From uniting a community to sparking imagination to supporting scholarship and lifelong learning, libraries change lives.
“Without libraries we have no past and no future.” – Ray Bradbury
“With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one – but no one at all – can tell you what to read and when and how.” – Doris Lessing
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” – Jorge Luis Borges
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.” – T.S. Eliot
It’s not just the books that make libraries special–it’s the people. Librarians, scholars, teachers, and patrons of all ages make their mark on a library as much as it makes a mark on them. Here are a few examples from our own Mullen Library:
Professor Laura Daugherty loves libraries so much that she once accidentally almost spent the night in one; now she hopes to instill that same love in her National Catholic School of Social Service students. Ph.D. candidate Chris Suehr says that in addition to being a great place to study, Mullen Library has “the second-best water on campus.” And former liaison librarian Karen Berry not only studied for her master’s degree here–she also launched her career here.
What’s your library story?
This fall, Mullen Library is launching the “Humans of Mullen” campaign, an ongoing series of video vignettes. We’re highlighting the students, faculty, and staff who come to Mullen–to study, to browse, to help others do research, to view artwork or attend lectures, to receive tutoring or writing assistance, and more.
We were inspired by Humans of New York, a photoblog launched in 2010 by the photographer Brandon Stanton. Stanton’s intimate street portraits and brief interviews with ordinary citizens put a personal face on a huge and thriving city. We want to do the same for Mullen Library–a place where academic journeys are launched, where friends and classmates gather, and where a lifelong love of learning is instilled.
What brings you to Mullen Library? Perhaps:
- you met your best friend here
- you took a class in the Instruction Room or searched the Stacks to select research materials
- you found inspiration for your first undergraduate research paper–or for your last university opus, your dissertation
- you explored your career path or took the first steps toward a career in librarianship as a student worker
Whatever your Mullen Library story is, we want to hear it–and to share it with the rest of the Catholic University community.
Watch for our weekly videos on the CUA Libraries’ social media accounts:
- Twitter: @CUALibraries
- Instagram: @catholiculibraries
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicUniversityLibraries/
- YouTube: CatholicU University Libraries
Help us share our stories–and if you have a Mullen story of your own you’d like to tell, let us know.
To volunteer or to learn more about the Humans of Mullen series, contact a member of the Mullen Library social media team:
- Julie Loy: (loy@cua.edu)
- Emily Brown: (brownec@cua.edu)
- Tricia Bailey: (baileytc@cua.edu)
— Tricia Bailey