Pete Villaseñor: Melrose's Loss, Main's Gain

by Maryann Miller Novak

Ever since he was a kid, Pete Villaseñor has loved going to the library. He also loves art and has become an accomplished printmaker, exhibiting at the Women's Cancer Resource Center in Berkeley and at the Mission Cultural Center in San Francisco. In fact, it was probably his natural love for learning and for helping other people learn that made him so popular for nearly eight years at the Melrose Branch Library on Foothill Boulevard, inspiring children and adults alike. At age 22 Pete landed his first job as a library aide in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Now he begins a brand-new adventure as librarian in the Teen Section of the Main Library in downtown Oakland.

"At a public library, everyone and anyone is welcome, regardless of their cultural background or age. No one is turned away, ever. It's one of the few truly democratic institutions in our country," Pete comments.

After relocating to the Bay Area with his partner, Pete began working at the Melrose Branch and eventually earned his degree in Library Science from San José State University.

"My love for libraries totally increased with my experience at Melrose." Pete recounts the special privilege he felt working with the diverse families of the Melrose community and watching their children grow up.

"I loved all the families at Melrose and the neighborhood. It was like my second home," he says.

Adelle Foley, a local poet and "Friends of Melrose" supporter, says that the Melrose Branch was all the richer for having had Pete Villaseñor on staff. "He organized many teen projects, put up displays, worked with the community, and provided the glue that kept the Melrose Branch ship afloat for several years."

"All the love there, it was great for my heart," Pete says.

Many of the families that used the library were recent immigrants from Mexico who were thrilled to have someone speak Spanish with them, allowing Pete to hone his underutilized conversational Spanish skills.

Just two weeks into his new job at the Main Library, Pete's already bringing some of the successful programs he created at the branch to the Teen Section downtown. After polling a group of girls at one of the library tables, Pete learns that his idea of bringing Instant Messaging to teens so that they can locate library resources from their computer before coming in to the branch meets with smiles and rave reviews.

Also a talented artist specializing in printmaking, Pete recalls the amazing sense of community and visual interest that he gains from attending Burning Man in the Nevada desert. While at Black Rock City, Pete handed out 50 copies of his intaglio print that was inspired by Burning Man, sometimes receiving the work of another artist in return. But that was never really the point, because giving to others is a big theme at Burning Man, Pete explains.

Pete Villaseñor's talent, dedication, and sincere interest in the welfare of others have been a huge gift to the Melrose Branch, and it's certain that he will continue to shape young lives at the Main Library. If we're lucky, he'll continue to provide the Oakland Public Library system with his collage of talents for many years to come.