Jerry Carlson, UC Health, Fort Collins, Medical Librarian

Why did you choose to become a librarian?

Two years divided between biomedical lab research and pizza delivery made me realize that my place in science was in distribution rather than production.  That meant teaching, writing, or library work.  My income is steadier than a writer’s; I don’t have to control a classroom; and I still get to teach and write.

Where did you attend college?

The University of Iowa, BS in Biochemistry, 1984

University of Illinois, MS in Library and Information Science, 1987

What is your hometown?

East Moline, IL

What is your favorite book?

Sarum, by Edward Rutherfurd

What is your favorite feature in your library/favorite part of your job?

The thrill of the hunt

What are your hobbies outside of your job?

Choral singing, theater, travel, photography, history

Do you have any hidden talents?

A number of different talents, but hiding them isn’t one of them.  I belong to too many organizations not to put them to use.  I do like to say that my claim to fame is not I’m not the best at anything, but that I’m above average in many things.