Spotlight on… Emily Mazure
This month’s spotlight is on Emily Mazure from Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences at VCU. If you would like to be in the spotlight, please contact Amy Blevins at blevinsa@ecu.edu. It’s a great way to let MAC members get to know you.
Emily Mazure
1. How long have you been a librarian?
Short answer – a little over 2 years! Long answer – I graduated from the University of Michigan with my Master of Information Science 
degree in May 2007. From July 2007 – March 2009 I worked at North Carolina State University as a Libraries Fellow. In April 2009 I began work at Tompkins-McCaw Library at Virginia Commonwealth University as an Education & Research Librarian.
2. How did you get into this field?
Like many other librarians I originally wanted to do something else. In my case I was interested in animal behavior and ecology until I completed a NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates internship the summer before my final year in college. After deciding I was not going to pursue a Masters degree in biology or ecology I re-evaluated my interests and skills and among the various careers I investigated librarianship seemed to be a good fit. And it has been a very good fit!
3. How long have you been a member of MAC?
About 1 ½ years.
4. If someone asked you for one reason to join MAC, what would you say?
MAC is a wonderful community of like-minded colleagues who are willing to share experiences and knowledge. Unlike larger organizations like ALA or MLA it has a small-town, “everybody knows your name” feel which is especially welcoming to a newbie trying to meet and learn from others and present their own work.
5. Could you tell me a little about your current position and what you do?
I’m still figuring it all out myself! Generally speaking, I teach! My teaching ranges from single person consults for a very specific question or problem; to large class orientations to library resources; to the creation of user-friendly online tutorials illustrating specific resources or broad concepts. I’m exploring new ways to promote the library and its resources and services using course management systems and social media tools.
6. What do you like to do when you aren’t being a librarian?
I like to stay active and can often be found on the softball field. Recently, I decided to train for a triathlon, so now I spend a lot of time in the pool or on a bike too!
7. What is the strangest patron request/situation you have experienced?
When I was an intern at the Taubman Medical Library at the University of Michigan I had a gentleman call the reference desk with a simple question (I don’t specifically remember what it was). When I tried to give him the URL of the webpage containing the answer to his question he had absolutely no idea what a URL or browser or Internet explorer or Firefox, etc was. We were speaking two different languages! After a few minutes I managed to discover that he did however know how to use email…so I emailed him the link!
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