Honors Librarian Bios

Deepa Banerjee

Deepa is a subject librarian for South Asian Studies Librarian but also works with students with interdisciplinary research needs. Her most rewarding experience as a librarian is working closely with students and helping them with their research needs through individual consultations, chat , and working at the reference desks. Deepa has worked in a variety of library settings in Australia, Canada and US and has been a part of UW Libraries since 2006. In her free time, she enjoys listening and performing Indian classical and semi classical music.

Michael Biggins

After all these years I'm still amazed by what we can learn about the world from well-crafted literature, or from brilliant and painstaking research. I've been UW's librarian for Slavic languages and Russian/East European studies since 1994. In my spare time I translate novels and poetry from Slovenian (find that on your map!) into English.

Faye Christenberry

Faye has been the English Studies Librarian at the University of Washington Libraries since 2002. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Alabama and an M.A. in English from Indiana University. Faye's first love was Victorian literature (Thomas Hardy and Matthew Arnold rock!) but has focused most of her attention on Australian literature since reading her first "down under" author in 1986. Faye enjoys buying books, discussing literature, and helping students find the information they need for their research projects.

Kathleen Collins

Kathleen has worked in libraries since she was 13 years old, became an official degree-carrying librarian after obtaining a Master's in Library and Information Studies from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and has worked at the UW Libraries since 2001. Her current position sees her wearing many hats, but she is happiest when she is helping people find the information they need for school, work, or just to satisfy their curiosity. She is currently the UW Libraries subject librarian for sociology and children's literature. When not working or wrangling her children, Kathleen is most often to be found with her nose in a book, the better to ignore her messy house. Kathleen joined the Honors Librarian Mentor program because it sounded like a great opportunity to connect eager learners with knowledge, and she is looking forward to working with you!

Anne Davis

Anne is the Anthropology and Archaeology Librarian for the UW Libraries. She reads a lot of graphic novels and comics, which explains why she has so many geeky posters in her office.

Mel DeSart

Mel has been Head of the Engineering Library at the University of Washington since March, 2000. From 1994 to 2000, he was Engineering Librarian, then Coordinator of Science and Engineering Resources and Services, at the University of Kansas. From 1987 to 1994, Mel was Assistant Engineering Librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He received his BA (1982) in Classical Civilizations and his MS in Library and Information Science (1987), both from UIUC. Mel's professional interests include initiating and supporting positive change in the current system of scholarly communication (he currently serves as Chair of the UW Libraries Scholarly Communication Steering Committee), and in the training and mentoring of new sci-tech librarians. His non-professional interests include a variety of college and professional sports, in particular baseball, and delighting in the long-standing but to date still unsuccessful hunt for the perfect microbrewed beer.

Judith Henchy

Judith is the Head of the Southeast Asia Section in the Libraries, and an Affiliate faculty in the Jackson School of International Studies. She has a Masters in Library Science from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. from the UW History Department (she wrote on the intellectual environment of 1930s Viet Nam). Her undergraduate degree is in Southeast Asian History, from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. She has worked in Singapore as a Librarian, and spent nearly two years researching for her Ph.D. in Viet Nam and France. Before coming to UW twenty years ago, she worked as an Archivist for a Vietnam War collection at U Mass Boston, and at the National Security Archive in Washington D.C., a project working to release and publish U.S. national security documentation. She remains committed to ensuring research access to information in its various forms.

Amanda Hornby

I am the Undergraduate Instruction Coordinator and the Geography Librarian. I coordinate the Odegaard Undergraduate Library education program and love working with faculty and Teaching Assistants to teach research skills and resources to students. One of my most rewarding projects is serving as Co-Chair of the Libraries Student Advisory Committee, where we host quarterly meetings with a group of undergraduate students that advise the Libraries on improving our resources and buildings for students. I graduated with a B.A. from Lewis and Clark College, which included a year-long study abroad program in France, and an MLIS from the University of Washington. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, seeing live music shows, reading, going to farmer's markets and getting inspired to try new cooking techniques, camping, and hanging out with friends, my husband and our cat, Buddy.

Nancy Huling

I am the Division Head, Reference and Research Services, Suzzallo and Allen Libraries, and I serve as the subject librarian for the Information School. Since 2006, I've taught LIS 521, Principles of Information Services, for the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program in the iSchool. A native of Washington State, I was born and grew up in Port Townsend. My undergraduate degree in English (with honors!!) is from the University of California, Davis, my master's in library science was awarded by California State University, San Jose, and I have a master's in History from the State University of New York, Binghamton. Prior to my return to Washington State in 1993, I was a librarian at SUNY-Binghamton and at the University of California, Riverside. I'm beginning my 39th year as a librarian and remain as passionate as ever about working with students on their information needs. I learn something new every day, and can truly say I've never been bored! In my "free" time, I enjoy watching sports (especially baseball, soccer, football, and women's basketball), exercising, reading (of course), hanging out with my family, and playing with my one-year-old granddaughter.

