Humans of NGU: Joanna Beasley is the hiking librarian
Seth Hilliard, Contributing Writer
Joanna Beasley is known for her love of history. But beyond her workspace, she finds freedom in backpacking.
Observing Beasley’s office for the first time, you will find assorted books and boxes. Taking your previous knowledge of her career and studying your surroundings, you may expect her hobbies to include reading or perhaps puzzles. So, it may surprise you to find that when interviewed, Beasley said her biggest hobby was in fact backpacking.
“I’ve been hiking my whole life,” she said. But she continued and said it has only been within the last four years that she took the step from hiking to backpacking.
Beasley’s typical backpacking expedition lasts overnight. However, her longest trip lasted five days on the 77-mile Foothills Trail in South Carolina.
Beasley didn’t specify a specific trip she loved the best, but she said that overall, she simply loved the act of being out in nature, in a world of peace and calm. She liked driving away into the deep wilderness and just being out in the middle of nowhere.
Many people know Beasley loves history. She got a bachelor’s degree in history at North Greenville University, and a master’s at the University of South Carolina. In 2015 she eventually made her way back to North Greenville University to work in the Hester Memorial Library.
But what people may not know about her, is that beyond her office, she likes the peace and calm of nature.
“It’s a great time to relax,” she said, “to be close with God.”
As you study her office in more detail, you will find state park stickers on her water bottle, and the family and friends hung inside portraits around the room. You will realize that the ‘stereotypical librarian’ is not Beasley. She may be known for her history enthusiasm, but inside she loves the people in her life, the freedom and peace in nature, and ultimately, it all leads back to God.
