Globe: Where did you go to high school?

Lauran DeRigne, Librarian: I went to high school in Monet, Missouri. I graduated from Monet High School in 1992.

Globe: Describe how your high school experience is different from working in high school.

DeRigne: Well, I definitely wasn’t paid as a student. I was probably a lot more carefree as a student than I am now, so I’m a little more stressed.

Globe: Were you involved in any sports or clubs?

DeRigne: I was in cross country, track, and in Future Farmers of America (FFA). Future Farmers of America is a youth organization that prepares students for leadership and careers in the science, business, and technology of agriculture. I lived in a farming community, and many of us were interested in the field of agriculture, so my best friend and I joined together. I liked it. I don’t recall much about what we did, but I do remember meeting Garth Brooks at one of the events.

Globe: Did you have any leadership roles in any of your sports or clubs?

DeRigne: Not that I can remember. I was just a member of all those. 

Globe: What was the funniest thing that happened in high school?

DeRigne: We used to have this thing called Donkey Basketball as a fundraiser. I’m not sure if this is allowed now, but you had to ride a donkey and try to play basketball. You had two teams against each other, and because donkeys are pretty stubborn, they wouldn’t go where you wanted them to go. It was tough to shoot a basketball from a donkey.

Globe: What were your favorite and least favorite subjects?

DeRigne: My favorite subject was, of course, English, because I love to read. My least favorite was math because I was not good at it at all. 

Globe: How would you describe yourself in high school?

DeRigne: I was pretty responsible. I had a job, and I also maintained my grades. I worked at a veterinary clinic because I wanted to be either a veterinarian or a park ranger when I graduated, so I worked there for three years as a vet assistant. I bathed and walked the dogs, fed and changed the kennels where they were housed. In addition to taking care of the cats. Any assistance the veterinarians needed. I worked 15-20 hours a week. 

Globe: What led you to become a librarian?

DeRigne: I always loved books, and I started working a job at a public library in St Louis, and in my 20s, I felt like that was more me than the other two.