s degree in Business Administration and currently pursuing master’s in library science from University of South Carolina.

Her current activities include: 1) Faculty Adviser for Media Club, 2) School Public Affairs Director, 3) Co-Adviser for Young Women of the Future Club, 4) Teacher Morale Committee, 5) Basketball Assistant Coach, 6) Track Team Assistant Coach, and 7) South Carolina Business Education Association Member.

Anu Pria Roy

Ms. Roy is a MLIS candidate at University of South Carolina. She is an International student originally from Bangladesh where she completed her undergrad in computer science. Currently she is working as a Graduate Assistant at School of Information Science in the College of Information and Communications. She is serving as the Vice President of the Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA). Anu is also serving as a Peer Leader at the Leadership and Service Center (LSC) of the University of South Carolina (USC). After obtaining her master’s degree, she plans to enroll in the doctoral program with a concentrating on information and data science. Ms. Roy sees herself in a position where she can contribute to the field through her technical skills and analytical ability. She is very grateful to be the recipient of the Scholarship for Diversity in Librarianship.

Desire’e Thomas

Desire’e is the Electronic Resources Customer Support Specialist for the South Carolina State Library. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Art Studio from the University of South Carolina in 2009. She is currently working towards her master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina. Before joining the State Library, she worked for Richland Library for six years. She is a member of the American Library Association and the South Carolina Library Association. She enjoys Korean and Chinese dramas, Role Playing Video Games, learning German, and reading speculative fiction. Desire’e lives with her family on a cattle farm with a clowder of farm cats and one rambunctious beagle named Dilly. Desire’e is currently taking Collection Development & Acquisitions. She has one more class to take in the Spring before graduating. In her free time, Desire’e is teaching herself, German. Ms. Thomas plans to become a Metadata Librarian.

Mattie Denise Thompson-Long

Ms. Thompson-Long was born in Greer, South Carolina. She is the proud daughter of the Reverend Wendell & First Lady Mrs. Lillie Thompson. She was educated in the Greenville County School System. She attended Woodland Elementary School, Greer Middle School, and later went on to obtain a Diploma from Greer High School in 1988.

As a young woman, she attended USC Upstate where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and then went on to attend Converse College where she earned a master’s degree in Elementary Education in 1996. She taught second and fourth grades in Prince Georges County, Maryland for seven years, and she taught for two years in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. She is currently employed full time by the Greenville County Library System as a Floater since 2010. She has been with the Greenville County Library System in some capacity since 2006. Mattie started her first semester at the Graduate School of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC in August 2018. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Library & Information Science. She is a member of the ALA, SCLA, NAACP, and she is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Although these degrees and accomplishments are important, the most important thing to her is that she has served in the Ministry since March 2011. During her free time, she enjoys volunteering at her church, reading books on Theology, listening to gospel music, and spending time with her family.