Maryann Penzvalto is the manager of our Bay Village Branch and a self-proclaimed "library kid" with a passion for trivia and true crime. She's also a two-time “Jeopardy” champion and one of a select number of people who have competed on both “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.”

7 questions with Maryann

How did you prepare to be on "Jeopardy?"

The number one thing you need to practice is buzzing in. If you aren’t fast enough, you’re going to lose. When you audition, they give you one of these lovely “Jeopardy” pens, and they tell you to practice clicking and buzzing in along with the other contestants. But the pens are actually nothing like the buzzers you use on the show. The buzzers are a lot bigger. The trick I have heard is to practice with a toilet paper roll holder. They’re much closer to the size of the actual buzzer and they have a spring inside them. If you want to win at “Jeopardy,” you should practice at home with clicky toilet paper holders like the champions do.

Really, I prepared to be on “Jeopardy” by spending a lot of time in libraries. “Jeopardy” is a game that rewards breadth of knowledge, rather than depth of knowledge. If you want to prepare for questions about Thomas Jefferson, you don’t need to read an 800-page biography. Check out a book from the Who Was series and get the top five facts about him that are most likely to come up on the show.

What was Alex Trebek like?

He was amazing. I'm so lucky to have gotten to meet him before he passed away. Typically contestants don't get to meet the host before the show, but I was lucky enough to be on three episodes, so I got to speak with Alex in between the episodes. He was so funny and so nice. He made fun of me for getting a question wrong that I really should have gotten. It was about the Seven Sisters constellation. I’m one of seven sisters, so he gave me a hard time – but in a nice way. I view it as a badge of honor to get roasted by Alex Trebek.

You were in all of the local papers and on all the local news channels. What was it like to have all of Cleveland rooting for you?

It was so amazing to have so many people reach out to wish me luck and congratulate me. My colleagues put the show on TV and watched along and cheered. It was so much fun. I had so much support from the community. It was wonderful.

How is competing in "Wheel of Fortune" different than "Jeopardy?"

“Wheel of Fortune” is a completely different game in person than it is when you watch get home. You have to spin the wheel, which is incredibly heavy. I think they said it was about 2,000 pounds. I couldn’t get it to spin all the way around. There are a lot more fiddly details of playing the game that you don't have with “Jeopardy.” It didn't come naturally to me for sure. But it was really exciting to meet Pat Sajak and Vanna White. I didn't get to the bonus round, but I did get to live out a childhood dream.

What inspired you to become a librarian?

I've wanted to be a librarian my whole life. I spent most of my childhood hanging out in libraries. I’ve never really wanted to do anything else. I love helping people find information and working with interesting people who love books and helping people.

How do you use the Bay Village Branch Innovation Center?

I have been using the laser engraver to cut pieces of acrylic for centerpieces for my wedding reception. I’m also 3-D printing little gifts for our guests. I love using the Innovation Center as a customer for different projects. The embroidery machine is amazing. It can embroider things in seconds that would take days to do by hand. Designing things for my own wedding and putting my own personality into what I’m creating has been a lot of fun. I think it's going to make our wedding even more special.

You have interviewed some great authors in your career. Do you have a favorite interview?

I really love getting to interview authors for CCPL. I'm a big true crime buff. So there's been two authors who really stick out. My first virtual author interview was with Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI director who actually lived in Bay Village for a while. He took down criminals all over the country and was one of the people who responded to the anthrax attacks in 2001. Frank had so many fascinating stories.

My absolute favorite interview was Paul Holes, a former detective for Contra Costa County in California who helped take down the Golden State Killer. When he came to the library it was a packed house. People came up to him with stories of cold cases and unsolved crimes. He gave them all his email address and asked them to reach out so he could look into their cases. He was so genuine and had such a passion for crime solving.