Tanya is the second librarian to be featured in our “Know Your Librarian” series. She’s the Circulation and Adult Services Librarian at HSL. Whew! What a mouthful!
Hi Tanya! We’re excited to have you answer our questions. So first, we have to ask, what’s your favorite genre of book or movie?
I would say the genres of movie and books that I gravitate towards are historical and mystery. I love reading about, and seeing, different eras. And mysteries are fun because you have to figure out what’s going on.
What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue?
Cooking. I actually like to cook. But I never have the time to try all the recipes I want (or to perfect them). There are a few dishes from my childhood that my grandmother used to make and I can’t replicate them. If I had the time and money, that would be my goal. Keep making them until I get it right. I miss eating them!
What are you interested in that most people haven’t heard of?
Herbalism. I actually just finished a class all about using herbs for your health and overall well being. It was fascinating.
What form of public transportation do you prefer? (plane, boat, train, bus, car, etc.)
I prefer traveling by car. I love a good road trip. Seeing new places and spending time with family and friends. My best friend and I have been on epic road trips! But there’s also something compelling about traveling by train. I think it’s because I rarely travel by train and I imagine myself in an Agatha Christie novel. Traveling by train always sounds glamorous to me.
Would you rather go hang gliding or whitewater rafting?
Whitewater rafting. Definitely.
Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
The uppermost platform at the Eiffel Tower. It was awesome! You’re about 900 feet up in the air with great views of Paris.
What fictional place would you most like to go?
Hmmm. I would have to say Middle Earth. I’d love to wander through Rivendell.
What pets did you have while you were growing up?
I had dogs, chickens, and a guinea pig named Guy Theodore. He was very prestigious. Just kidding. I was little when I got him and I named him Guy because he was a boy. Original. I know.
What book impacted you the most?
There are two books that stick with me Fahrenheit 451, which I’ve read several times, and East of Eden, which is on my re-read list. I find Fahrenheit 451 a scary contemplation on a society with too much mass media and not enough original thought. It always comes back to me when I feel like I’ve spent too much time on my phone. It gets a little harder to read (more frightening) each time I go back to it. I read East of Eden in school and it was the first “classic American novel” that I loved. I couldn’t put it down. Every character in the book was captivating in their own way and I was thoroughly invested in their lives. You know that feeling you get when you read a great book and you’re just transported into another world? Whenever I think of East of Eden I remember that feeling vividly.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Definitely an introvert. I love getting to know new people but I need my downtime to recharge at the end of the day.
Thanks for taking the time to chat Tanya! It’s been fun. Check back next month to see which of our librarians we’ll be featuring.