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Through the Eyes of a Tiger: An Interview With Ms. Hall
Feb 8, 2013 2:37 PM
By Abraham Johnson '15 - '15
I recently sat down with Michael Hall, assistant librarian at the Upper School, to discuss reading, writing, and life in general.
Ms. Hall has been assistant librarian at the McCallie-Kennedy Library since 2012. She holds a B.A. in English from Berry College and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Alabama. She has four years of experience working in libraries, most recently as a library page at The Hoover Public Library in Birmingham, Ala. Additionally, as an undergraduate student she served as circulation assistant and reserves specialist at the Berry College Memorial Library for three years and spent one summer as inter-library loan assistant. Michael is a member of the ALA's Reference and User Services Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries.
Ms. Hall's desk is constantly surrounded by students, whether they are posting endless book suggestions on post-it notes, or just arguing about whether or not "Twilight" was a good read. In this interview, she shared with me some sage advice:
Why should students care about reading outside of the classroom?
That's kind of a heavy question, but I think probably the best way I can answer that is to say that it would improve their lives drastically in every possible way.
What got you into reading?
I'm not sure if I ever really had a choice because I think that I have been reading for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure that there was ever a decision to read; it just always was. So, it's only gotten worse.
What is your favorite book and why?
It's definitely between "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" by JK Rowling. "Pillars of the Earth" because I love historical fiction and I love that time period, and Ken Follett just knows how to spin a good yarn. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" because reading that book, literally I was sobbing through the whole thing, and it was the same emotional response for at least eight hours, but it's a good read.
Is learning how to read or learning how to write more important?
Reading is writing. The more you read, the better you write. You write what you read.
What would you say to a student who says they just don't like reading?
I might just push them over. I would say that is a shame, but maybe you haven't been reading the right thing.
What's the most interesting experience you've had since you came to Darlington?
I would say that it probably had to reside somewhere in the realm of RUMPUS. Just maybe the whole thing. It was pretty fun though, because my high school was nothing like that.
Ms. Hall has been assistant librarian at the McCallie-Kennedy Library since 2012. She holds a B.A. in English from Berry College and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Alabama. She has four years of experience working in libraries, most recently as a library page at The Hoover Public Library in Birmingham, Ala. Additionally, as an undergraduate student she served as circulation assistant and reserves specialist at the Berry College Memorial Library for three years and spent one summer as inter-library loan assistant. Michael is a member of the ALA's Reference and User Services Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries.
Ms. Hall's desk is constantly surrounded by students, whether they are posting endless book suggestions on post-it notes, or just arguing about whether or not "Twilight" was a good read. In this interview, she shared with me some sage advice:
Why should students care about reading outside of the classroom?
That's kind of a heavy question, but I think probably the best way I can answer that is to say that it would improve their lives drastically in every possible way.
What got you into reading?
I'm not sure if I ever really had a choice because I think that I have been reading for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure that there was ever a decision to read; it just always was. So, it's only gotten worse.
What is your favorite book and why?
It's definitely between "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" by JK Rowling. "Pillars of the Earth" because I love historical fiction and I love that time period, and Ken Follett just knows how to spin a good yarn. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" because reading that book, literally I was sobbing through the whole thing, and it was the same emotional response for at least eight hours, but it's a good read.
Is learning how to read or learning how to write more important?
Reading is writing. The more you read, the better you write. You write what you read.
What would you say to a student who says they just don't like reading?
I might just push them over. I would say that is a shame, but maybe you haven't been reading the right thing.
What's the most interesting experience you've had since you came to Darlington?
I would say that it probably had to reside somewhere in the realm of RUMPUS. Just maybe the whole thing. It was pretty fun though, because my high school was nothing like that.
