Eric is the Head of Research and Instruction at Goshen College in Goshen, IN (796 FTE). Eric has been a member of ACL for 11 years.
Describe yourself using a book title: Probably something between Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon Days and Catherine Tidd’s Confessions of a Mediocre Widow, stressing the titles more than the actual content of either book.
What’s the best thing about being a librarian? Service. I find most value in my work when I am able to help users succeed who would otherwise fail without the assistance of libraries or librarians.
What are you currently reading? Station to Station: An Ignatian Journey through the Stations of the Cross by Gary Jansen
Describe ACL in three words: Nurturing, Supporting, Fun
How do you (or How have you), as an academic librarian, contribute to your campus? Beyond the library building walls, I teach a credit-bearing course to first year students each semester, serve on the core curriculum committee, and play French horn in the All Campus Band.
One thing I wish I had known . . . I wish I had known that I didn’t have to know everything and be polished. The craft of librarianship is not about knowing stuff, but about helping others discover what they need. In this process you get to learn a lot of really cool stuff, but that’s not what librarianship is about.
What do you value about ACL? Definitely the Christ centered, faith based aspect of the organization. There are lots of excellent library organizations out there, but I value ACL for its focus on integrating faith and librarianship.
How were you introduced to ACL? As an undergraduate at Grace College a copy of The Christian Librarian was often left out at the reference desk of the Morgan Library. When I worked there as a student worker and later, as a tech assistant during library school, the librarians introduced me to the organization and encouraged me to join.
How are you or have you been involved in ACL? I serve on the liberal arts committee, and try to chime in on the listserv when someone has a pressing question in my subject area.
Do you have any specific interests in the library world? I’ve really grown to love teaching, and the concepts of information literacy. That’s where I invest most of my work energy today. As hobbies I enjoy collecting hymnals, family genealogy, and book digitization.