Jennifer Poggiali

I'm Instructional Technologies Librarian at Lehman's Leonard Lief Library, which means I create and promote tools to help students learn about the library, develop research skills, and practice critical thinking. Like many of the librarians here, though, I also work at the reference desk, teach classes, and serve on committees. I have master's degrees in Library and Information Science and the History of Art and Design, both from Pratt Institute, and a BA in English from the State University of New York College at Geneseo. I'll be writing about my experiences as a new professor here at Lehman, especially my interactions with students and faculty. So far that has been my favorite part of my job.

Earlier this semester, a student came to the Reference Desk here at the library and told me he wanted to read as much as he could by the great philosophers of the world.  After a few minutes of discussion and a search of the library catalog, he went upstairs to the philosophy section to browse.

I was amazed to see the same student at my office door a few hours later, book in hand, to thank me for sending him on a mind trip. He said exploring the library stacks (that’s what we call the...

Communicating with words—that’s what I learned to do as an undergraduate English major. My professors trained me to read, speak, and write, and I’m better for it. But as any good art student knows, words are not the only means of communication. This year, junior art majors Gerard Gayle and Melissa Puma have been teaching me how to communicate with images.

Melissa and Gerard are participating in an independent study facilitated by the Leonard Lief Library (where I work) and the Art Department....