December Reflections: Things are getting Interesting

Photo by Stephen Broome on Unsplash

Winter in South Carolina: A Pleasant Surprise
Moving for work often means rolling the dice on your new home’s year-round charm. You usually get acquainted with a city in just one season, and for me, that season was summer. But Clemson, South Carolina, has proven to be delightful in every season. Winter here? Mild and lovely, with just enough crispness to remind you it’s the holidays.
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One thing that’s immediately clear about Clemson: there’s no shortage of school pride. Orange and purple reign supreme, painting the town and its people with unmistakable Tiger spirit. As a proud University of Tennessee alum (go Vols!), I respect this level of devotion—it’s infectious. Clemson truly is the heartbeat of the Upstate.

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Winding Down and Revving Up
As the semester winds down, my rotation through the Collections & Discovery Department has been an enlightening experience. I’ve been diving deeper into Adobe projects, sharpening my skills, and making progress on my application for the Emerging Technologies Librarian & Director of the Adobe Studio and Makerspace position. Fingers crossed!
A standout moment this month? Attending the Inclusive and Ethical AI for Academic Libraries workshop. Discussions around the role of AI in research and library spaces are sparking new ideas for my own research. The intersection of AI and libraries is such an exciting frontier—I can’t wait to see where it takes us.

Rotation Highlights
This month, I explored Clemson Libraries’ Digitization Services and the Metadata Team, and let me tell you, the enthusiasm in these departments is absolutely contagious. Learning about the digitization workflows and seeing how metadata breathes life into collections was fascinating. These teams are small but mighty, and their passion for their work is inspiring.

Adobe Adventures
The Adobe Studio has been buzzing with creativity this month. Students are flocking to the space to make gifts for friends and family. I’ve been working alongside them, watching one intern craft personalized gifts with the laser machine in Watt, and joining a few students as they mastered the embroidery machine. It’s heartwarming to see the space being used and their comradery.
On the professional side, I’ve had the chance to bring new faculty into the studio, giving them tours of the audio and video rooms while explaining how their students can use these resources for assignments. Many of these faculty members were people I met during orientation, so it was rewarding to connect them with their liaison librarians. A personal highlight? Giving a tour to the Clemson African American Museum team as they gear up for an oral histories project.

Projects Galore
Between rotations, Adobe work, and holiday prep, my plate has been full. I’m collaborating with colleagues on an Affrilachia project, laying the groundwork for a Reparative Archives initiative, and tackling my own research and writing. My article submission deadline for Theatre Journal looms large, but the thrill of contributing to scholarship keeps me motivated.

On Another Note
As we get ready for our holiday break, I can say Clemson Libraries knows how to throw a shindig. We feasted, laughed, and watched Home Alone. After three long years I finally get to go home to Tennessee. Happy Holidays!