Two summers ago I conducted a series Carolynof interviews with all the student workers around the Leatherby Libraries. These interviews helped inform the community about all the different areas of the library and all the services we have! Now, we’re doing the same with all our hard-working librarians. Carolyn Radcliff, our Chair of the Public Services Division Librarian, was kind enough to answer some questions for us.

1. What is your name and title?
Carolyn Radcliff, chair of the public services division and liaison librarian for the College of Educational Studies.

2. How long have you been at Chapman University?
A little over three years. I started on April 3, 2013.

3. What is your job in a nutshell?
Provide supervision and oversight for the Public Services division of the Leatherby Libraries, which
includes the circulation, reference, instruction, interlibrary loan, and Brandman library services units. I
also work closely with many of the liaison librarians. Basically, my job is to make sure we are providing
the best library services we can and participating effectively in the educational mission of the
University.

I also work with faculty, students, and staff in the College of Educational Studies and in the
Kinesiology Program to select books and DVDs for the collections and to teach information literacy
sessions, orientations, and workshops.

4. Have you held any jobs at other universities or libraries?
Yes, I was a reference and instruction librarian at Kent State University in Ohio before coming to Chapman.

5. What are your passions/interests outside of work?
I am an advocate for humane treatment of all animals. Since I have been in Southern California, I have
taken two “volunteer/vacations” at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. It’s just a quick eight hour drive away for anyone looking for a life-changing experience! Check out their website!

6. Where did you get your degree?
I have three degrees from Kent State University, a BS in criminal justice studies, a Masters of library science, and an MA in communication studies.

7. Where is your hometown?
I grew up in Amherst, Ohio which is a small town in northeast Ohio about 20 miles west of Cleveland (and 30 miles east of Sandusky, home of the Cedar Point Amusement Park).

8. What is the last book you read, or the last book you loved?
I am reading Thinking Fast and Slow by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman. It’s a science-based book
about how our minds work in ways that would surprise us, if we really knew what was going on inside
our heads. Not all those surprises are good. The book explores cognitive bias, cognitive load, ego
depletion, irrationality, and overconfidence in the logic and clarity of our thinking. It’s really making me
think about decision-making in all kinds of contexts, particularly in interpersonal situations.

Here’s a good review of the book: link
We have three copies in the library.

9. Any fun facts about yourself?
My spouse and I are on a quest to visit all the National Parks in the U.S. We’ve been to 30 of the 59
places that are designated Parks and have a trip coming up Sequoia and King’s Canyon, the last two of
California’s nine national parks. See how many parks you’ve visited with this cool LA Times feature.

Save