We are thrilled to bring you another “Library Staff Stories” blog post! From helping students to campus engagement, from enjoying the space to future library career plans, we all have different reasons for working here at the UW Tacoma Library.
Two themes emerge, however: student success and being inclusive. These are values that are built directly into our Strategic Plan and our Equity Statement. Please spend some time getting to know us — and why we work here!
Messages from our staff
“I know in the years to come, as I look back on my life, my time as a college student will be one of my brightest moments. What it means to me to work at a library is helping other students by doing something I love; doing my part so that their college experience is even a little bit better because of what I do at the library, so that they can look back on their college years with fondness, as well.” Kim Contreras, UW Tacoma Student and Student Employee at the Library
“My favorite thing about working in the library is that I get to connect with the campus. I love that I get to be part of this community and help faculty and students alike, while also getting a little bit of studying done on the side. Working in the library has let me be a better student personally, and made me more engaged in UW-T itself!” Zaquel Major, UW Tacoma Student and Student Employee at the Library
“I am an academic librarian because I believe in libraries as institutions and I believe that the world is a better place because of libraries. Academic libraries have the power to transform research, teaching, learning, and ultimately society through their position within the academy.Throughout my career I have worked to help libraries, and those who work in them, adapt to new and emerging patron needs. It is enormously rewarding to work with the librarians and staff at UW Tacoma and throughout the profession to build on the values, tradition, and history of libraries while seeking new answers to today’s challenges.” Lauren Pressley, Associate Dean of University Libaries; Director of University of Washington Tacoma Library
“I used to be a high school teacher, and while I loved a lot about that career, the goals I was helping students work toward were set by the state. Now I still get to teach, but the goals I am helping students achieve are set by the students themselves.” Christy McDonald, Graduate Reference Specialist and UW Graduate Student
“Since high school, I’ve always hung around the library because it was a chill environment. Throughout my years of high school, the library was a place for me to hang out, study, research, and read. The library means a lot to me and it is my future career I want to get into.” Voun Vat, UW Tacoma Student and Student Employee at the Library
“To me, working at a library means helping people, and working at an academic library means helping students. One advantage of an urban-serving university like UW Tacoma is the deep focus on practical, community-embedded work and the glorious range of diversity in the student body, both of which bring social awareness and immediacy to everything the library approaches. College is hard; librarians get to help make it more fulfilling. What could be more awesome than that?” Hallie Clawson, Special Projects Assistant
“My favorite thing about working in a library I can be a part of an institution that is designed as a space for anyone and everyone. A library can give everyone a sense of place and belonging. It can serve as a place of learning, a place for creativity, a place to read a good book, a place to engage and interact, and most importantly, a safe and welcoming space for anyone in the community.” Erika Wigren, Digital Specialist and UW Graduate Student