Success Story: Deena Daughtery

Deena Daughtery has been an Atlantic City Free Public Library member for at least 25 years – and she credits the library with helping her twice in her career.

The first time came while working as a conductor for the Atlantic City Boardwalk Tram Service from 2014-19. An outgoing and friendly person, Daughtery looked to improve her riders’ experience by sharing facts about the Boardwalk and the places they were passing – whether it was about the site of the city’s first casino formerly serving as a WWII hospital, the diving horse act at Steel Pier or Boardwalk Hall and the world’s largest pipe organ.

“People would come in to town and want to ride with the one who knows Atlantic City history,” she said. “I knew a lot about Atlantic City history, and what I didn’t know I studied at the library.”

Currently, the library is working with Daughtery on her computer skills, which have helped her in her role as a tour guide at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (AAHMSNJ).

Daughtery took a computer class in 2005 at Atlantic Cape Community College, but she suffered a stroke years later that left her unable to walk or talk – and it impacted her memory.

“I needed to learn to do things differently after my stroke,” she said.

Since June 2024, Daughtery has worked hard at improving her computer skills in 1-on-1 sessions with library staff member Jhonsiry Luciano at the Richmond Branch location. The library offers these hour-long sessions by appointment as part of its Building Employment Skills Training (BEST) Program, which the library received grant funding for from the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
 
Prior to working with Luciano, she rated her computer skills as being a two or three out of 10. As a result of her frequent sessions with Luciano, plus work she did on her own, Daughtery has made significant progress and said, for her age, she’d now rate her computer skills at an eight.

She puts those improved skills to use at the AAHMSNJ. Using email once intimidated her, but she said it’s now as routine for her as texting. She even curated an exhibit, Miss Black America, with museum intern Bryant Nguyen last September. The exhibit involved online research, cutting and pasting information and photographs she found online, creating captions and printing her work.

“(AAHMSNJ founder Ralph Hunter) is always challenging me to use those skills,” Daughtery said.

Daughtery encourages people to “use your resources” if they’re thinking about taking classes or training sessions offered by the library.
  
“There are a lot of resources that can help you with your career and education – and all for free,” she said. “Because of income, I couldn’t afford to go to college. The library has helped me with my education and jobs. Don’t be intimated to sign up.”

To learn more about the library’s classes, please stop by a library service desk, call (609) 345-2269 or visit acfpl.org.

Read about other Atlantic City Free Public Library members featured in our Success Story Series.