I have worked for two and a half years as a student assistant in the Libraries' Department of Special Collections and Archives (SCA). My daily duties are to catalog books, help patrons find materials, and help with preservation work. A highlight of my job is working on projects in the University Archives and the Southeast Asian Archive.

Anne Nguyen

I am a 4th year Psychology major with a minor in Asian American Studies. I applied for a job at the library because I heard it was a great place to work. I wanted to be a librarian when I was a little kid because I loved books. I still love working with books! In SCA, I get to work with rare books and first editions; it's really interesting. Our department isn't just old boxes collecting dust; it houses important historical information about the campus and the community.

"I want to help students understand how important the Libraries are."

Working in the library has given me a better appreciation for how accessible library resources are. We go to great lengths to help people find that one particular document for their research and that is fun. I want to help students understand how important the Libraries are and truly value the resources that the Libraries provide so they will use them more.

Working in the University Archives has given me a broader picture of the history of the campus. I've catalogued pictures from the 1970's and 1980's; it's fun to see old pictures from conferences and club activities and the political leaders that came to UCI. My favorite is a picture of our first Chancellor Dan Aldrich arm wrestling with a student during a picnic. I have learned a lot about UCI and the city of Irvine through my work in the Archives. It is amazing to see how far the campus has come!

A highlight of my job has been working in the Southeast Asian Archive and learning how immigrants came here after the Vietnam War and built new lives. As a second-generation Vietnamese American, I didn't realize how difficult it was for immigrants to come to the States until I went through the materials in the Archive. I am proud to be working in the Archive because I have helped students become more aware of their past and history, and have learned more about my own. It's great that UCI has this resource and it is so unique.

Working in the library has made me feel part of something bigger and has given me greater respect for different forms of studies and different cultures. It fascinates me to learn something new every day that I work here.