What do you do in the library?
I am the circulation technician, so I mostly work at the circulation desk signing library materials in and out, setting up borrower accounts, charging fines, sending and receiving interlibrary loans, stuff like that. I also help out with scanning books for e-reserves, and I occasionally help out with projects from Technical Services, such as weeding duplicate copies or getting rid of broken and old hyperlinks in our catalogue records.
How did you end up working in libraries?
I spent my entire childhood reading constantly, and going to the public library was one of my favourite things to do. When I was 13, my mom suggested that I apply to be a page there, which I did, and I got the job. I was obviously not of age to work when I applied and interviewed (my 14th birthday was days away). I think I started 5 days after I turned 14. I worked there all throughout high school and for a while after too. I loved the job so much that when I was ready to go to postsecondary school I decided to go to Seneca to be a library technician.
What are some of your favourite items in the library's collection?
That is a difficult question to answer! I would say I have favourite sections - I love the graphic novel and literature sections. One of my favourite graphic novels that I read recently was Patience by Daniel Clowes.
What are your interests outside of work?
I still love reading, of course. I am trying to read 50 books this year. Hopefully mentioning this pledge publically will encourage me to stop procrastinating and get it done! I keep borrowing books that are huge and take forever to finish.
I also have what some may consider an unhealthy obsession with the TV show Mad Men. Right now I’m in the process of re-watching the entire series for at least the sixth time, I have lost count. The acting and the dialogue are just so good, and the art direction is flawless. I love that none of the characters are “good” or “bad”, it definitely makes them more complex and realistic. The entire thing is also basically 1960s design porn, which I love, so there’s that.
