My name is Tressa Santillo and for the past 7 years, I have had the honor and privilege to call the George C. Gordon Library at Worcester Polytechnic Institute my home away from home. I am departing WPI for an exciting opportunity and my next adventure in library land but before I do, I’d like to take some time to reflect on my time here at the Gordon Library.
I often hear the phrase “libraries are slow to change” but that’s never been my experience at WPI. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been at the Gordon Library only a few months longer than Barack Obama has been the president. During Obama’s two terms, I have managed the shelving and reshelving of books throughout the building, overseen our student employees, worked on the redesign of the library’s website, and now in my current position, I manage interlibrary loan services (especially the items that we obtain for the WPI community). I have also been able to do a lot of interesting non-traditional things for the Gordon Library like participate in the library’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, be a member of the Library of the Future planning committee as well as serve as the coordinator of this blog.
However, the most exciting changes that have happened since I first stepped foot into the Gordon Library have been the changes to the building and our services. The library’s mission statement reads, in part, “The George C. Gordon Library enriches WPI…by providing specialized resources, user-centered spaces, and innovative services that anticipate and respond to changing information needs.” I can honestly say that the library strives to meet and exceed its mission because none of these have been in short supply at the Gordon Library for as long as I have worked here. Here’s a look at just some of the changes that I’ve witnessed since September 2008:
While these photos depict physical and digital change, they feel largely incomplete without the students who know, use, and love the library. I have had the great pleasure working with students, finding information for them, and being supportive of their endeavors at WPI. Thank you WPI students, both past and present, for 7 wonderful years. I have watched a number of classes come and go during this time but now that I’m the one the leaving, it feels decidedly different and bittersweet. Dear students, you’ve made my time here very meaningful. You’re the heart, soul, and magic of this institution and because of you, there truly is no place like Gordon Library.