March’s Hidden Gems

As I move forward into my third month here at ZSR, I often think of my time here with gratitude. It has been a pleasure getting to know everyone, and learning how to navigate our unique labyrinth of a building. One thing I have come to realize, though, is that being new is not a unique quality at ZSR, or even at Wake Forest and in North Carolina. Aside from the many students who have come from all over the world, I have also met staff who have, just like me, come here from other states. As I navigate each new conversation, or a “new” book on the shelf, it is very much like finding hidden gems.

“Hidden Gems” is the theme for March’s Student Employee Chronicles and so I hope you enjoy reading about some of the student employees’ “Hidden Gems.” You will hear about favorite places back home and on the Wake Forest campus, as well as the discovery of hidden gems some have found while working for the Public Service department.

This month we asked student employees to share their personal hidden gems, both from their hometowns and at Wake Forest:

Josh DeMontigny, Senior:

My hometown is Scituate, Massachusetts, a small beach town about forty minutes outside of Boston. The winters always get really cold by the water, but we make it work. It’s a very popular town for tourists in the summer because of the beaches. It’s a beautiful town full of my favorite people.

Gina Ortiz, Senior:

My hometown is Guaynabo, Puerto Rico but I am right between Guaynabo and San Juan. So, my favorite thing is having equal access to a fast paced city life and the relaxing beach, all super close to home. At Wake Forest, I love the quad. Sometimes it’s peaceful and other times it’s full of excitement; it is the classic signature location where our campus’s beauty shines through the most.

Katherine Liontis, Senior:

My hometown is Winston Salem and one of my favorite places is McKay’s, a used bookstore. I spent many hours of my childhood searching and buying books to add to my collection; now I have many great discoveries of favorite stories to read.

LJ Richards, Freshman:

My Hometown is Princeton, NJ; I looooove the 5th floor of the library and Village Juice b/c it’s so yum!

From Their Perspective: Finding Hidden Gems at Work

Hope Nitsche, Senior, shares her “hidden gem” on work relationships:

I have not always found it easy to connect with people. As someone with anxiety, I constantly over thought every word, fearful that I would somehow offend or upset someone. However, the people who work at ZSR make it easy for students to learn and enjoy working in the library.

In the last three years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the staff members and other student workers. I’ve had many conversations about things as fun as pets, books, memes, and the best coffee in Winston. I’ve also had more serious conversations such as the importance of learning the truth of history, the joy of traveling around the world, personal aspects of our lives, and how these things impact our lives now.

I love to connect with the people at ZSR; everyone is thoughtful and kind, and I have learned so much from our conversations. There is a lot to be gleaned from the hearts and minds of those around us. We simply have to ask, and be willing to think and learn along the way. I encourage other students to try if they haven’t already. The people of ZSR are not hidden but they deserve the same attention and consideration as any other gem.

Julie Murphy, Senior, on the “hidden gems” of working at the Public Services desk:

I love libraries with all my heart and feel confident to say that I have become an expert student worker at ZSR. It may have helped that, back home, I worked in the children’s department at my local library for seven years and so I thought I knew everything about libraries; but no two library jobs are the same.

When I arrived on campus as a freshmen, I had to readjust my schedule so that I could fulfill my work duties, managing schoolwork, friendships, and a call home when I could. I was definitely overwhelmed.

I soon found the morning shift at the library a sanctuary and took comfort in going to bed a little earlier because I could get some of my work done at my 8 AM shift. I quickly realized that I could not leave all my work for my desk shift. In reality, our duty as student workers is to serve our patrons. I eventually learned to keep smaller assignments for work. This way, I stayed attentive to patrons, looking up at those who passed by and smiling when I could.

I know how much the library has served me, and I have had the opportunity to reciprocate that service. The nickname “work forest” is no understatement, and we must not take the work part of that lightly. However, we should also remember that taking an hour or two to shelve books or help patrons with printing can be therapeutic. I will truly be heartbroken to have to part ways with my safe haven in May, but I will continue to do my best with my time left here at ZSR.

Erin Ryan, Senior, shares some “hidden gems” from working in the stacks:

When we aren’t scanning out books or chargers, ZSR student employees organize the shelves during a shift known as “stacks.” Stacks requires thorough knowledge of the Library of Congress classification method, which involves meticulous training at the beginning of your time at ZSR.

Now that I have worked at ZSR for over a year, I can appreciate the ways stacks has expanded my knowledge of our library collection. I definitely encountered a slight learning curve when starting out, but soon enough I knew the eight floors of the library like the back of my hand. There are definitely some floors that take a bit longer to understand (Wilson 1) and some that you try to avoid altogether (Reynolds 1), but working stacks has given me the opportunity for an up-close view at the building that is arguably the heart of campus.

Having the time to scan over the piles and piles of books left in the book drop bins every day has afforded me the chance to grow familiar with titles that could benefit my own research as a Politics and International Affairs major. Whether I need sources on the effects of social media on elections or on the politics of the USSR, I am able to rake through my mind to remember when and where I returned a book on that same subject.

The level of comfort I feel in the library comes directly from my constant engagement with our collections from stacks. The skills I have learned from stacks, whether they be on organization, memorization, or research, have made my time working at the library invaluable to me.