Sine Hwang Jensen

Berkeley

Asian American and Comparative Ethnic Studies Librarian (Ethnic Studies Library)

shj@berkeley.edu

When did you start in your current position?:

Mar 01, 2015

Years in LAUC:

How did you become interested in librarianship?

I’ve always had a love for books and reading. Two of my grandparents were librarians so you could say it runs in the family.

Describe the first time you worked in a library.

I grew up going to the library but got my first job as a student at the Albin O. Kuhn Special Collections at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. It was amazing to be able to look through the collections. I remember being stunned by seeing my first stereograph, science fiction fanzines from the 1930s, and alternative newspapers from the 1970s. I fell in love right away!

What is your current or recent role in LAUC, either locally or systemwide?:

What do you like best about being a UC librarian?

I love the opportunity to connect with diverse people and communities doing research that will positively impact our world.

Describe a recent or current project on which you are working.

Working collaboratively to digitize our frequently-used and fragile archival and special collections, particularly materials commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Third World Liberation Front strikes at SF State and UC Berkeley.

Describe your recent professional work outside of work, such as association work, writing, research, or anything else.

I’m excited to be one of the co-organizers of the Radical Libraries, Archives, and Museums Track at the 2017 Allied Media Conference. I’m also active in the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association and the Association for Asian American Studies.

What would you like the next big thing in libraries to be?

I am happy to see libraries take a stand for social justice. I’d like to see libraries deeply grapple with questions of accessibility including making spaces and resources accessible to those with disabilities, working collaboratively with Native American tribes and \communities regarding access to cultural heritage material, and advocating against information inequality.

Complete this statement: "One surprising fact about me is...”

I started out college as a physics major and wanted to be an astrophysicist. I finished my bachelor’s in physics but took a pretty drastic turn and glad I did!