Over the next few months, we will be getting to know staff from the library and archives team. This month, we are featuring two staff who are beginning new roles: Sandy Soud (the new Technician, Cataloguing and Acquisitions) and Lindsay Grant (the new Rolph-Bell Archivist)!

1. Name: Sandy Soud
   
2. What’s your job title? Library Technician, Acquisitions and Cataloguing.
   
3. For readers outside the library & archives world, what does your job title actually mean?: I’m the buyer for the library’s collection and the describer for the books we acquire. That means I handle the ordering, receiving, and cataloguing so that materials make their way seamlessly from vendor to shelf (or online access) and are discoverable for our wonderful community.
   
4. Describe in brief what you do?: I oversee the acquisitions process for print and electronic materials, ensure accurate cataloguing records in Alma, and support collection development. I also liaise with colleagues and vendors to make sure resources are accessible for students, faculty, staff, and researchers.
   
5. How did you get into working in libraries/archives?: I grew up surrounded by books and spending time in my school library, where my high school library technician, Ms. Simpson, and one of my dear role models, Wendy M, inspired me to see this as a career path. I started out in a public library before landing a role at OCAD University, where I worked across acquisitions and circulation. That experience confirmed for me that libraries are both intricate and deeply human spaces and exactly where I want to be.
   
6. What would you like people to know about Graham Library or Trinity Archives that they might not know?: Hmmm! Our rare book collection, housed on the bottom level of Graham Library, is a hidden gem. Seeing the care with which Rebekah Bedard curates and maintains the collection is breathtaking. The history, artistry, and stories contained there are remarkable; I’d encourage anyone visiting to take time to explore!
   
7. Before working here, what was your most unusual or interesting job?: Probably one of my first jobs working at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise! Being surrounded by the Rockies every day while working gave me an additional layer of appreciation for Canada. If you can, you must visit, and I will happily provide recommendations!
   
8. What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?: Honestly, all of it! I love being at the intersection of people, processes, and resources; seeing a need from faculty or students and knowing I played a role in getting the right materials into their hands is very rewarding. Helping and contributing back to society has been my deep underlining passion from ever since I can remember.
   
9. What’s the most interesting or fulfilling thing you’re working on right now?: I’m preparing to begin cataloguing rare book materials. The thought of working with items that are centuries old and ensuring that the voices of the past are remembered and made accessible is incredibly exciting for me.
   
10. What was the last book you finished reading?: Art Is Life by Pulitzer Prize–winning critic Jerry Saltz. It’s a collection of his essays spanning two decades of contemporary art. I loved how it gave me an insider’s perspective on how art shapes culture and how to approach it with more curiosity and confidence.

11. Where did you grow up?: I grew up in the east end of Toronto and Aurora, Ontario!
    
12. What is your best advice for U of T Library or Archives users?: Please never be afraid to ask!
    Whether you’re searching for a specific resource or just curious about what’s available, librarians and staff are here to help. Some of the best discoveries come from simply starting a conversation.
    
13. What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?: Kendrick Lamar! His energy, lyricism, and storytelling made the concert unforgettable. His concert was one of those nights where the whole crowd felt connected and moved.
    
14. What’s your favourite thing to do in Toronto?: Visiting art galleries, shopping in Kensington Market, wandering around Ossington, or relaxing on the waterfront.
    
15. What was the best meal you’ve ever had and where?: Truthfully? Anything that my mom cooks. I need to learn all her secrets!
    
16. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?: I’d love to explore Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and South America… but honestly, the more I think about it, the more I want to see the whole world. Life’s too short not to! If you have travel suggestions, I’d love to hear them. 😊
    
17. Besides our library, what is your favourite library to visit?: The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at U of T. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by treasures of that scale and significance. To anyone reading this and haven’t visited – you must go!
    
18. What’s your favourite thing to do in Toronto?: I’d say connecting with friends over food, meeting local business owners, exploring neighbourhoods, and being one with the art scene.
    
19. What do you like to do in your spare time?: I enjoy reading, curating music playlists, roaming Pinterest, exploring art and fashion, fitness, and spending time with friends and family. I like balancing that with quieter rituals like making French press coffee or wandering the city and browsing an art gallery.

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1. Name: Lindsay Grant

2. What’s your job title?: Rolph-Bell Archivist, Trinity College Archives. Previously, I was the Processing Archivist, Trinity College Archives for about a year and a half. 
3. Describe in brief what you do: As the new archivist of Trinity College, I’m responsible for identifying, acquiring, describing, preserving, and promoting the accessibility of records of enduring value. I provide reference services relating to the Archives’ corporate and private records, and help staff, faculty, students and the general public find what they’re looking for in our collections. I host class visits and deliver primary source literacy instruction. I’ve put together exhibits on the history of Trinity College. I’m also responsible for records management at the College, as well as the care of the College art collection. 

4. How did you get into working in libraries/archives?: I used to work in film and television, and at one point in my career I was put in charge of the footage and tape library of a large production company. I became really drawn to resource description, organizing information, and helping people find things. At the same time, I was doing visual research, working with libraries and archives to find historical photos and footage for production. I found the whole process so fascinating! That eventually led me back to university, and to getting a Master of Information degree at the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto, with the goal of working in archives.  

5. What would you like people to know about Graham Library or Trinity Archives that they might not know?: Sometimes when I talk to people who are new to archives, they think everything has been digitized and can be found online. But for a variety of reasons, most archival materials haven’t been digitized and a lot of archival research still takes place in person, in an archival reading room. In-person research can be a bit daunting – especially if you’re early on in your research career – but you also have the chance to find something that very few people know about, and you can do some truly original research. And archivists are here to help you.  

6. Before working here, what was your most unusual or interesting job?: I was a singing telegram lady for about three hours, during which time my attempts to surprise the intended telegram target were repeatedly foiled. I found the whole experience so mortifying that I quit! 
   
7. What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?: I really enjoy working with students. I’ve been so impressed by how bright, keen, and dedicated our student visitors, researchers, and workers have been. I was at an Orientation event recently, too, and everyone asked such thoughtful and interesting questions. 
   
8. What was the last book you finished reading?: Greenwood, by Michael Christie. 
   
9. What is your best advice for U of T Library or Archives users?: Get to know Discover Archives, UTL’s shared portal of archival descriptions! It’s such a great jumping off point for doing     archival research right here on campus.
   
10. What’s your favourite thing to do in Toronto?: Going for a walk in any of the ravines.
    
11. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
    
12. Besides our library, what is your favourite library to visit?: E.J. Pratt Library at Victoria College. I did my undergrad at Vic, and Pratt is just so pretty!