As the User Services Daytime Supervisor at Lockwood Library, Teresa Vadakin welcomes students with a friendly smile while ensuring they and the staff get what they need, when they need it. Whether she’s mentoring student assistants, managing front desk operations, or processing locker pickups, Teresa brings years of library expertise and a genuine passion for helping others to her role.
“Being in a library feels like home,” Teresa says. “I missed interacting directly with patrons, and it’s great to be part of a front desk team again.”
Teresa grew up all over Western New York — from Tonawanda to Jamestown to Hamburg — before heading off to earn her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies at SUNY Fredonia. She later completed her Master of Library Science at UB in 2003.
Teresa shows off her first-ever linocut creation—an abstract hummingbird made during a bird-themed printmaking event at Buffalo State.
She worked as a children’s librarian in Massachusetts, then joined Brooklyn Public Library, followed by nearly a decade at Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca, where she wore multiple hats. From leading the Adult Services department to stepping in as acting director, Teresa thrived on creating community-focused programs. Among Teresa’s proudest achievements is the promotion of local poetry at Tompkins County Public Library, including the annual ‘Poem in Your Pocket Day.’ She also initiated the ‘Next Chapter Book Club,’ fostering reading and social skills for teens and adults with disabilities.
“Seeing people’s confidence grow through the Next Chapter Book Club was incredible,” she recalls. “It showed me how libraries can truly build connections.”
Teresa’s West Side garden.
After 10 years away, Teresa felt the pull of Buffalo again — and wanted to be closer to family and the vibrant community she’d missed. Now settled on the city’s West Side in the walkable Five Points neighborhood, she fills her time outside of work biking, gardening, cooking, practicing yoga, and volunteering with the Feminist Bird Club Buffalo Chapter.
A memorable fun fact: during Teresa’s first trip to Europe, she broke her wrist at the Tower of London, spending the rest of the trip in a sling and plastic bag in Paris. “It’s a story I won’t forget,” she laughs.
For Teresa, whether it’s helping a student at the desk or chatting with fellow birders, it all comes down to creating meaningful connections.