Jill McKinstry

Jill is the Director of the Odegaard Undergraduate Library and Special Assistant to the Dean of University Libraries for Undergraduate Education and Programs at the University of Washington. Jill is a graduate of the University of Washington Information School and has been a librarian at the UW for the past 23 years. Jill is a passionate advocate for libraries and partnerships within the campus and community.

Alan Michelson

I grew up in the Midwest and have lived in cities up and down the West Coast. Moving a lot and trying to understand my new surroundings helped stimulate me to scrutinize and explore my immediate environments. Art, Architecture and history became passions of mine. I collect industrial design objects of all kinds, and have haunted thrift stores and flea markets for furniture and "smalls" since the late 1980s. I've served as the Head of UW's Built Environments Library since 2004, and have had a great experience working with the College's four departments. Prior to arriving in Seattle, I worked in the library systems at Stanford University, the University of Michigan and UCLA. Prior to library work, I obtained M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Art History from Stanford and an M.L.I.S. from Michigan and an undergraduate diploma in art history/political science from the University of Rochester. Toiling as a university student for a long time has made me aware of the problems and pleasures of doing research; it's my goal to pass some of this experience on to others.

Maureen Nolan

I am the sciences reference coordinator in Suzzallo Library on the Seattle campus, and the subject librarian for forestry and environmental sciences. This means I have responsibility for selecting book and journals, offering research consultations, and instructing students in research methods for these subject areas. It's also my great privilege to be the Head of the Friday Harbor Library, the UW's marine sciences field station in the San Juan Islands, and I spend part of each year working there. I've been a librarian at the University of Washington since graduating from the University of Washington Information School in 1996. I love being in, on, or near the water and anything to do with plants. I'm presently working on turning my office into a jungle and my yard into a mini-farm, complete with four very entertaining chickens--Mae, Madge, Emma and Lacy.

Matt Parsons

I provide reference, research consultation, and user education services for cartographic materials and resources (paper maps, aerial photos, atlases, digital geospatial data, GIS, etc.) to a diverse array of academic departments. My other responsibilities include collection development for print cartographic materials and digital geospatial data. I also support the research and teaching needs of the Earth and Space Sciences (ESS) Department. This includes buying materials (books, journals, and more) and assisting ESS students and faculty with their library research.

Deborah Pierce

Deborah works as a Reference & Instruction Librarian at Odegaard Undergraduate Library. Previously she was a Music Reference & Instruction Librarian in the Music Library. Her research interests include information literacy and life-long learning, human potentials, baroque performance practice, musician wellness, healing and music, and anything having to do with living in a co-creative and healthy manner on planet earth. She has taught a course on musician wellness, freshmen seminars on "The Power of Music" and "Inspiration from Contemporary Thinkers: Finding Your Place in the Universe" at the University of Washington and will be teaching an Honors 398 course on "Exploring the Power of Music" in winter quarter, 2012. Deborah loves to play tai chi, is certified as a Reiki master and master Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner and declares herself an avid reader, serious vegan cook, and canine aficionado.

Louise Richards

Louise is a reference librarian in Suzzallo Library whose subject specialties are fisheries and oceanography. She received a BA in English from the University of Washington, an MA in English literature from the University of Chicago, then returned to the UW for her master's degree in librarianship. She has worked as an academic librarian for 20 years and especially likes helping students use the library. In her spare time, Louise likes reading history, Chihuahuas and the out-of-doors.

Sion Romaine

I am a Serials Acquisitions librarian, working in the department that orders, processes and sets up access for most of the Libraries periodical and magazine subscriptions. I am also the Canadian Studies Librarian. A recovering maple syrup addict, I work with other subject librarians to select library materials related to Canada and Quebec.

Christine Tawatao

Christine is a Web Librarian in Suzzallo and takes care of the Libraries' website. She loves books and digital devices equally well and even though she spends most of her time online, she's really here because she likes helping connect people with information. Offline, Christine loves to cook, craft, bike, and hang out with her family.

John Vallier

As 'Head, Distributed Media' I oversee operations and develop audio/video/film collections, policies, and technologies for the Libraries Media Center. I also provide support and guidance for audio/video/film related projects across the campus. I've taught and written on a range of topics at UW and UCLA, mostly related to my interests in archives and ethnomusicology. Before coming to the UW in 2006, I was the archivist at the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive (2002-06) and a Junior Fellow at the Library of Congress (2001). My CV is available @ http://bit.ly/f93ClH.

Jennifer Ward

I am Head of Web Services at the UW Libraries, which means that I am responsible for general oversight of the libraries' Web presence. In addition, I manage the Services Group within the Information Technology Services department as well as the libraries' human factors/user experience program. When not at work, I enjoy hanging out with friends, rowing, cooking, knitting, spinning, and playing bassoon.

Linda Whang

Linda is the Instructional Services Librarian in the Engineering Library and the UW Libraries' liaison to the Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Human Centered Design & Engineering departments. Her responsibilities include selecting materials in these areas and providing research consultations and library instruction.