Research Assistance:  The Yale Library comprises one of the world's richest research collections.  This is great, of course, but the complexity of the collection can make using the library an intimidating experience.  I'm here to help.  Yale students are welcome to contact me with any of their research or library related questions.  Looking for articles for a paper project?  I can help.  Need to borrow books from another library?  I can explain how to do this.  Have a purchase request for the Yale Library?  I can help with that, too.  I welcome your questions.  Just send me an e-mail or come by my office in Sterling Memorial Library.

About me:  At the library, I serve as the Kaplanoff Librarian for American, British and Commonwealth history.  This means that I build collections in these areas as well as offer research assistance to Yale students and faculty working in them.  I hold a Ph.D. in U.S. history from Rice University and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Pittsburgh.  I'm also a big sports fan, and have had season tickets to Yale hockey since I arrived at Yale in 2007 (favorite player men's team: Kevin Peel; favorite player women's team: Aleca Hughes).  Being from the Boston area, I also follow the Boston Bruins and the New England Patriots. My favorite cities are Pittsburgh, Houston, Osaka, Hong Kong, Mexico City, and Montreal, the last of which has the best bagels in the world (and the worst hockey team).

How can my Personal Librarian help me?

• Keep you informed with periodic e-mail messages highlighting new resources and programs specifically for students, as well as with notices and timely reminders, such as extended Library hours during Reading Week and finals
• Answer your questions about Library policies, procedures and services, such as RefWorks workshops and Borrow Direct
• Assist with finding information for your research assignments, by helping you articulate your research question, identify the best sources, and formulate your search strategies
• Support you even when you’re not around (on vacation or away from Yale doing research)
• Help you when you don’t know where to start, or you can’t think of what to do next

Things we don’t do (but we’ll help you find out who can)

• Set up your computer (i.e. NetIDs, VPN)
• Do your research, make photocopies or write your paper for you