The next interview in the “Staff Spotlight” series is Jenny Jones. Jenny shared her humor and insights on the importance of libraries. A dependable employee since 1999, she brings joy to the processing offices and has an unmatched ability to recall the policies and procedures of McFarlin's past. Read the full interview below to learn the strangest thing she has ever witnessed in the library stacks, and why she has chosen to spend her career working in libraries.
How long have you been at McFarlin and what roles have you had during your tenure?
I’ve been with McFarlin for 25 years. I started out as a part time employee working at what was once called the “Cyber Café” in August of 1999. A few months later I applied for an opening in the Interlibrary Loan department and was hired on as full-time staff just days before my 21st birthday.
In 2007 I shifted from ILL to running the library remote storage unit for McFarlin’s regular stacks. This involved moving materials in mass from one building to another, and then organizing the various collections at the storage site. Currently, I split my time between the Research and Circulation Departments, helping patrons with reference questions as well as managing holds.
Why librarianship? What made this career appealing to you?
I used to HATE reading when I was much younger, but a teacher in 5th grade changed my mind about books and I haven’t stopped reading since then. Although, I never imagined I’d end up working in a library, much less an academic one.
After working in a library, I now see libraries as portals to imagination and information for any and all who seek it. Libraries are where you go to find answers to questions. I have found, over the years, that there are some interesting questions out there to be asked, and I’ve learned some interesting things while working in this library.
What is your non-library training and/or degree, and how does it help you working at a library?
I have the distinction of being the only one on staff with just a high school diploma. I was hired at McFarlin right out of high school. Though I do not have any college education, I was able to integrate into the Research and ILL Departments without a formal education. Nowadays, it gives me the advantage of being on an equal footing with students just out of high school, and that helps build a rapport with some students.
What’s your favorite spot in McFarlin Library and why is it your favorite?
Back in the day, there was a spot in the stacks with a little study nook that I would sit at when taking a break from schlepping materials to remote storage. Because there is a vent directly above the chair, I could be cooled with frigid air during the summers.
(This is a tip to any students who find themselves in McFarlin during our hot Oklahoma summers.)
Can you tell me about a memorable interaction you have had with a patron?
I had a patron from a few years ago that was in town from out of state and they wanted to see their thesis on the shelf with all the other thesis and dissertations on the shelf in the stacks. That was fun, they were super stoked. They took pictures of it on the shelf and everything.
What is your favorite media to consume and what makes it your favorite?
I love to read. I want to say reading, but my first love would be the movies. I think film is my favorite medium because it continues to evolve new and spectacular special effects. These effects come from someone else’s imagination and provide incredible visuals that feed the audience’s imaginations. One of my favorite examples is the scene in the Lord of the Rings film when Arwen calls the river to surge, and it looks like horses. Yeah, it was cool in my imagination when I read the scene, but it looked even better on film.
What’s the best (non-human) resource in McFarlin?
The Writing Center. For years, no one was sure what building it was in and what exactly they could and could not help you with. Now that they’re located in McFarlin we have a copacetic relationship with them. McFarlin staff have a better understanding of what their operational parameters are, and it's much easier to direct patrons to them.
Tell me the most bizarre thing you have seen while walking through the book stacks.
Catching a couple in a heavy make-out session by the copy machines that used to be on the Intermediate Level. I blushed as I told them, “This didn’t count as a private room.”
If you could go back in time and talk to one of the designers who modified the building, which phase would you jump to and what would you tell them?
That’s easy! In the last major renovation, they took out the carpet on the main level floor between the processing offices and the book stacks. Book carts full of books do not do well on tile floors – they just vibrate right off the cart.
You’re trapped in McFarlin for the night: what do you do when no one else is around?
Hunt for the Ghost of McFarlin. They gotta be around here somewhere!
What is an exciting project you are currently working on, or a future endeavor you are anticipating?
I’m excited to be working on new acquisitions for the Browsing Floor novels and graphic novels in the coming new year. The various collections on that floor have not seen an update since before Covid. It will be fun to see which new and exciting titles can be added, as well as updating some of our current series.