Joel Liesenberg, a self-described “life-long learner,” loves that as the Global Studies Librarian he gets to be a bridge between the UO Libraries’ resources and people doing research in the field. 

Learning at Home

Joel grew up in rural Michigan enchanted by stories of his father’s childhood in Singapore and all the places he had traveled to. These stories fueled his curiosity about the rest of the world, and eventually his love of global studies. While receiving his undergraduate degree at Central Michigan University, Joel studied queer and feminist theory. This helped him be able to understand his own identity, as well as how these “invisible structures” help us gain perspective on the world.

Teaching Abroad

Working at an English-intensive school in Tokyo, Japan, for two years gave Joel an appreciation for reciprocal learning. Talking with his fellow foreign teachers and his students showed him that he was learning just as much from them as they were from him. This is a practice that he uses in his work as a librarian.  

“Getting to learn more about the world … expand my understanding of the world, that’s always something that I hope to gain from every interaction I have,” Joel said.

Landing in Oregon

When he was finishing his master’s degree from the University of Michigan, Joel saw a job posting for the global studies librarian here at the University of Oregon and knew it was perfect for him. The ability to combine his love of academia, social connection, and research in one job was something he knew would be fulfilling. 

To Joel, being a subject specialist librarian means having the opportunity to represent the library to researchers and make it an approachable and inclusive place.  

“[Getting] to… create a curated experience to hopefully build that bridge and help researchers take advantage of everything we have here” is a huge part of what makes the job meaningful to Joel.

Research Help

A large part of Joel’s job is providing research assistance. He discusses the topic, dives into the topic at hand, and then starts searching through databases to find a subject that is both specific and interesting to the researcher. While the process of conducting research goes through various phases, Joel’s main advice is to “always think about context and perspective.” Thinking critically about the perspectives surrounding the topic can lead to the most interesting analysis, says Joel. Creating good, well-rounded research comes from questioning your sources and asking questions constantly.

Connecting with librarians can be difficult for undergraduate students, with the intimidation of not knowing what the librarians do or fearing that a question is too small to ask. He loves meeting with students and wants the library to be safe and accessible for everyone. Joel wants students to know that they can reach out for anything, big or small, from initial idea generation to backend citation help. When he talks with classes he jokes, “If you forget everything we’re talking about today, just remember my email."

Visit Joel’s faculty profile for links to email him or schedule an appointment to discuss any research questions you may have.

Follow @UOLibraries on social media to learn more about subject specialist librarians and how they can aid you in your academic journey.