The Bryan Wildenthal Memorial Library is a place where students and staff come to discover topics they are passionate about, meet sweet friends that last a lifetime, or find their true loves. Being the central place on campus to meet and reflect deeply, it’s no wonder that the library is conductive to all kinds of loves. This month we are celebrating that with a display in the library. We invite all of our guests and campus friends to write what you love about the library on the bulletin board at the library’s entrance.
Read on for the history of how your fellow library staff found the path to life-long learning, friendship, and romance in libraries…
Nora and Valerie, met years before they began working together at the Wildenthal Library as Public Services Librarians. Nora recalls how the two met and became LBFF’s (Librarian Best Friends Forever):
“I’m sure Valerie is tired of hearing me say this, but I credit my love for librarianship to her. Val and I met in 2009, when I volunteered as a circulation assistant for the Alpine Public Library. She was always so patient and helpful with me and the library patrons. Once a job opportunity opened up, she encouraged and cheered me on to apply. Thankfully, I got the job, and we shared a back office together. I remember Val working on both a desktop and laptop at once while I sat and ate my oatmeal, wondering what she was doing. I started bugging her by asking questions, and she described her coursework for the Masters of Library & Information Science Program at the University of North Texas. I had never heard of a Masters program to become a librarian! Her courses and homework always sounded fancy and interesting; the organization of information, library and information professions. Excitedly I wanted to know more and eventually was accepted and joined the program as well! Throughout my Masters, Val has been a great support, even listening to me freak out over whether I followed the instructions properly on a homework assignment. And as my love for librarianship continues to grow, so does our friendship.”
New Dean of Library and Information Technologies, April Aultman Becker, has a love of the physical space in the library. She says: ”
Emily Dickinson wrote, ‘there’s a certain slant of light, winter afternoons…’ and while her poem might not actually be about the happiest slant of light, I can’t help but repeat those words in my mind when I walk into a certain corner of the Bryan Wildenthal Library. My favorite part of the library, the corner I’ve fallen in love with, is near our periodicals. It’s an area where the windows join together to look out over Alpine and the mountains surrounding our town. Library regulars know this corner well and almost always welcome you when you join them, knowing that you too have come to watch the patterns change on the land as the day wanes. Sure there are lots of popular magazines to flip through in that corner as you marvel over the sunset, but as Dickinson wrote, ‘when it comes, the landscape listens.’ You won’t find yourself being able to look away.”
The library has even seen one proposal on Valentine’s Day, 2008! Valerie Howard explains:
Years ago David (who is currently the Serials Librarian) was a student worker at the Wildenthal Library Circulation desk. During his last term, he was working Valentine’s Day night and he asked me to come visit during his break. I did, and he sent me on a love-themed scavenger hunt. I was given clues that took me through the interpretations of love from great writers in science, art, poetry, and psychology. Each book was marked with a card from David containing commentary about the book or passage and a clue to the next volume. I thought it was a fun game, but in the end David proposed to me! For two people who ultimately got their Masters in Library Science, it was the most romantic proposal I could imagine. As life and luck would have it, we now BOTH have the privilege of working as librarians here and we couldn’t be happier!”
Here’s what other staff love about the library….
Cindy Slocumb is says “I met my best bud Melissa at the library and now we are attached at the hip! …What I love most about my job, hands down, is working with students.”
Education Librarian Amanda Gomez, just launched the “Zombie Apocalypse Challenge,” a research skills scavenger hunt and says, “I love that I get to do fun activities here in the library!”
Lori Schreiber, Technical Services Librarian, says she loves the peace and quiet of the library. “I fell in love with cataloging and librarianship during the time I’ve been here,” she says.
A love of research draws Valerie Howard to the library. She says: “I love helping students with their research, and calming their fears about finding resources and citations for their papers.”
“I’m excited to be working here as I go through my career in Library Science. It’s a sweet deal!” — Miranda Wauson, Archives
“The thing I love is the fact that we hired Miranda and I’m loving being on the search committee for a new Archivist” — Michael Howard, Archives
Two of our staff started out at the library as Circulation Student Workers:
“I love that I started in circulation and found my way upstairs.” says Adam Watson, Cataloging. David Howard echos that sentiment with “I love most of my job, but what I really love is that I got my start in Circulation as a student!”
“I love my job! I love it so much that I get so into my work, people have to remind me at 5 o’clock to go home!” — Rosa Ramirez, Acquisitions
“I love the corner of the library on the first floor with the magazines and the amazing view.” — April Aultman Becker, Dean of Library & Information Technologies