This series of profiles highlight valued student employees from across the Libraries, including Kimberly Agyeiwaa Boateng, a Circulation desk attendant at Butler Library. The Libraries are the largest employer of students on campus. We couldn’t serve our users without them!
Q: Which library do you work at and what is your title?
I work at Butler Library and I am a Circulation desk attendant.
Q: What does your job entail?
My job consists of both visible and behind the scenes work. While I’m at the desk, I essentially work customer service: I check out books to patrons, answer questions, retrieve books people order, etc. When I’m in the back, depending on the needs at the time, I could be checking in books from the bins outside, pulling old (non-picked up) books from the hold shelves, or tidying up the library. There are a lot of tasks that we do depending on the day and hour.
Q: Could you describe your favorite part of working at the Libraries?
I’ve been working here for two years now and for sure the best part of the job is meeting people. So many students and affiliates pass through Butler and I get to hear little bits about their studies and lives and also see what people are reading or studying.
Q: What is your area of study?
I am a sustainable development major in Columbia College and if time allows, I hope to also do a special concentration in public health.
Q: Of the libraries on campus, which is your favorite place to study?
I will admit, surprisingly enough, I’m not too much of a library studier. I tend to prefer lounges, but I do really like the Milstein Library at Barnard simply because of the amount of natural light and the bright and vibrant colors.
Q: What do you consider to be a “hidden gem” at the library where you work?
A hidden gem in Butler is definitely the comic book rooms [which hold the Libraries’ Graphic Novels Collection] on the fourth floor. For some reason, so many people don’t know about them. I am a huge anime fan so seeing so many mangas was great. Also, I just love discovering new comics to show my siblings.
Q: What is your favorite book?
Because school is so busy, I unfortunately haven’t been reading too much, but my favorite book is a childhood book my parents used to read to me and my siblings called Signposts by William Durr. It’s just a cute collection of quirky stories that remind me of my family and growing up.