Our new “Student Spotlight” feature highlights the contributions our UO Libraries’ student employees make every day. There are 163 of them contributing to our endeavors this year alone! Read on to meet just some of our students who help make UO Libraries an amazing place to research, study, and learn. In addition to meeting these three stellar students, you’ll also be reading pieces written by two other student employees.
Sam Berry—Bound to Books
A third-year undergraduate student majoring in Product Design, Sam Berry currently works in the Beach Conservation Lab in Knight Library.
Sam began working for the UO Libraries as an assistant for both Price Science Commons and the Design Library. Then, at the beginning of fall term 2022, he moved to the Beach Lab. Here, he spends time repairing, preparing, and binding damaged books for storage or circulation, and binds pamphlets or small periodicals that need extra protection.
“I like books a lot. So that’s my favorite thing [about my job], I just get to mess with books," said Sam.
Book conservation is a niche craft that requires extreme attention to detail. The consuming nature of this practice is actually one of the reasons why Sam loves it so much. When he is at work, he enjoys that he can place his full attention on the book that is in front of him and work with his hands.
After graduation, Sam wants to enter the book industry. He's specifically interested in working on publishing or book design. This job is appliable to the field he hopes to enter in a few years and has allowed him to develop a deeper appreciation for books.
“I enjoy books and the whole entire system, so I want to get my feet in wherever I can.”
—By Kate Lloyd, communications assistant, UO Libraries
Esteban Zúñiga Calderón Keeps the Douglass Room Humming
Meet Esteban Zuñiga Calderón, a student employee from Costa Rica who helps in the Douglass Room on the third floor of Knight Library. Esteban is a third-year doctoral candidate in Musical Arts with a specialization in voice-performance. He oversees the music collection, audio-visual classroom, and studio rooms while also helping students find specific sheet music, recordings, and scores.
Working in the Douglass Room has given Esteban an advantage in his studies.
“The fact that I am in constant contact with scores, books, articles, and everything related to music has given me a lot of insight on the resources that we have. My favorite part of the job is that I’m working with something as rich as music. I'm working with not just books but sound and materials. This space might be quiet sometimes but when it’s not, it’s really cool,” he shared.
Come check out the Douglass Room, explore the music collection, and meet Esteban! When he’s not in class or working, you might catch him performing on campus or in the Eugene Opera!
—By Mona El-Haddar, communications assistant, UO Libraries
Claressa Davis Branches Out
A third-year undergraduate student working as a library assistant, Claressa Davis has been working in the UO Libraries for two years now. She started during her first year at the UO, but then took a year off to work as a resident assistant in Justice Bean Hall. She is now continuing her time at the library as a senior.
Claressa's day-to-day work includes answering patrons’ questions at the circulation desk, filling requests for students and researchers who need specific books or resources, and putting books on the libraries’ hold shelf. The Price Science Commons, Design Library, Math Library are all under the same management, so she has been able to split her time working across the three branches over the past year.
Claressa is currently studying Planning, Public Policy and Management and thoroughly enjoys the planning section of her major. She plans to graduate a term early and hopes to spend this time traveling before getting a job as a planning technician.
While she doesn’t see herself working in libraries post-college, she appreciates the sense of community at the UO Libraries.
“I think the people here are just fantastic,” she said.
Claressa’s experience of working with and alongside people is something she plans to take with her as she advances her career. “Working with people... being part of team culture is definitely applicable in many workspaces.”
—By Kate Lloyd, communications assistant, UO Libraries
Without the generous support of our kind donors, UO Libraries would not be able to employ so many wonderful students. Thanks to these funds established by friends and alumni to support students’ professional development:
- Arlington Library Intern
- Dunbar Student Employee Endowment
- Mimi Vollstedt Library Student Internship
- Poston Math Library Student Employment Endowment
- Scharpf Library Student Endowment
- Sparks Student Employee Fund
- Steinke Student Employee Fund
- Thomas Intern Fund