Whether it’s classical sounds of Beethoven, the funky jams of John Coltrane, or the sassy swing music of Benny Goodman, the U-M music library has something in its collection for all tastes. Kristen McConnell, assistant librarian, is the person who helps visitors find works ranging from symphonies to jazz and rag time sheet music to operas.
.jpg)
“I enjoy the environment I work in,” McConnell says. “It’s a thriving place with people really excited about the pursuit of music.”
As the assistant librarian, McConnell has two primary roles. She serves as the reference librarian, helping people locate the information they need within the library.
“One thing I get out of this job is that it has a real public service aspect about it,” she says.
Her other job is to purchase materials, primarily books, to keep the library’s collection up to date.
“The music school offers advanced degrees in pretty much every area of music, so we are mostly trying to buy materials that are going to support those programs,” McConnell says.
The internationally recognized library, ranked one of the top 10 in the nation, is a perfect fit for McConnell because she can combine her love of music with her desire to help others.
“One thing I really enjoy is that it allows me to stay immersed in music,” she says. “It is so much easier to help people when you have a collection like this at your fingertips.”
At 8 years old, McConnell began taking piano lessons, initiating a fascination and appreciation of music that carried her to Baldwin Wallace College in Ohio, where she earned her bachelor’s in music, and Penn State University, where she earned a master’s in musicology.
She continues to enjoy playing the piano, although she no longer performs. Her career allows her to utilize the musical knowledge she has acquired over the years.
“The love of the art is what has pushed me to pursue music all these years,” she says. “I love the complexity and passion of it.”
Outside of work, McConnell enjoys traveling. Her last big vacation was to Canada where she visited Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City. She is planning a trip to Germany this summer.
