At the Leatherby Libraries, we have an interview series highlighting the work our amazing librarians accomplish each day. These interviews help inform the community about all the different areas of the library and all the services we have! Tiana Taliep, our new Archivist for the Oskar Schindler Archive, was kind enough to answer some questions for us.

1. What is your name and title?

Tiana Taliep, I’m the Archivist for the Oskar Schindler Archive.

 

2. In what department of the Leatherby Libraries do you work?

I work in the Archive of the Sala and Aron Samueli Holocaust Library.

 

3. How long have you been at Chapman University?

I started on September 20th [2017].

 

4. What is your job in a nutshell?

I’m responsible to maintain the physical and intellectual control of the Oskar Schindler Archive, as well as the World War II and Holocaust related collections of the Samueli Holocaust Library through description, arrangement, preservation, and creating open access to these primary resources.

 

5. Have you held any jobs at other universities or libraries?

Yes, I worked as an Archivist and Reference Librarian at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in the Manuscripts, Archive and Rare Books Division. Schomburg Center is one of the world’s leading research facilities devoted to the preservation of materials on the global African and African Diaspora experiences. Here I worked on collections such as Mary Lou Williams, Storme DeLarverie, Maya Angelou, and James Baldwin.

 

6. What are your passions/interests outside of work?

I’m an avid skier, and I enjoy being outdoors as much as possible, whether that’s going on hikes, bike rides, going camping, gardening, or just going to the beach.

 

7. Where did you get your degree?

I received my B.A. in History, focusing on World War II history at the City of New York University, Brooklyn College. I earned my M.L.I.S with a certification in Archiving and Preservation in Cultural Material at the City of New York University, Queens College.

 

8. Where is your hometown?

I’m a New Yorker: I grew up in Glen Cove, on the North Shore of Long Island. It’s a small town on the Long Island Sound and it’s just a train ride away from NYC.

 

9. What is the last book you read, or the last book you loved?

At the moment I am between two books. To get a better understanding of the collection I’m processing, I am reading Oskar Schindler The Untold Account of His Life, Wartime Activities, and the True Story Behind The List, by Dr. David M. Crowe. His research is impeccable with intensive research at numerous institutions in Czechoslovakia, Poland, Germany, Argentina, Israel, and the United States. This book is fully comprehensive of both Oskar and Emilie Schindler’s lives before, during and after WWII. For leisure reading, I just picked up Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. It’s a memoir, but highlights Geobiology and Environmentalism. Jahren, a scientist, takes readers through the growth cycle of trees, relating pieces of that cycle to the story of her life as a female scientist in a male dominated occupation.

 

10. Any fun facts about yourself?

When relocating to California, I did a solo road trip across the United States on route i90 and i80. On my adventure, I camped at the Badlands National Park in South Dakota and Antelope Island in Utah. While on my road trip I stop at various tourist sites, including Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, Wyoming State Capitol, Utah State Capitol, Bonneville Salt Flats, and the California State Capitol. Out of the thirteen states, I drove through South Dakota was my favorite, besides the tourist sites I enjoyed driving past all the sunflower fields.