When I’m checking in periodicals or sorting books in the stacks of Burke library, it’s not uncommon for me to think how utterly useless it all is, all these journals of theology and philosophy, all these books on God and sin and grace. What need do we have for them? For Origen and Aquinas and […]
First Collection Completed
My first archival project here has been completely fascinating. The Catholic Church in India from 1880-1893? I know absolutely nothing about that! I found myself absorbed with the first few volumes, trying to get a sense of that world. The pages were browned, the edges were crumbling, some of the spines were a wreck and […]
Light in the Darkness
“Every book is a little light in that darkness”- Scott Landon My job at the library resembles the craft of archaeology. On any day, I may come home from work with several centuries of dirt on my hands. This can be from crosschecking in world cat whether we have Der Kleine Katechismus Dr. Martin Luthers […]
Musings on the Burke and Libraries
As a recent graduate in art history and archaeology, I am thrilled to be employed as the Burke Library’s circulation and reserves desk assistant. Prior to this job, I worked as a general assistant at Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. As someone who grew up in Queens, libraries have been important in my life. […]
So exactly why an MLS?
In 2003, around the New Year’s holiday, I spent a little over 30 hours (in the span of two days) teaching myself how to use Microsoft’s now defunct program FrontPage. By New Year’s Day, my eyes burned, my right wrist ached from (self-diagnosed) carpel tunnel syndrome, and most importantly, I completed my first website (a […]
Sexual Politics in the Archives
As an incoming MA student at Union, having previous experience working libraries as well as a Master of Information & Library Science degree under my belt, I’m excited to join the student staff at the Burke Library for this next step in my academic studies in theological librarianship. My area of research is ethics, specifically […]
Day One – Here We Go!
I am thrilled to be working as an archives student assistant at the Burke Library. I find it auspicious to be starting a new job, at my new school, in my new city, on my 31st birthday. What will this year hold for me? I am excited to find out! This begins my 9th year […]
Art Deco Design in a Cardboard Box
Despite being a lifelong patron and admirer of libraries, my own academic and professional background was not in the library field. Originally focused on working in the Arts, I earned an bachelors in art history and continued working as an artist myself, recently turning my attention to creating digital art. Additionally, I spent many years […]
Union’s Other Dynasty
The shadow and impact of Charles Augustus Briggs still hangs over Union Theological Seminary and the collections at the Burke Library. Charles, as well as his family members Emilie Grace, Julia and Alanson Tuthill, all have collections at the Burke, and many other faculty and staff collections contain records showing how the Briggs’ heresy trial […]
#LoveInAction
I started at the Burke Library a little over a year ago. Not coming from a theological background, I was a little intimidated. However I quickly saw how my background in public history and public services could help do effective outreach to promote usage of the amazing materials in our special collections by Union […]