What is the best way to get to know a librarian? By getting them to talk about books, of course! Each month, we will introduce you to one of the librarians of Ohrstrom Library. This month, we talked to Ms. Abi Maxwell, one of our Public Services Assistants.
We asked Ms. Maxwell…
What was your first library?
“I had a work-study job in the government documents section of Beloit College, where I was an undergrad. We would get all these random documents from the government—flyers, pamphlets, etc.–and we would have to catalog and shelve them. Most of the documents were literally just one-page handouts, and it seemed like their call numbers were longer than the information on them! And NO ONE ever looked at them. It was a pretty funny job.”
Who are your top five favorite authors?
What are your three “desert island” books?
Selected Stories by Alice Munro
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky
The complete Hilda series by Luke Pearson (so long as I have something to draw with and on)
What is the last book that made you laugh or cry or both?
“Ducks, by Kate Beaton. I don’t usually cry in books but I did cry in this one. As far as laughing, The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen, I laugh so hard every time.
If you could time travel, when and where would you go?
“I read in A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth by Henry Gee that a few billion years ago, the earth transformed from a ball of fire to complete water, and each incoming tide was a tsunami. I would love to just float above the earth and watch that.”
What is your favorite room in Ohrstrom Library?
“Baker Reading Room in a snow or rain storm.”
What was your favorite subject/class in school?
“English, both literature and creative writing.”
Why do you like being a librarian at SPS?
“It’s a peaceful environment, the people are wonderful, and the collection is so extensive. Also, we have seltzer in the break room!”
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