By Chardonnae Parker / Delta Managing Editor

with reporting by Jacob Cooper / Special to the Delta

The combination of market diversity, producers targeting consumers, and an aspect of mythology were on the table for an economics session inside Missouri valley’s Murrell Library.

Willow Mullins Came to Missouri valley to inform listeners about the uniqueness of folklore, and how folklore is important when dealing with selling items from an ethnic group to consumers. But that isn’t the only thing unique about her, she has a major most wouldn’t think is one.

In an interview with KMVC News’ Jacob Cooper, Mullins said: “I have a weird background I started out as an English major cause I wanted people to tell me stories and then I went and did study abroad, in Ireland, and discovered folklore as a major so I came back and majored in folklore.”

But folklore isn’t just myths and legends, leprechauns and faeries. Mullins explains you can study the folklore of buying and selling, keeping the definition of folklore broad.

“You can study sort of the folklore of how people buy and sell things, you know, or buyers and sellers, and that’s more what I do is sort of the folklore of how things are sold,” Mullins said.

When asked what is one thing that you would want your audience to take away from this… She said to just talk.

“I would want people to just be open to talking to the makers and talking to the people that they might not otherwise talk to,” Mullins said.

Missouri Valley’s English department wrote a joint project about the folklore of Missouri Valley College called “Once Upon a Time at Missouri Valley College” detailing the traditions and lore of the Missouri Valley community.

A few Valley professors offered extra credit to its students to go explore and listen to what writer Mullins had to say. Students filled the library to listen, some took notes, some asked questions, and others did both. The school and the Murrel Library host events such as this one about once month. Other events dates and times are often found in the library.