Taylor (he/him) joined the City Tech Library as an Adjunct Reference & Instruction Librarian in the spring of 2025.
What is your academic and library background?
I have a BA in English Language and Literature and a Masters of Library and Information Science. I actually didn’t start working in libraries until after I started library school. I’ve been a librarian for about 3 years now, and I’ve worked at a number of different institutions, including the Pratt Institute, the Kristine Mann Library, Westchester Community College, and The Morgan Library & Museum.
What made you want to become a librarian? Was there any event or person that influenced you?
I have yet to meet anyone who knew from childhood that they wanted to be a librarian and plotted their course accordingly, and my situation is no different. I have three librarians in my family, so it had always been on my radar as a possible career path, and I was always intrigued by the occupation, but I didn’t come to librarianship until later in life.
I was working for an educational services company (managing tutors, creating study guides, and compiling other educational materials) when the pandemic hit, which resulted in the company going out of business. This coincided with my wife getting a job offer in New York—we’re originally from Canada. Canadians aren’t allowed to work just any job in the US, but, as it happens, librarian is one of the approved occupations. So my incipient interest combined with practical considerations and I decided to become a librarian. And it has been a great experience so far!
What will you be doing at City Tech Library?
I’m an adjunct librarian, which means that you’ll often find me at the reference desk, where I can help you locate books and journal articles, assist you with developing your research topic, or show you how to formulate citations. I’ll also be teaching information literacy classes and creating various resources to support your academic success.
What were your first impressions of life at City Tech? Were there any surprises?
I can’t say there were any surprises. This library is pretty similar to other academic libraries I’ve worked in. But I’ll say that I’m very pleased with how friendly and supportive the staff has been, and how driven and intellectually curious the students are.
What are your goals for the next few years as a librarian?
I’m still in the early stages of my career, so I’m mainly looking to gain experience and improve my skills. I think I’d eventually like to manage a small special collections library—somewhere small enough that I’d be able to do some reference, some collection development, some cataloging, some public outreach—all the things that get hived off as separate positions when an institution grows to a certain size.
Do you have a favorite subject of study or a favorite author (or both)?
My reading generally skews toward the humanities—literature, history, philosophy, etc. Favorite writers include Nabokov, Larkin, Joyce, Poe, and Wilde. But recently, given the current political climate, I find myself reading a lot more intellectual history and political philosophy, in particular, Isaiah Berlin and Hannah Arendt.
What book (or other source) would you recommend to others from City Tech Library’s collection, and why?
I want to make sure people know that, as a City Tech student or faculty member, you get free access to The New York Times (follow these instructions in order to register). That’s probably the library resource I use the most to stay informed about current events.
For anyone who is new to academic research, I like to recommend Gale’s Opposing Viewpoints database. This database provides a curated selection of journal articles and other resources that offer contrasting perspectives on controversial and current issues. It’s a great place to get started when you are trying to familiarize yourself with a subject or choose a topic.
As anyone who has heard me speak about predatory publishing knows, there are 
