Chiméne is a communication & journalism, gender and LGBT studies librarian at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Chiméne has been a member of ACRL for 11 years and is your ACRL Member of the Week for September 13, 2021
Describe yourself in three words: Stylish, funny, empathic.
What are you reading (or listening to on your mobile device)? I am listening to the podcast Ear Hustle. I am reading a few books at the moment: Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone by Sarah Jaffe, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki and It’s About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated into Your Greatest Advantage by Arlan Hamilton.
Describe ACRL in three words: Focused, engaged, supported.
What do you value about ACRL? When there are so many things that impact academic libraries, I appreciate and value the steadiness and time those involved with the day-to-day and long-term goals of the organization. Also, being part of an organization dedicated to providing a forum for us to showcase our talent, passion, and curiosity is ideal. Where else can we share, learn, grow, and mentor? However, as with all good things, there are moments where we disagree at times. ACRL provides the space for folks to see the other person’s perspective.
What do you as an academic librarian contribute to your campus? As a librarian with faculty status, there are many ways that I contribute to my campus. For example, I served on university governance committees, collaborated with faculty, mentored first-generation and transfer students. In addition, I have supported teaching, research, and outreach events in the library and academic departments; facilitated campus-wide and unit-specific unifying values and culture workshops. As a subject liaison, I meet with undergraduate and graduate students to consult on research projects. And, most of all, my favorite way to contribute to campus is to have one-on-one connections with folks.
In your own words: Have fun, be fair, act with integrity, be socially responsible and eat lunch; hangry is real! If we are not investing in our well-being, we will not have the energy to collaborate, the drive to create, time to inspire, or the will to be authentic.
Editor’s Note: Would you like to be featured as ACRL Member of the Week? Nominate a colleague? Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!