Meet Melissa Doyle, our newest staff member!

"Are we allowed to ask you what you're doing in there?"

Our newest staff member has been a source of some curiosity to students studying on the third floor of the library. She wears a lab coat and has been spotted wheeling book carts out of a plastic-sheeted room in the back corner. Well, I am here to put the mystery at rest! Melissa Doyle, who started working with us last month, is not our resident mad scientist, and we don't keep her locked away in a plastic room so she can conduct her nefarious experiments in seclusion. She's been hard at work cleaning books for our new Triplett Military History Collection.


There were over 120 boxes of books, magazines and other media which needed to be cleaned before they could be processed and put on the shelves. Melissa expects to complete the job this week. After that, she'll finally get to emerge from what she calls "the bubble" to work at the reference desk and help with the next phases of the Triplett process.




I asked Melissa a few questions about her background, career goals and impressions of Reinhardt so far:

Where did you go to school?

MD: I went to Florida State University, where I double majored in Creative
Writing and Humanities with Art History concentration. I am in the MLIS
program at University of North Texas for my Masters in Library Science.

What attracted you to library work?

MD: I think it’s what I was always meant to do. I love books and learning, and
I especially love sharing information with other people.

What do you like best about working at the library?

It’s such a comfortable place, with couches and artwork and books
everywhere, and great people I’ve gotten to know so well. After too many
years in a cubicle farm, I look forward to work every day.

What are your future career plans?

I hope to become a full librarian here at Reinhardt one day. I’ve been
inspired by working on TMMC and want to expand on the Southern history and culture theme of the collection, as well as continue to develop the libraryas it grows. I’d love to see our library become a predominant institution in Southern history and culture one day, especially with so much of it in this area.

What do you think of Reinhardt?

It’s a great school! When I first came up here I immediately felt at home.
Everyone is so nice and easy to talk to, and I love all of the activities
the school has going on.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I read a lot. I also hula hoop, craft, and explore. I love getting in my
car and just seeing where I end up.

Technical services librarian Joel Langford says Melissa has been a wonderful addition to the library staff. "She has taken on a rather daunting, unexciting project with great enthusiasm. She is very self-motivated and works tirelessly all day on a very tiring task. She is careful and precise in her work, and I hope her experience here will benefit her in her pursuit of a library career as much as she will be beneficial to us."