For this Giving Tuesday, we wanted to give to our audiences some behind-the-scenes perspectives with a few of the Folger’s staff members. Learn more about how they bring their passion and expertise to making the Folger Shakespeare Library a welcoming, vibrant experience for all, and consider making a donation to support the work that they do every day. Danica Zielinski-Natter, Accessibility and Floor Manager, shares about her personal connections to the Folger, her furry co-worker Remus, and the importance of increasing accessibility to welcome all visitors.
Recently celebrating five years at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Danica Zielinski-Natter is a driving force behind making the Folger’s spaces and programs accessible to everyone.
“The Folger Shakespeare editions were always on my parents’ bookshelf,” Danica says. “The first thing I remember my mom reading to me was the Folger edition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, instead of children’s stories.” And after a performance of Amadeus in 2019, her now-husband Evan proposed to Danica on the plinth in front of the Romeo and Juliet bas-relief. “To be here every day is a realization of ‘Wow, I really get to work here.’”
This sense of wonder and deep personal connection shines through in her day-to-day work. As the Accessibility and Floor Manager in the Visitor Experience department, Danica arrives with her loyal service dog, Remus, by her side, setting up the Visitor Experience desks, checking ticket preparations, and coordinating logistics to ensure a smooth flow of visitors throughout the day.
But there is a deeper purpose to Danica’s work. At the Folger, she has found a team that shares her vision of making Shakespeare and other cultural treasures accessible to all. “What I really love about working at Folger,” Danica says, “it’s such a diverse group of people that all want the same thing. They want to share what we have with the world, and they want to bring in all these people. And I think that’s a really awesome goal to have.” For her, this shared mission is a constant source of motivation as she works to create a more inclusive environment.
Danica also emphasizes the importance of representation and accessibility for all visitors. Danica’s background in American Sign Language (ASL) and Master’s in Secondary and Special Education for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology, gives her the tools to advocate for and implement inclusive practices at the Folger. “I think it’s important to see the world that’s outside of our walls reflected inside of our halls to break down barriers of exclusivity,” she says. “As a member of the disabled community, it’s important for me to see my community here at the Folger, and seeing that coexistence is very important to my whole team.”
For Danica, accessibility is an ongoing process, one that she is deeply invested in through her interactions with visitors and her research into new ways to make the Folger more welcoming. “With the accessibility staff, I’m doing a lot of research and outreach. Right now, we’ve been doing a lot of research on touch tours.” Her research helps the Folger improve its offerings for all, including people with visual impairments and other disabilities, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience Shakespeare in meaningful ways.
She recognizes that accessibility is a shared journey, and she encourages the Folger’s community of visitors to provide feedback. The work of Danica and the Visitor Experience team is a reminder that the Folger’s legacy is not just about preserving history but also making sure everyone feels a part of its story. “I really want to let people know that we are working to provide more accessibility. We are not perfect, and we also welcome ideas and feedback from our community to help us grow.”