What is your role at the library?
Working the past three months as Biddle’s evening library assistant, my largest responsibility has been to oversee the library and its inhabitants after normal work hours (we stay open until 11:45 PM Sunday through Thursday). Assisted by our wonderful student workers, we handle all evening circulation/customer service needs and are responsible for clearing and securing the library at the end of each night. Starting in December, I’ll begin to hand these duties over to our new evening assistant and start a daytime schedule in January 2023.
Once that happens, I’ll continue with and expand upon the stacks-related work that makes up the bulk of my day-to-day. Reshelving, inventory, and shelf reading are all under my purview. I’ve recently taken on the project of re-housing and designing labels for our legal reporter collection and perform some of the regular withdrawals and supersession of materials that are part of stacks maintenance. As a part of the access services team, I help out with faculty document delivery/pickup and contribute to library wide events such as Fall Fest. By the time this has been posted, I will have hosted both of our Nintendo Switch study breaks. As of late I started with ILL lending and am looking forward to learning the ropes of borrowing in the new year. I am also having a lot of fun working with our archives department on upcoming exhibitions.
Describe your past work experience.
It has been quite a journey! After ten-plus years as a shiatsu (Japanese acupressure massage) practitioner/massage therapist, I went back to school (UPenn), graduating in 2012 with a BA in sculpture/printmaking. After a handful of creative-world jobs and some time spent teaching art to kids, my path led to the exhibits department at Penn’s own Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. During that time, I became very interested in traditional library work and decided to take the plunge. A few twists and turns later, here I am at Biddle, settling in quite nicely and thoroughly enjoying being part of our creative, kind, and capable team.
How do you spend your free time?
One of my favorite things to do is take long walks in the woods, especially at Ridley Creek State Park. I go there almost every week, stopping for breakfast or lunch at my favorite café nearby and finishing up with a trip to Wolff’s Apple House for some fresh local produce and flowers. They have so many varieties of fruit, always something new to try! Spending time with friends and family is also very important to me. I’m a pretty big homebody and can often be found curled up and cozy with candles, incense, and a large mug of tea.