Know A Librarian – Sarah

Spring has sprung and we are happy to introduce you to yet another one of our fantastic librarians – Sarah!

She came to Springfield in Nov. 2009 after getting her Masters in Library and Information Science from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. At Brookens, she does the typical librarian stuff: library instruction, research consultations and orders books.  She also manages the Information and Reference Desk, gets her geek on with the library’s iPads, and is 1 of the 3 people behind the tweets and Facebook posts for the library.  If you’re in the library, chances are you’ll see her at the Information and Reference Desk.  When out and about on campus, she can typically be found volunteering at a Student Life event.

There are lots of things Sarah loves about being a librarian.  But one of her favorite parts of the job is buying books for the Curriculum Collection.  With a background in High School English Education, she has always been an avid reader of Young Adult literature.  Books like The Hunger Games, Feed, and The City of Ember are among some of her favorites with Harry Potter at the top of the list.  A huge fan of both the Harry Potter books and the movies, Sarah has read and watched them more times than she can count.  In case you’re wondering, she’s a Hufflepuff and yes, she’s been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, FL.

Outside of the Library, Sarah spends most of her time hanging out with friends here in Springfield or visiting friends in Chicago and Madison, WI. She enjoys cooking and hosting parties. Other than that, she watches LOTS of movies, both in the theater and at home on her couch.

Know A Librarian – Nancy

It’s March Madness and the perfect time to help you get to know another Brookens Librarian.  This month we are featuring Nancy Weichert! Nancy is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Brookens Library. She earned her Masters in Library & Information Science from Dominican University in 2006 and has brought a wonderful and unique point of view to the library. Her love of librarianship is evident and she brings a positive, encouraging attitude to the workplace.

Nancy is a joyful individual who finds pleasure in many things. One of her greatest loves is her sweet daughter Mazie, who is just over a year old! She is able to successfully balance being a professional librarian and a mother, making the juggling act seem effortless. Motherhood has given her a level of patience and understanding that benefits the students, staff, faculty and community members she works with.

Nancy loves the outdoors, the crisp air, the sunshine, so naturally she enjoys a good walk and riding her bike. She also enjoys gathering with good friends and enjoying quality, local food that has been respectfully grown and distributed. Though she refers to herself as a little “hippie dippie”, Nancy has been known to enjoy ridiculous reality television programs like Bravo’s “The Real Housewives” series!!! We should mention she also likes more respectable programs as well, such as “Dexter”.

In her work at Brookens she is always exploring what’s new in technology and is helping expand the Library’s social media offerings. Instruction is another one of her key interests. Nancy often provides educational opportunities/workshops to various student groups! Her mission as a librarian is simple: help students succeed. We hope you enjoyed getting to know Nancy better! Say hello the next time you see her at an event or working at the reference desk!