Words from the Libraries’ Luminaries intern, 2021-2022

Hi everyone! My name is Judinya Thwaites-Brevik (but you can call me Nya). I am a sociology major in the Honors Tutorial College, minoring in psychology and political science with a certificate in Law, Justice and Culture. Currently, I am the OhioLINK Luminaries intern for the Ohio University Libraries.  

I have had a wonderful year working in the different departments in Alden Library and the Music and Dance Library and seeing the interworkings of the University Libraries.  

I have had the pleasure of speaking and working with so many amazing people. There are so many jobs that the typical student patron would have no idea about if they were not given an opportunity like the OhioLINK Luminaries Internship. 

To quote Chasity Gragg, “If [the Libraries’ workers] do [their] job well, then no one has to think about the work that [they are] doing.”

I think this is very true. Patrons of the University Libraries do not have to think about all the work that goes into providing them with the resources they need because they are simply there for them to use. When links are not working or books go missing, there is a chain of people working (literally behind closed doors) to make sure everything is accessible and stress-free for students, faculty and community members.  

Beyond seeing all the work that goes into running the Libraries, the Luminaries internship gave me the unique opportunity to explore cool and special places in Alden Library, such as the vault, penthouse, and annex. Being able to tour these areas felt very sacred as I know that many people, even staff members, have not yet been able to experience these places. Further, knowing about the special collections we have, such as the rare books, gives me the ability to tell other students about the amazing resources available to them that they may not have previously known about.  

This internship has been invaluable in many ways. Through the digital exhibit, “The Decline of Cursive and the Subsequent Inaccessibility of History,” that I made while working in the Mahn Center, I have been able to connect with people from across the country. 

A woman in Oregon reached out to me to say that she featured my exhibit in a conference about the importance of cursive. Another woman called from New York to tell me about her passion for cursive and how happy she is to see people caring about the subject.  

I am very grateful for the experiences I have had during my time in the OhioLINK Luminaries internship and all the people I have met. Through this program, I have developed a deep appreciation for the Athens Campus libraries and all the work that goes into running Alden Library and the Music and Dance Library.  

Photo Courtesy of Judinya Thwaites-Brevik