Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed new colleagues to the DePaul University Library. To get to know them a bit better and give them an opportunity to share a little about themselves, I asked them a few questions.
When did you start? What is your job title and responsibilities?
Tori Carl: I am the Billing Assistant at the John T. Richardson Library. I started in this position last November, but I was hired as a student employee way back in March of last year. As the Billing Assistant, I primarily help patrons resolve any fines or fees they have on their accounts.
John Leeker: My first day was January 23rd. I am the new Associate University Librarian, Collections and Discovery Services. I oversee the Acquisitions and Collections, Cataloging, and Digital Services units. Basically, my job is to help manage the process by which we select print and digital resources, describe them, and make them discoverable for our patrons.
Elaine Mitra: I started on September 6, 2022 as an Access Services Supervisor in the Loop working Monday through Thursday nights.
Melissa Zilic: I started in December as the new Metadata Librarian for Digital and Electronic Resources. I create metadata for streaming videos, ebooks, and other resources so that they can be found easily in the library catalog. There’s a lot of change in cataloging and metadata work partly due to new media formats, publishing changes, and the trend to group various versions of the same work together. Part of my job is to keep up with these changes.
Where were you before joining the DePaul University Library?
Tori Carl: I was (and still am) a graduate student in DePaul’s MA in Writing and Publishing program!
John Leeker: I was the Director of the Meadville Lombard Theological School Library and Archives, a small academic library located here in Chicago.
Elaine Mitra: Prior to working at DePaul I was only taking classes towards my MSLIS from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign through their online LEEP program. I made a big career switch as I used to work in advertising and left that industry in December 2021 in order to start grad school in January 2022.
Melissa Zilic: I worked remotely for a legal vendor creating taxonomies and complex search alerts for law firm librarians.
What is your favorite hobby or thing to do in Chicago?
Tori Carl: I love how much there is to do! I’m from Montgomery, Alabama, and though I love my hometown (and its incredible museums), there’s so many events that come to or happen in Chicago, which I love. If I had to pick one specific thing, however, my favorite thing to do is to write at The Brewed, which is a horror-themed coffee shop that I can’t get enough of.
John Leeker: Live music! I love live improvised music and Chicago has a great jazz scene. I also enjoy trying new restaurants and am systematically eating my way through Lincoln Park during my lunch breaks.
Elaine Mitra: I love going to the theatre to see either local Chicago productions or touring Broadway in Chicago shows. Going for walks by the lake and out to eat are also things I love to do. Chicago is full of delicious places to eat. Going to Chinatown for dim sum and getting yummy treats from the bakeries there is always fun.
Melissa Zilic: I enjoy crocheting, dyeing silk fabric, and other fiber arts and going to the Arboretum.
What is a favorite book, film, album, video game, etc. that is available in the Library catalog?
Tori Carl: Right now, it’s Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, which the library has for the X-Box One. It’s really bright, vibrant, and funny, and I love the way it mashes genres together.
John Leeker: My favorite novel is Jame Joyce’s Ulysses (pretentious answer, I know!). The DePaul Library has multiple editions of the book, a facsimile of the manuscript, and dozens of volumes of criticism and helpful guides.
Elaine Mitra: It’s so hard for me to choose a favorite of anything! A few books I enjoy that are available at DePaul are Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.
Melissa Zilic: From the library collection, I’d say the 6-part BBC/A&E miniseries of Pride & Prejudice based on the book by Jane Austen.
Any family or pets you wish to brag about?
Tori Carl: My first niece was born last year, Kyong Elise, and she’s the cutest and sweetest baby I’ve ever met.
Elaine Mitra: I don’t have any pets myself, but my brother has an adorable cat named Cleocatra Letterkitty (Cleo for short). At the beginning of the pandemic, my brother and I temporarily moved home so we wouldn’t be alone, and that was the only time I’ve ever lived with a pet.
Melissa Zilic: Last summer I watched a family of wild rabbits in the back yard. I never got tired of seeing the baby bunny nibbling at seeds that had fallen from the bird feeder or drinking from the basin of a potted plant.