Title: Librarian
Location: Oakland, California, United States
Celestine Bennett, Librarian, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in library science and administration.
Inspired by her parents, who taught her to be the best she could be, Dr. Bennett has always committed her full effort to all her endeavors. Growing up, education was always considered the foundation for success within her home, and she started her career as a teacher, like her parents. Deciding to re-orient her professional pursuits, Dr. Bennett attended Winston-Salem State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1952. She later continued her academic pursuits at Columbia University, receiving an MLS in 1971 and a DLS in 1983. In 1971, she began working as a librarian in the Center for Urban Research & Policy at Columbia University in New York City, where she remained until 1973. Dr. Bennett transitioned to a position as an assistant librarian at the Whitney M. Young Junior Memorial Library of Social Work, rising to the position of a full librarian in 1978, and from 1979 to 1983, she served as the chairman. She considers this tenure to be the most rewarding part of her career.
As an active member of the Church and Synagogue Library Association, Dr. Bennett was recognized with an Outstanding Congregational Librarian Award in 2015 and has maintained affiliation as a fellow of the Brookdale Institute of Aging and Adult Human Development at Columbia University. She is a lifetime member of the American Library Association, the Bay Area Urban League, the International Council of Social Welfare and the California Library Association. In addition, Dr. Bennett was a member of Oakland’s Commission on Aging from 1986 to 1989. She would advise the next generation of aspiring professionals in her field to help others who are not as fortunate.
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