Page 147 - Phoenix2001-02

FEATURES Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - Page 7 STACEY MYERS ask, there's so much we [the librar- and attended both undergraduate over the country, he chose WMC ment. Lauren Dundes, assistant Ass;.llan/ News Editor ians] could tell them." and graduate programs at the Uni- because he thought the campus and He prowls the stacks late at Sophomore Erin Cullison has versity of Alberta. Ho holds two library were beautiful, and he be- professor of sociology, said that Ho night, hunting down clueless stu- first-hand experience with lieves that aesthetic appeal is im- frequently goes beyond the ex- dents. His small stature and simple how helpful Ho can be to portant for a productive work life. pected to give her the best help he can. sweater-and-khakis attire don't set students who wait until the "WMC has a really pretty library," "Once 1 asked him to help me him apart from other .library pa- last minute to do research for Ho said. "I ruled out any place that find needed reference material for trons, but he is every college was really ugly." a project," she said. "He emailed student's dream: a nocturnal refer- . Ho said he has never received me some information but apolo- ence librarian who is passionate any formal recognition for his work gized for not giving me as complete about doing research. and I need it in quantity." at WMC. but he has been inter- a list of citations and web sites as For Clement Ho, evening ref- When Cullison came to viewed several times by students, he would have liked to, given that erence librarian, helping students although he was unsure if any of he was about to leave the country and professors make the best use the interviews had been published. on vacation the following day. But of Western Maryland College's "He's wonderful-a great re- to my surprise, next time 1 checked Hoover Library in the hours after source-and under appreciated," my email, he had in fact compiled sunset comes naturally, because he said Mary Bendel-Simso. associate extensive additional data-which has an aversion to mornings. professor of English. "He is also a had been sent by him at 5 a.m.!" "I'm a night person," Ho said. books on the shelves. thoughtful, kind, and interesting in stride, Ho takes this praise "I hate mornings - morning light is also helped her look up person." explaining that he just loves help- harsh, colder. This job is perfect, information on-line, Bendel-Simso, who named one ing people. "It's intetlectually because I don't have to wake up she was' able to get her of her two young daughters after stimulating and challenging," he with an alarm clock." together on time. American author Flannery said. "I'd go crazy without work- However, after four years at But beyond helping her O'Connor, appreciates that Ho ing with people." WMC, Ho is ready to move on. On succeed on her assignment, Hoalso bachelor's degrees in art history emails her interesting articles on But for many, Ho is more than June 3 he will start his new posi- taught her how to use the library and Chinese literature and Ian- the author when he comes across just a quiet man with excellent re- tion as a reference instruction li- and she has not really needed to ask guage, as well as two master's de- them. She said he has also helped search skills. Nykole Tyson, a se- brarian at American University in a librarian for help since then, even grees in comparative literature and her find ways to conduct research nior communication major from St. Washington, D.C. Ho said he has though she does about four major library information science, all from her home computer so that Croix, gives him credit for helping enjoyed working at WMC, but is research projects per semester, from the University of Alberta. she can spend more time with her her adjust to the U.S. and figure out ready to be.nearer to the city. • .Cullison said. However, Ho said that going to family. what she needed to do to write col- Unlit mid-May, Ho will con- "He got me an 'A' on my library school was really a last-sec- Ho's most well known quality lege level papers. tinue to work the evening shift at project, and I was done," Cullison ond decision for him. He was in is his dedication to excellence. Ho "J went to Clement and he Hoover Library from I p.m. until said. '" should send him flowers or the final year of his comparative lit- and former co-worker James helped me brainstorm topics to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday something." For Ho, working with eraurre degree when a friend sug- Feagin, another librarian, taught a write ,a~ql!t and then he helped me during the school year, which is the students and having a chance gested that he become a librarian. Jan Term course together last year, in using all the library's resources," great for students because that's to know them on a first-name ba- ISO, Ho went back to school. "I was said Feagin. she said. when they .