In our blog segment “Interview with a Librarian” we sat down with our newest librarian, Grant Hardaway, to find out more about him!

Meet Grant Hardaway1. What is your position in the library?

I am the Instruction/Liaison Librarian for the Sciences. Primarily, I provide reference assistance for the majority of the science departments at Trinity. These departments include Biology, Chemistry, Engineering Science, Environmental Studies, Geosciences, Physics & Astronomy, Neuroscience, and Psychology. My services include in-class instruction sessions, one-on-one reference consultations, and support with Zotero (Trinity’s primary reference manager). Also, I am responsible for selecting books and journals for my departments. Since I have only been here for a few months, I am still actively expanding upon my current roles so I can best serve my departments!

2. Where did you graduate from college (undergrad, graduate…)?

I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. My main focus in my undergrad was cognitive neuroscience and I was a research assistant for a memory lab.

Fun fact: With my fellow lab members, I went to a Jeopardy-style neuroscience contest called the Brain Bowl hosted by UTHSCSA. We lost (betting all of our points in final Jeopardy was a little too ambitious), but it was a lot of fun and was also one of the first times I ever visited San Antonio.

I received my Master of Science in Information Studies at the University of Texas at Austin this spring. While at UT Austin, I worked at three different libraries including their radio station’s music library.

Fun fact 2: Austin’s tacos are good, but I prefer San Antonio’s.

3. What is your favorite part about working with students in the library?

The most rewarding aspect of my job is being able to have discussions about research with students. All of the students I have talked to are really passionate about their work and I am happy to be able to assist them. Research can be a really messy and frustrating process (also exciting and fulfilling!) and it brings me a lot of joy to assist students whenever they feel stuck or need someone to discuss their ideas.

4. What made you decide to become a librarian (What influenced you …)?

I have always had an interest in research, but was often frustrated by the limitations of choosing only one area of focus. Subject librarians are able to work with a broad range of students and faculty from many different disciplines and that concept really appealed to me. I worked in a library during my undergrad and was impressed with the librarians at UT Arlington. Once I started grad school, my drive to become an academic librarian was solidified by working in a very involved role at UT Austin’s Perry-Castañeda Library. The excellent librarians I worked with there proved to me that academic librarianship fit really well with my interests in research assistance.

5. Who inspires you and why?

I am a huge nerd about music and movies so I am regularly inspired by musicians and directors. A brief list of some artists that I can think of at the moment: Liz Harris (Grouper), David Lynch, Joanna Newsom, Stanley Kubrick, Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie), Richard D. James (Aphex Twin), Christopher Breaux (Frank Ocean), Andrzej Zulawski, Paddy McAloon (Prefab Sprout), Michelangelo Antonioni, Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), and Luis Buñuel. While there is no specific reason why these artists inspire me, I am usually drawn to individuals who have a really distinct vision for their work.

6. What books are on your list to read next and what was the last book you read?

I am currently reading through Eduardo Galeano’s Memory of Fire (Memoria del fuego) trilogy. It is a really fascinating history of Latin America that interweaves legends and historical documents.

The last book I read was John William’s Stoner which is a beautifully written, slice-of-life story of a man navigating his life and career as a professor. On a different note, I have also been reading a lot of classic manga (japanese comics) recently. Our library has a great collection of manga and I have been enjoying digging through the classics by Osamu Tezuka and Yoshihiro Tatsumi (call number section: PN6790.J, check it out!).

7. What resource or part of the library do you hope students use before they graduate?

I hope students really take time to browse our physical collection. It is easy to stumble upon interesting titles by simply walking around the library. Also, I highly recommend our DVD collection! We have a great selection of classics and new films that you may not be able to find easily online.

Need help with your research or project? Contact one of our subject librarians today!