Revathi Vaidyanathan
Revathi Vaidyanathan is an Outreach Librarian with the City of McKinney in McKinney, Texas, specializing in community engagement, strategic partnerships, and the design and delivery of impactful outreach programs. She is committed to expanding access to library services beyond traditional spaces by meeting residents where they are and strengthening connections across schools, city departments, and community organizations. Her work is grounded in building trust, increasing accessibility, and ensuring that library resources are responsive to the evolving needs of a diverse and growing community.
Her career journey began with a strong academic foundation in science and education, holding a master’s degree in microbiology. After relocating from California to Texas to support her son’s college journey, she settled in McKinney, where she initially turned to the public library to learn about her new community. That visit became a turning point when she was invited to volunteer, leading to a progressive career in libraries. She advanced from volunteer work to a part-time library assistant role, then into programming for youth and adult services. Recognizing the need for specialized professional training, she completed a Master of Library and Information Science at the University of North Texas in 2021. With nearly a decade of experience in the library field, including three years focused on outreach and community engagement, she is especially passionate about building relationships that extend beyond library walls and into everyday community life.
In her current role, she works closely with all five school districts served by McKinney, participating in parent nights, open houses, STEAM events, and curriculum-support initiatives to enhance educational access. She is deeply engaged in bilingual programming, including bilingual storytimes and literacy support for ESL learners, and actively promotes digital learning tools such as Duolingo to support language development. Her outreach efforts also extend to partnerships with local hospitals, major employers, and underserved communities, including East McKinney residents who face geographic and socioeconomic barriers to accessing library services. Among her key accomplishments, she led the development of “Love McKinney,” a citywide open house that brings together municipal departments to help residents better understand local services. She also serves as a committee member with the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services under the American Library Association Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services, contributing to national conversations on outreach best practices. Through her work, she continues to champion equitable access, collaboration, and community-centered library service.
• Technical Writing
• University of North Texas - MLIS, Children and Youth Library Services
• Vijaya College, Bangalore University - BEd
• St. Joseph's College, Banaglore University - Master's Honors Program and Plant Tissue Culture
• BMS College for Women, Bangalore University - B.Sc, Microbiology
• Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) - Committee Member
• American Library Association
• HealthLINE
• KOHA USA
• National Network of Libraries of Medicine, South Central Region
• Local Temple Volunteer
• Mckinney Public Library System
What do you attribute your success to?
I got inspired when I had to make a move from California to Texas because my son chose a college here. I didn't know anybody in Texas, so I turned to my go-to place, the public library, to figure out what the town was about and get all the information. I met a gentleman there who asked if I'd be interested in volunteering, and that led me to the public library. I started as a volunteer, got to know what my hometown McKinney Library does, and after volunteering for about a year, I applied for a part-time library assistant position. From there, I became a programmer doing youth and adult programs. I realized that if I wanted to move into a role as a librarian, I needed a master's degree in information sciences or library sciences, even though I already had a master's in microbiology, so I ended up getting my master's in 2021. Ever since then, I've been a librarian, but I chose to be an outreach and community engagement librarian because relationships really matter to me. That was the only way I could connect with the community - not just programming inside the building, but being outside and meeting people where they are. Those relationships which I had built over the years became more meaningful when I took up this role, and I continue to do that. My key responsibilities now include working with 5 school districts that McKinney feeds, attending parent nights and open houses to talk about our resources, helping with STEAM nights, and filling curriculum gaps. McKinney is divided into east and west sides of town, and the east side residents predominantly don't get to the library because there's a highway between the library and the town, so they don't want to cross. They're economically on the weaker section, so I go there and do programs with them - a lot of bilingual programs, bilingual story times, and promoting literacy materials, especially ESL and Duolingo. I also do public outreach, partnering with local hospitals and major industries in town. About two years ago, a couple of city department folks and I were brainstorming how to put up an outreach event. We came together, and I led the team doing a city open house that we called Love McKinney. I brought together several departments who work behind the scenes - none of the public would know what an IT department or human resources does behind the walls. We showcased what we were doing, and we wanted to welcome new residents into the city to understand what our resources are. For me, that accomplishment of bringing the entire city departments together in one event was one of my major accomplishments. The second one would be building extensive relationships with the school district. I also hold a position in the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services, which is part of the American Library Association. I'm a committee member putting together conference schedules and things like that. I'm involved nationally to see how other states and county libraries are working toward making this outreach effort better. Because of my background in science and education, when I started at the library, I created programs which incorporated all of these aspects. I found a big gap in the adult group and what our city had as programs, so I created a program called Meditative Mandalas where people would do meditation and sit and draw and create mandalas. That was a Friday program. I also did a lot of technology help because we found a big gap in that. For me, connecting and finding those gaps and helping our residents was one of the things that drove me. That's how I started programming, and then I ended up doing a lot of cultural story times because there was a huge gap in it, so I started a lot of cultural story times and cultural programs at the library.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I got was from one of my mentors who keeps telling me to just keep building on those relationships and keep moving forward. They tell me that if I keep moving forward and build those relationships, it'll take me to new heights. That's the career advice I've received, and I keep doing that, hoping one day I will reach those heights that I want to.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, relationships really matter - that's why I chose to be an outreach and community engagement librarian, because I wanted to connect with the community and meet people where they are. The relationships I've built over the years have become more meaningful in my current role, and I continue to prioritize that. My background in science and education is important to me, and I've incorporated those aspects into the programs I create at the library. I'm passionate about finding gaps in what our community needs and filling them, whether that's technology help, cultural programming, or bilingual story times. Outside of work, I stay grounded through my art - I paint and do traditional Indian art, which keeps me centered. I also volunteer at my local temple when time permits, and I love cooking and experimenting with different recipes from around the world. These cultural connections and creative pursuits are what keep me balanced.