If you’ve ever used a humanities research guide from the UO Libraries, chances are you’ve encountered Jeff Staiger’s work. From Romance languages to cinema studies, Staiger’s knowledge of these topics is rivaled only by his commitment to academia.  

Staiger’s subject areas include:  

• Cinema Studies  
• Classics  
• Comparative Literature  
• Folklore  
• French  
• Italian  
• Literature/Literary Criticism
• Philosophy
• Spanish and Portuguese  
• Theater Arts  

At first glance, these topics may seem to be widely unrelated. But however diverse, each subject connects back to Staiger’s academic and personal background. Having lived in Germany and Italy, he became fluent in German and Italian and studied to be proficient in French. His multilingual ability was an asset that led to his first position with the UO Libraries. Originally hired as the Romance languages librarian, Staiger became the library’s go-to specialist for students and faculty working in a variety of fields. He’d earned his undergraduate degree in English and Classics as well as a doctorate in English, so literature and philosophy felt like natural additions to his library portfolio. The list kept growing from there.

Staiger explains how all of these subjects intersect. “There’s theater arts and cinema studies, which are allied with English…I took over art history since I lived in Italy, which is like taking a year-long course in art history. I feel comfortable with all of those areas.”  

Across disciplines, Staiger appreciates that being a librarian allows him to stay connected to the academic and research communities. Deciding what goes into his research guides is a large part of Staiger’s job. Staying up to date on the research happening at the UO is done through his acquisition of materials as well as his participation in various reading groups and academic projects. Staiger makes sure that his collection includes resources that cover every topic in a variety of languages, in order to best support all of the diverse students who access his research guides.  

Working with students is one of the main responsibilities of a subject specialist librarian. Since Staiger covers so many subjects, consultations are a regular occurrence. Either through email or in person, Staiger helps students narrow down a thesis topic, sort through sources, find research materials, or work through databases. Staiger emphasizes the importance of working with students and encourages students to meet with him for any project that requires research.

“We’re happy to do it, we’re here, and it’s our prime thing we’re supposed to be doing. That’s the message that should be gotten out. The librarians are there and they're able to help you…at any stage of the research project.”  

Along with visiting various classes across campus every term to talk to students, Staiger taught a new course this term called “The Art of the Long Read,” a skills class within the English department focused on how to engage with a long book. The course had students read five books from different genres and historical periods, focused on helping them build the skills and mental stamina necessary for analyzing lengthy pieces of literature.  

A self-described bibliophile and insatiable reader, Staiger spends a hefty amount of time building his personal library. He began his career as an English and Latin teacher before joining the University of Oregon as a librarian 20 years ago. While he describes his path as a little unusual, the intellectual life has always been his primary interest. With his work as a librarian, Staiger says that his understanding of research as a “singular intellectual adventure” has shifted.  

“I’ve come to learn —being a librarian— that there’s really no thought or idea that has entirely come out of nothing. It’s always a part of a general exchange with other people, other things you’ve read, people you’re talking to…Whether you know it or not, there’s always a social dimension to even your personal intellectual adventure.” 

Connect with Your Subject Librarian