Today’s interview is with Brandon Fitzgerald, project manager of a Law Library staffing contract. Brandon does a terrific job managing a group of contractors who help keep our collections orderly and updated.
Describe your background.
I’m a native son of Cleveland, Ohio which for all its grit remains one of my favorite cities. After traveling the world for school, I finally settled on Washington, D.C. where I’ve lived for the past 4+ years.
What is your academic/professional history?
I studied literature and history at Kenyon College with every expectation that I would one day become a writer and university professor. I studied Irish literature, archaeology and language in Dublin, Ireland, but it was a course at Kenyon taught in the library’s archives that first got me seriously considering the career in which I now find myself. I eventually moved to Montreal where I earned my Masters in Library and Information Studies from McGill University.
How would you describe your job to other people?
I serve as the Project Manager with CGI Federal. Together with my team, we provide valuable support to the physical collections located in the Law Stacks. We focus on four major areas of service: collection maintenance, inventory, accessioning, and preservation. My responsibility is to ensure that my staff has every tool they need to not only complete the tasks at hand on time but to exceed every expectation. Law is organic, and so the Law Library as an extension is ever-changing. Maintaining order in such a dynamic environment is an everyday challenge I welcome.
Why did you want to work at the Law Library of Congress?
Since I was a teenager, I’ve often dreamed of one day working at the Library of Congress. I moved to D.C. with that as my goal. I started as a clerk and quickly worked my way up, in part because I was interested in absorbing everything there was to learn. Even on the dreariest days, I still wake up excited to come to work, and I still get goose bumps every time I walk through the Great Hall or the Main Reading Room.
What is the most interesting fact you’ve learned about the Library?
I was most surprised by the rich community of learning I found here. On any given day I can enjoy a concert, attend a poetry reading or lecture, or take in an exhibit. My schedule is hectic, but I try to find time to experience something new here once every week or two. I’ve had opportunities to see icons like Billy Joel, Neil deGrasse Tyson, John Lewis and Richard Dreyfuss. I feel extremely blessed to be able to contribute to and be equally enriched by such a remarkable institution.
What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?
I’m an avid supporter of the arts. When I’m not at work, I can often be found at a museum, gallery or show. When the weather is nice I enjoy exploring the National Zoo or hiking through Rock Creek Park, which are both quite literally in my backyard. I’m an adventurer at heart.
Comments
What a superb article! It’s great to read Brandon’s comments about his background, interests, and career.