Nathanael is the STEM/Business Liaison Librarian at Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH (4,500 FTE). Nathanael has been an ACL member since 2020.
Describe yourself using a book title: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
What’s the best thing about being a librarian? What I enjoy the most are the direct encounters with unique student needs. Students will often enter the library with similar information needs, yet each one bears some element that is expressly individual. It is at this level where you see the heart of a student and their Godward calling intimately intertwined. I count it a privilege to be a part of their academic journey and maturity in faith.
What are you currently reading? North America’s Galapagos by Corrine H. Laverty, & The Wizard and the Prophet by Charles C. Mann
Describe ACL in three words: God-honoring, Committed, Faithful
How do you (or How have you), as an academic librarian, contribute to your campus? My responsibilities take me to a myriad of places, from classrooms for research and information instruction, to offices for one-on-one faculty or student consultation, to larger campus committees that discuss curriculum, library services, and integration of academic standards.
My professional career began… as an AmeriCorp service member working with the National Forest Foundation and the US Forest Service, introducing inner-city youth, tribal communities, and volunteer programs to the wild and wonderful places of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. This sparked my passion for teaching, for information and knowledge sharing, and different ways of learning and knowing.
What do you value about ACL? I value ACL’s commitment to support Christian librarians from all over the world and to share those voices and perspectives to all members through devotionals, conferences, and other publications.
How were you introduced to ACL? Through Cedarville University
How are you or have you been involved in ACL? As a relatively new ACL member, my primary involvement has been working with the planning committee for the 2021 ACL Annual Conference hosted by CU, supporting back-end digital success as well as developing marketing material to promote ACL and the conference.
Do you have any specific interests in the library world? Technology, science librarianship, kingdom diversity, and supporting student transition to college life.