By Tess Goldwasser
What is your role in the GLBTRT?
I’m in charge of the new monthly newsletter. At the end of each month, I put together some of the stories covered by the news committee blog, as well as book reviews posted by the review committee. This helps keep the membership informed on what we’ve covered each month. The pieces featured are not the entire selection, so if you’re interested, be sure to visit the committees’ pages for more.
What does the GLBTRT mean to you?
It means the GLBT community has a say in how libraries treat their communities and collections. It means questioning individuals, and concerned loved ones, have a local, reliable spectrum of perspectives for guidance. It means research, role models, and relatable characters are available for those who need them most.
What are you most proud of?
The past year was a major step forward for me, not just in joining the RT. I got to work on some amazing projects, and work with wonderful people. I became a much stronger person, and plan to keep the momentum going into the next year. Here’s a sample of one of my proudest moments of that year: Public speaking has always been a challenge for me. Last summer, I moderated a panel on how to study history using artifacts from the Holocaust. If you’d told me a year ago I would do something like that, I’d laugh.
Who inspires you?
Neil Gaiman, hands down. Even the most mundane moment has a wisp of magic worked into its seams. Haruki Murakami and Italo Calvino as well. Their books remind me that there’s more to our world than we see.
What is your favorite holiday and how do you celebrate?
Christmas is a big two-day event with lots of family. Christmas Eve is at an uncle’s house, and there are always enough young kids to warrant a visit from Santa (now played by my older brother.) Christmas Day dinner’s at my house, so “Christmas Morning” with presents quickly became “Christmas-hour-after-midnight-hurry-up-there’s-a-lot-to-do-in-the-morning.” It’s hectic, but always a blast.
If you could be transported into the fictional world of any book, where would you go?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. If you’re going to run off and join the circus, that’s the one to go for.
What do you have to say about the future of libraries?
I like how interactive libraries can be if we let them. A local library near me lets visitors tinker with a 3D printer, and I love that. If this momentum continues, and patrons are free to tinker with ideas in a safe, public space, I’d say the future of libraries looks pretty fun.
