Member Spotlight - Patricia Chavez

January 2, 2023

This week's member spotlight is on Patricia Chavez. Patricia is a current member and past co-manager of the ILA Students and New Professionals Forum (SANP). She was also a member of the ILA Conference Program Committee, 2021. We asked Patricia to tell us a little about herself and answer a few professional and amusing questions. Continue reading to find out more about Patricia. 

A little background on Patricia

Patricia is a Library Research Information Specialist at Rush University Medical Center. She is a current member and former co-manager of ILA’s Students and New Professionals Forum (SANP).

How did you get your start in libraries?

After I graduated with my BA in English in 2013, I was uncertain as to whether I wanted to continue in academia or go to library school. I took a year off, during which I worked at Best Buy. I found that I enjoyed helping people learn to use their phones, tablets, and other devices and, therefore, helping them to access all of the knowledge the world has to offer. I felt that librarianship, a calling dedicated to helping everyone access knowledge equally, was therefore the best career path for me.

Best advice you've received since starting your career in libraries?

When I was first starting library school, numerous people told me to keep an open mind, because librarianship can lead you down so many different paths. Due to this emphasis on open-mindedness, I've worked in archives, university libraries, and now a medical library. There are so many possibilities in this field, and all of them add so much to one's professional experience.

Any advice to newcomers working in libraries?

Get involved in professional organizations and other networking opportunities! Networking was the other advice I received when I was first starting out, and I know everyone still beats on about it, but it really is so important. It can also be easier than it seems! There are many options that are online-only, and you can always start out with smaller, local organizations.

When and why did you become a member of ILA?

I joined ILA in 2019. A close friend of mine had just started working for the organization, and she told me about the opportunity to join a new forum, the Students and New Professionals Forum (SANP). Like many others, I struggled with networking, and thought that this sounded like a great opportunity to get involved on a small scale.

How has being a member of ILA helped you professionally? 

Being a member of ILA, and of SANP especially, has given me so much confidence. I've had the opportunity to co-chair the forum, moderate webinars, and serve on the 2021 conference committee (which gave me the opportunity to moderate panels at the conference itself). All of this was stuff I couldn't imagine ever doing back in 2019, and ILA gave me the opportunity to do it all without being overwhelming.

What is your proudest professional achievement to date?

I'm proud of a lot of the work I've done with SANP, especially moderating the panels. I was painfully shy for most of my life, well into my early 20s. Even when I joined ILA in 2019, I didn't think I'd ever be particularly adept at public speaking. Though all of the webinars and sessions I've moderated have been virtual, they've increased my professional confidence even when public speaking in person.

Hardcover, paperback, e-reader, audiobook, or all?

I like and use all, but my personal preference is paperback. Easier to carry around!

Favorite author?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I read the entirety of the Sherlock Holmes canon my senior year of high school, and it basically changed the course of my undergraduate studies.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, what five books would you bring with you to pass the time until being rescued?

  • The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: This is a bit of a cop-out, but I do have all of the stories and novels in one physical volume!
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: I've read this novel many, many times, and it gets better every time.
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: This is my favorite novel, and while I'm not convinced that I would actually enjoy reading it on a deserted island, I would feel bad leaving it behind.
  • The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie: Depending how long I'm on the island, I can read it every ten years or so and be shocked by the ending every time.
  • The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson: Even though it's about an extremely notorious serial killer, Larson also managed to capture the beauty and spirit of Chicago. I would read it to keep the homesickness at bay.

Cat or Dog?

I love and adore both, but cats are my preference. My cat is black and white, and his name is Alfie.

Favorite film, podcast, or television show?

My favorite movie is The Apartment (1960). I watch it every New Year's.

One person you would like to meet, dead or alive why?

Arthur Conan Doyle. We would fight the whole time, both because I'd have to convince him that it's good that women have the right to vote and because he'd be very annoyed that I'd be asking him about Sherlock Holmes.

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