'I Am the ROI': Shannon Putney

This profile is part of the "I Am the ROI" series featuring alumni whose return on investment from their UNO education goes far beyond career opportunities.

When Shannon Putney applied to be a library-paraprofessional at the school her children attended, she never imagined where it would lead her, or that it would make her the first Black library director in the metro area.

At the time, the mom of two was only looking for a job that would allow her to align her schedule with her children’s so she could be home with them at night. Within a few weeks, she was hooked. She said she fell in love with the library because of the fast-paced environment and found herself fascinated by the never-ending tasks she was dealt.

“We do so much more than just putting books on shelves and checking them out, and I truly love what we do,” said Putney.

Putney was seeking a program in library sciences, Putney was led to the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). She knew her educational track needed to be flexible to work with her busy schedule, and UNO offered just that through hybrid learning.

“I was truly blessed to be in such an awesome program, with such awesome professors,” said Putney. “I was hooked from the first day that I met Dr. Becky Pasco. You could tell by the way that she worked with her students how much she loves this career field.”

Putney was quickly enthralled by her learning, and found a new community of support in her professors and peers. Despite feeling some anxiety around returning to education, Putney said that being an adult learner, she never felt out of place in her classes at UNO. While she was a hybrid student, she found that her courses still incorporated important networking that allowed her to expand her connections and meet others in her field.

“I still got to meet classmates, and I’ve kept so many of those relationships to this day,” said Putney. “It didn’t matter that we had 20 to 30 years difference between us. It was just the fact that we were all learning.”

In 2015, Putney graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in Library Science and a minor in Sociology. Even after graduating, UNO had a big impact on Putney, who remained in consistent contact with several of her professors, including Erica Rose who would later become her mentor.

“I loved my program so much, and I still quote my professors to this day,” said Putney. “I give them credit for so many things that I’ve learned."

It was this support that gave Putney the confidence to chase her dreams. In April of 2022, she became the first Black library director in the metro-area at Carter Lake Public Library. She immediately committed to making the library an inclusive space for everyone in the community. Having been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as an adult, Putney knew the importance of becoming a resource for library guests.

Motivated by a vision cultivated during an academic assignment at UNO, Putney was determined to incorporate a sensory wall into her library. She wanted to make sure there was something for everyone who visited her library, and knew that the sensory wall could help readers who may otherwise struggle to focus without the aspect of physical sensory.

“It was such a big part of our program to make sure that everyone was inclusive in your programing and inside of your library,” said Putney.

Although she’s already made monumental strides as director, Putney has no plan of slowing down anytime soon. She wants to continue to implement her education from UNO to ensure that her community has intellectual freedom and access to resources.

“Being at UNO were literally some of the best years of my life,” said Putney.