Meet Us Monday - Jennifer Taylor

 

Of all the resources the Samford University Library makes available to its users, among our most important and valuable are our people! Our #MeetUsMonday series offers a weekly glimpse behind the scenes by spotlighting the various people who work tirelessly every day to proactively support the University's mission by providing scholarly resources, research and information services, a welcoming environment, and collaborative alliances to promote learning and teaching.

Jennifer Taylor

Chair, Special Collection

Liaison Librarian for:

Howard College of Arts and Sciences

(History)

Master of Library and Information Science, University of Southern Mississippi

BA English, Mississippi State University

Joined Samford in 1999

• What do you like best about working here in the library? The community of people. There may be other places with people as great as those here at Samford but there are none better.
  
  I also love the wow factor. That’s when archivists put a piece of history in someone’s hands and you can see them make a connection with the past that is different from learning about history online or in books. 
  
  
• What do you do on your commute to and from Samford? I listen to NPR and if I'm not doing that, I'm listening to a friend's message on Marco Polo.
  
  
• If you didn't work here in the library, what and/or where would you like to be doing? Before library school, I made a serious effort to become a clown with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. I got a call from them with interest. But looking back, I'm so glad that didn't work out because I love libraries and Samford is such a great place to be. 
  
  
• What are some of your interests outside of work? Musical Theater. I'm a Broadway Nerd to the core! I can talk theater and NYC any day, all day.  
  
  
• What is your favorite book? In fiction, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. That’s the book that made me a reader.  In non-fiction, Telling the Truth: the Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale by Frederick Buechner.  In biography, Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Bryan Smith.
  
  
• Who is your favorite author? Of course, the Samford authors are my favorite. We have got brilliant folks here on campus.  I am always amazed by what others on this campus are doing.  But outside of that, it's my friend, Ash Parsons.
  
  
• Do you have any favorite podcasts? On the Doc. Those ladies are so funny! One Thousand Words by Matthew Clark. This American Life.  I also love all The Rabbit Room podcasts. They have so many good ones.
  
  
• Who is one of your heroes and why? Gary Haugen - He saw people in need of help. He recognized the love of God for each person and he started IJM to help them.
  
  Personally, of course, my parents are my heroes. As I get older, I recognize more and more the sacrifices they made for me and how they loved me so well.
  
  
• What app is your favorite discovery? PhotoScan - The lighting in Special Collection is terrible for taking pictures. This app allows you to get pictures without a glare.
  
  
• What’s the one thing people likely don’t know about you, but should? I am passionate in my despise of mayonnaise -- shout it from the rooftops!

Meet Us Monday - Tabitha Catlin

Of all the resources the Samford University Library makes available to its users, among our most important and valuable are our people! Our #MeetUsMonday series offers a weekly glimpse behind the scenes by spotlighting the various people who work tirelessly every day to proactively support the University's mission by providing scholarly resources, research and information services, a welcoming environment, and collaborative alliances to promote learning and teaching.

Tabitha S. Catlin

Microfilm Lab Manager

BS Sociology, Samford University

Joined Samford as a student in 1986

First joined Samford as an employee in 1990

• What do you like best about working here in the library? I absolutely love the Christian environment and the feeling of family with my co-workers!  
  
  
• What do you do on your commute to and from Samford? Honestly it's a combination of praying, listening to music on SiriusXM, or talking on my cell phone via my car.
  
  
• If you didn't work here in the library, what and/or where would you like to be doing? Spending an extraordinary amount of my time with my grandchildren and I would like to travel to visit my family.  
  
  
• What are some of your interests outside of work? Watching a lot of mystery shows with my husband, spending time with my grandchildren and loving on my fur babies!  
  
  
• What is your favorite book? Charlotte's Web is one of my favorite books. It's a story that no matter what your age the message of love, friendship and sacrifice is timeless!
  
  
• Who is your favorite author? C. S. Lewis.
  
  
• Who is one of your heroes and why? My hero is my mother. She lived a selfless life in order to provide for and raise her 5 children and most importantly she taught us about Jesus Christ, our Savior. She had fearless faith, and was a prayer warrior. She gave her love unconditionally and no matter how hard life was for her she never became bitter. My mother loved life, loved to laugh and loved music. She lived her life by example in being a Christian and was true overcomer!
  
  
• What’s the one thing people likely don’t know about you, but should? I honestly enjoy doing the "Simple Things" in life. Spending time at home in a swing, cooking for my family, watching TV with my husband, loving on my fur babies and babysitting my grandchildren. It's these simple things that bring to my life some of my greatest joys!.

Meet Us Monday - Jaro Szurek

 

Of all the resources the Samford University Library makes available to its users, among our most important and valuable are our people! Our #MeetUsMonday series offers a weekly glimpse behind the scenes by spotlighting the various people who work tirelessly every day to proactively support the University's mission by providing scholarly resources, research and information services, a welcoming environment, and collaborative alliances to promote learning and teaching.

Jaroslaw Szurek

Chair, Cataloging

Cataloging & Metadata Librarian

Music Librarian

Liaison Librarian for:
School of the Arts

MS Information Science, State University of New York at Albany

MA Musicology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

Joined Samford in 2003

• What do you like best about working here in the library? The collegiality.
  
  
• What do you do on your commute to and from Samford? Listen to music.
  
  
• If you didn't work here in the library, what and/or where would you like to be doing? Traveling around the world, especially visiting some places that are off the beaten path. 
  
  
• What are some of your interests outside of work? Travelling, reading, playing the classical guitar.  
  
  
• What is your favorite book? The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
  
  
• Who is your favorite author? Dostoevsky, Hermann Hesse.
  
  
• Do you have any favorite podcasts? Ecolinguist on YouTube.
  
  
• Who is one of your heroes and why? Nikola Tesla - a still underrated genius.
  
  
• What app is your favorite discovery? PictureThis - a plant identifier.
  
  
• What’s the one thing people likely don’t know about you, but should? I often go by Jarek (not Jaro) when I talk to many people outside of the library, which is the more common version of my name in Polish.