The long hours of Howard-Tilton Memorial Library demand several dedicated student employees. One of the many student workers in the library is junior Patricia Ford.

Ford is a student supervisor and has been working at Howard-Tilton since her freshman year.

Her primary duties are to work the circulation desk, check books out for students, handle late fees and sort out lost books. Each day, she also collects returned books from the book depository at the main entrance and checks them back into the system.

Ford often fills in for regular supervisors when they are unavailable. This sometimes includes opening or closing the library.

Ford explains that, while her job is pretty simple, she really loves the work that she does.

“It is actually the best job on campus,” Ford said. “I am so lucky and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Ford said she enjoys working with other student employees and feels fortunate to interact with the students and staff that visit the library every day.

“All the student workers that work there are great people and all of our supervisors are great people,” Ford said. “Everyone who comes to library is pretty nice because they are there for a purpose.”

Working at the library offers many opportunities to get to know others students and professors.

“I get to meet a lot of graduate students because they use the library most I think and I actually get to talk to them and professors,” Ford said.

While some students say it can be difficult to juggle school and work, Ford takes advantage of down time at the library to get her assignments done and study for exams.

Ford feels that her job is fulfilling because she gets to help out fellow students.

“I would say that one of the most rewarding aspects of it is people come up and are afraid to ask how to use the library because a lot of people haven’t used [a library] since elementary school or middle school so they are really hesitant to ask how to check out a book,” Ford said. “Don’t do that, come up and ask us, because we are happy to help you.”