Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Sansom.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As a child, I grew up in extreme poverty, knowing that, for me, there was only one way out of the trailer that my parents, my brother, and I occupied. I always found that I did not fit in very well with my family. They could never understand why I was always holed up in my room with a book or asking to go to the public library. I was the black sheep, the outsider, the one who wasn’t interested in the outdoors or fishing or gardening — all the things one might do in the country. The same held true at school. All I wanted was to curl up in the library with a book that could transport me far away from my real life circumstances.
I realized sometime around middle school that my way out into the world was through education, reading, and my love of learning. I recognized that my talents lied in my thirst for knowledge and the written word. What other way could I escape and see the world than through reading, education, and a college career? I knew that a full-ride scholarship could do these things for me and help me set myself up for a more fulfilling future. I did just that, working hard and studying throughout my high school years, obtaining multiple full-ride scholarship offers.
Books never left my side throughout any of it. From those late nights in high school to the pre-bedtime routines in college, there was always a book by my side. In my entire adult life, I have placed special emphasis and focus on reading, never dipping below reading at least 52 books per year (at least one per week), even in the most busy periods of my life.
After attending college on a full-ride scholarship for my two undergraduate degrees, I decided that I wanted to lead the way for others, inspiring them through higher education. This philosophical drive pushed me to continue on to receive two more graduate degrees while also teaching at the collegiate level, developing a taste for the classroom and the difference I could make being inside of the classroom. I am now, after ten years in the classroom, an Assistant Professor of General Education, teaching courses from Critical Thinking to College Composition to Literature to College Management Skills as well as holding the title of General Education Department Chair.
I could go on forever about how much reading helped me accept my identity as a child, but it does the same for me as an adult. Reading made me whole. I no longer abhor who I was as child – the “weirdo” who spent her lunch breaks reading in the high school library; rather, I love who I was and who I turned out to be. My differences led me to literature, and I would not be who I am without it. My intellect stemmed from a love of reading, and reading gave me abilities I never could have imagined, and what was seen as a weakness as a child turned into my greatest strength. This is why I spend the extra time I have making Friends of the Knox County Library a priority in my life. Spreading that love of accessible reading and knowledge is the most important thing to me, as I hope to inspire others with books as it happened for me as a child. Those books would never have been placed in my hands if not for the public library system and organizations like Friends.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Struggles along the way were absolutely anticipated. Roadblocks will be in the way often. Every late night of studying or meltdown after a grade I was not happy with fueled me rather than cut me down. Every mistake was an opportunity to grow and keep reaching for the stars to take advantage of every opportunity afforded to me to the greatest degree. The experiences that I had shaped my ability to give back as an adult with a full perspective on underserved and impoverished communities, using this knowledge to fuel my work, especially the work I do with Friends of the Knox County Public Library.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Friends of the Knox County Public Library has fostered a love of libraries, books, and reading in Knox County since 1970. Since 1970, Friends, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has donated over $1M to the Knox County Public Library system. We are a group of library lovers who value the need for an excellent, free public library available to all, advocating and raising support for the 19 locations in our library system. We also share our love of books and reading through accessible outreach initiatives and collaborations with dozens of community organizations.
This mission is why you can clearly see that my life story marries in harmony with the mission and goals forwarded by Friends. Therefore, when I got involved with Friends back in 2023, it was my goal to do as much good in my local community as I could. Over the last two years, I have become not only the President-Elect for the 2026-2027 year, but also the Author Events Committee Co-Chair as well as the Outreach Committee Chair. These positions allow me to have regular touchpoints with our local community, sure to spread that love of reading through accessible events that provide learning, instruction, and oftentimes free books!
I am most proud of being able to be a support person in the lives of people in my community as well as students, my students, who were just like me. I had people supporting my journey in college and reading along the way, so I can only hope to give that back to my own community.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was always buried in a book! I was quiet, shy, and seemingly introverted — the tiny girl with glasses always huddled in the library with a book. I had few friends and felt very much on the outskirts of what was popular. Books and the characters within provided a space where I could just be myself.
When I realized my love for the classroom during my college years, I was able to break out of my shy shell, realizing that I was truly extroverted in the right space. I took that development into advocating for others and bringing reading joy to the classroom and Knox County.
Pricing:
- Any book sales held by Friends of the Knox County Library features books for $3 and under, making reading and the gift of reading very accessible on purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.knoxfriends.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friendsofthelibrary/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KnoxFOL/
