2015 Senior Books
Senior Books Project
Every year, the graduating seniors who are working in the library are invited to pick a favorite book and say something about what it was like to work in the library. Scroll through the years to find some great books and hear what it’s like to work in the Library
Years available:
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
P.J. Murphy
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 1 year in the library
P.J.’S BOOK SELECTION
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
ABOUT THE SELECTION
I read this book my senior year of high school, and it has stuck with me ever since. The author has a deep compassion for his characters and it is incredibly written. It explores how we navigate and respond to the limitations our society, our relationships and even our own personal flaws impose on us in a really profound way. While the story is deeply tragic, I think it also very grounded and relatable to many young adults’ experiences.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
ALL THE BOOKS!
Jenni Goller
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 4 years in the library
JENNI’S BOOK SELECTION
ABOUT THE SELECTION
I really love the author and his views on the world are beautiful and never cease to make me question things, in the best way possible
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
I really loved working at media services and the library because I was surrounded by wonderful people who helped me realize that I wanted to continue to work in libraries after college.
Tiffani Turinski
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 3 years in the library
TIFFANI’S BOOK SELECTION
ABOUT THE SELECTION
The fantastically imaginative world that Nix creates in this book has made it a long-lasting favorite of mine. I love reading of the adventures that the eponymous Lirael and her sidekick the Disreputable Dog have as they explore their glacial home and the dangerously intriguing library contained within.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
I enjoy how welcoming and friendly the staff are in the library and how everyone here is truly passionate about helping patrons access library materials, especially those that are a challenge to find.
Clemens Pilgram
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 4 years in the library
CLEMENS’S BOOK SELECTION
ABOUT THE SELECTION
I find the character Walter Faber intriguing – a cynical engineer travelling around the world to escape from himself and his own history, while slowly accepting that the world is not as mathematical and straightforward as his world view.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
Working in the library has been an invaluable experience – between getting to know so many friendly fellow student workers, receiving amazing guidance from staff and gaining great research skills, the library has been a central part of my Macalester experience.
Alexzandra Boyer
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 2 years in the library
ALEXZANDRA’S BOOK SELECTION
ABOUT THE SELECTION
This is one adventure you don’t want to miss!
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
The amazing staff!
Rachel Wilson
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 4 years in the library
RACHEL’S BOOK SELECTION
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
ABOUT THE SELECTION
Reading this book helped me realize that I want to be a writer!
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
Working in the library was great because I had the opportunity to be around books all the time and work with fantastic people!
Alex Greenler
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Archives
- Worked 1 year in the library
ALEX’S BOOK SELECTION
ABOUT THE SELECTION
I love this book because it is witty, off-putting, and beautifully written. The subtle decent into madness of the main character is written in a nuanced and heartbreaking manner that is also so easy to understand that it’s hard to put the book down.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
Working in the archives, I have learned so many interesting and unusual things about Macalester’s history. It’s been great to work with the materials, and help other discover Macalester’s history as well.
Lilly Bock-Brownstein
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Library Office
- Worked 4 years in the library
LILLY’S BOOK SELECTION
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
ABOUT THE SELECTION
Dawkins published this book in 1976, and it still remains completely mindblowing in its explanation of animal (including human) behavior/evolution and how it is all ultimately controlled by genes replicating themselves. It is both weird and comforting to think of ourselves as “survival machines”.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
Friendly staff and an opportunity to learn a huge diversity of skills.
Maddy Blain
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Archives Aide
- Worked 3 years in the library
MADDY’S BOOK SELECTION
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
ABOUT THE SELECTION
I’ve never owned the actual book, but the audiobook version has come with me on countless international airplane rides, from 7th grade to last year studying abroad. The magic in it is just as real to me now as when I was 12.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
Working in Archives, I’ve gotten to see some pretty awesome, really old stuff. Learning about Macalester’s history by looking through old photos and letters was awesome.
Tristan Wrosch
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 4 years in the library
TRISTAN’S BOOK SELECTION
ABOUT THE SELECTION
The whole series is very entertaining. It’s something you can pick up and engross yourself in until you’ve read it all.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
I’ve greatly enjoyed spending time with my co-workers, and also using the Library of Congress classification system. I find scanning a line of books for the call number I’m looking for to be strangely enjoyable.
Kaitlyn Miller
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 4 years in the library
KAITLYN’S BOOK SELECTION
The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
ABOUT THE SELECTION
I read this book last summer and absolutely loved it. It is a cross between Jane Austen and Star Trek. The premise is that an alien society’s homeland has been destroyed and the survivors must reach out to and adapt to living with the people and societies of their new adopted planet.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
My favorite part about working at the library has been all the wonderful people and the fun and occasionally spontaneous social events, such as playing baseball outside with the rubber-band ball. I have also loved looking at all the books people check out and seeing what other students are studying and interested in.
Rhyan Foo Kune
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 2 years in the library
RHYAN’S BOOK SELECTION
ABOUT THE SELECTION
You should follow your dreams
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
The staff members and the group of people I work with made it a pleasure to come to work everyday!
Benjamin Michael Hillmann
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 4 years in the library
BENJAMIN’S BOOK SELECTION
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
ABOUT THE SELECTION
A classic science-fiction novel that was not done justice by Harrison Ford. If you picked this book up while shelf-reading, consider checking it out.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
Ron has been a pleasure to work with. Hanging out downstairs with all of the other former LibTech Desk employee’s. And I will never forget, the legendary jar of candy.
Amelia Loew
- Year of Graduation: 2015
- Library Department: Access, Instruction, & Research Services
- Worked 4 years in the library
AMELIA’S BOOK SELECTION
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
ABOUT THE SELECTION
The Knife of Never Letting Go is set on a distant planet where the last remnant of human setters are struggling to survive. Tod is the last boy yet to become a man in a town where an alien virus killed all the women and left the men and boys constant projecting their thoughts for everyone to hear. Or that’s what it seems, as one day Tod discovers a mysterious hole in the telepathic “noise” of his world that changes everything. I do not read much outside of school lately, but Patrick Ness’s ability with atmosphere and suspense pulled me in, and I flew through this book, along with its sequels! Besides being incredible reads, they deal with deep questions of violence and oppression.
ON WORKING IN THE LIBRARY
Above all the people. There’s something unique about the chatter that goes on at the service desk; I’m always surprised by what my coworkers are accomplishing or what wacky piece of news there is that day.