In recognition of their work at the library, we asked each graduating library student assistant to choose a favorite book or film. The selection will be bookplated with the student's name and year and added to Musselman's collection.
"Student assistants are an important part of our library. We are indebted to these seniors for their valuable contributions!"
Nazli Inal
[Circulation Desk, Stacks for 3.5 Years]
Major: English
Concentration: Creative Writing
Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey
Book: The Passion by Jeanette Winterson
(Excerpted from my memoir Summer of Our Fiction, written for ENG 306 in the Fall of 2007)
'I think now that being free is not being powerful or rich or well regarded or without obligations, but being able to love. To love someone else enough to forget about yourself even for a moment is to be free.' I don't look at him as I read, nor do I look at him when I pause. I keep looking into the book, as if I see myself there, and in a way I do. With The Passion, I vowed not to fear love. Since The Passion, everything in life turned into a love relationship as I started to think only in terms of love. I began to do things not because I needed to but because I wanted to. Because I would have loved to. ... I tell myself there is not one thing I have to do, including being alive. I have to choose life from death every second to continue living, and I do so because I love living. When one is choosing life, each breath is sweet, as if the air has fruit juice in it and the clouds are made of cotton candy."
Shannon Johnson
[Student Supervisor, Circulation Desk, Stacks for 3 Years]
Major: English
Minors: French & Film Studies
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
Book: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
"Imagine you had the ability to step into your favorite book and interact with its characters (Hello, Mr. Darcy!). It is hard to tell when I fell in love with this book, somewhere between the reference to the great classic Jane Eyre, time travel, and the militant Baconians. Fforde invites you to get lost (literally) in books."
Desiree Koser
[Reference for 1 Year]
Major: English
Hometown: Gettysburg, PA
Book: Near Breathing by Kathryn Rhett
"The language, structure, and pacing compel the reader through the fear, anxiety, and anger of a mother struck by the complicated birth of her first child. The emotion the book evokes inspires me to accomplish the same in my own writing. It was through Kathryn Rhett's course on memoir writing that I finally realized I am a writer."
Jason Leiter
[Circulation Desk for 3 1/2 Years]
Major: English
Minor: Secondary Education
Hometown: Fallstar, MD
Book: East of Eden by John Steinbeck
"I discovered this book for the first time this year while working on my thesis on John Steinbeck. One of Steinbeck's late works, East of Eden is the monumental saga of two families split apart. I fell in love with the novel's characters, whose personalities and ordeals are brought to life by Steinbeck's fine and simplistic style of writing."
Kayla Lenkner
[Stacks, Serials, Special Collections for 3 Years]
Major: Classical Studies
Hometown: Greenville, PA
Book: The Book of Lost Books by Stuart Kelly
"This is one of the most unique and interesting books I have ever read. It is an entertaining account of all the literature that once existed, but has since been lost, making this a fun and educational read."
Katie MacKellar
[Music Library Assistant, Fortenbaugh Music Intern, ILL for 4 Years]
Major: Music
Hometown: Lancaster, PA
Book: Candide by Leonard Bernstein
"My sophomore year, this book was ordered for me because of a project I
was doing on the Operetta. This project made me totally fall in love
with this Operetta, and now it is very exciting to be able to put my
name in this score that I cherish!"
Sergio J. A. Ragno III
[Circulation Desk for 1 Year]
Major: History
Minor: Philosophy
Hometown: NJ
Book: The Writings of William James by William James
"William James is one of the greatest philosophers America, if not the world, has ever seen and is a definite must-read for any up and coming philosopher, writing in prose highly enjoyable even to strangers and novices in the field. James touches upon psychology, pragmatism, history, ethics, and faith. I must recommend his work The Will to Believe as a personal favorite."
Lyle Roser
[Technical Services for 3 Years]
Major: History
Hometown: Livingston Manor, NY
Book: The Best War Ever by Michael C.C. Adams
"I chose this book because it embodies the job of a historian, which is to use the evidence at hand to come to a conclusion about a historical event. As he explains, World War II was not the best war ever and much of it has become myth."
Brock Russell
[Media Services for 4 Years]
Majors: Physics & Mathematics
Hometown: Port Allegany, PA
Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
"This book is hilarious; the humor and satire are nonstop. Douglas
Adams is a great author. Even after reading this book and the four
others in the series, I still wanted more. Simply put, this book is
great!"
Leah Sigle
[Circulation Desk, Fortenbaugh Music Intern for 3 Years]
Majors: French & Music
Hometown: Cazenovia, NY
Book: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
"I love Hemingway's writing style, and I read this book the week before I left to spend a semester abroad in the south of France--so the book has a special meaning for me. (It's about Hemingway's life in Paris in the 1920s)."
Peter Suchowacky
[Serials for 1 1/2 Years]
Majors: Philosophy & French
Hometown: Grand Forks, ND
Film: Mulholland Drive (DVD) by David Lynch
"I love cinema, and this one is one of the first films I really fell in love with. Also, David Lynch is one of my favorite directors. His eccentric films seem to fit my personality."
Kim Tenure
[Circulation Desk for 2 Years]
Majors: History & Political Science
Hometown: Nesconset, NY
Book: The Lottery (or, the Adventures of James Harris) by Shirley Jackson
"The Lottery is probably my favorite short story of all time. Especially in college, I've found it easier to read short stories and come back to the book when I have time. I have yet to read one of her short novels or stories and be disappointed. If I had to be stuck on a deserted island for the rest of my life, I would want one of her collected works with me."
Tina Toburen
[Circulation Desk for 4 Years]
Major: Psychology
Minors: History & Religion
Hometown: Monroe, MI
Book: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
"This is by far one of the best books I've ever read. Kostova wrote an amazing narrative that was almost impossible to put down. It's one of the first books I recommend to someone looking for a good book to read."
Amelia Viars
[Circulation Desk, Special Collections for 4 Years]
Majors: Anthropology & Art History
Hometown: Port Deposit, MD
Film: The Darjeeling Limited (DVD) by Wes Anderson
"This amazing film captures the spontaneous and colorful experiences of three brothers traveling through India. Anderson (the Director) really brought the country's culture alive for the viewer. The soundtrack was great, too! The Darjeeling Limited reaffirmed my desire to visit India, soon!"
Heather Walsh
[Circulation Desk, Stacks, Reference for 4 Years]
Major: English
Minor: Women's Studies
Hometown: Hatfield, PA
Book: Beyond Bad Girls by Meda Chesney-Lind & Katherine Irwin
"Includes essays on contemporary subjects in women's studies. Discusses media images of young girls and their place in current society. This book especially interests me because I am a Women's Studies major."
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