Kristen Mastel will be joining Andersen Horticultural Library at the Arboretum as the lead Librarian on May 10, following Kathy Allen, who has served as Librarian since 2009.
For the past 14 years Mastel has been the Outreach and Instruction Librarian at Magrath Library at the University of Minnesota, serving as liaison to Extension; Agricultural Education, Communication and Marketing; Institute on the Environment; and the College of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Kristen’s love of gardens and the natural environment began while growing up helping in her mother’s and grandmother’s gardens. She was an interpretive guide for the Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden at Como Park for more than 20 years, which also was the subject of her Master of Liberal Studies thesis.
She is a certified Forest Therapy Guide and has an herbalism certificate. Her Master of Library Science degree is from Indiana University, and her undergraduate degree is from the University of Minnesota-Morris in Speech Communication.
“I look forward to highlighting the wonderful collections and services that Andersen Horticultural Library provides to nature lovers and all who visit the Arboretum,” she said. “It’s amazing what the staff, including Kathy Allen, have built over the past 50 years through outreach, education and growth of the collections.”
Welcome, Kristen!