An Interview with Esther Markov, Intern

Today’s interview is with Esther Markov, an intern working with Peter Roudik, Assistant Law Librarian of Congress for Legal Research, in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress.

1. Describe your background.

I was born in Jerusalem, Israel, and moved to the United States when I was one month old. I’ve lived in Maryland ever since. My grandparents are originally from Ukraine and spent many years living in Russia, which has led to me being fluent in Russian as well as English.

2. What is your academic/professional history?

I am currently studying at St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM), working towards a B.A. in English with a double minor in theater studies and creative writing, and plan to graduate next year. I recently spent a semester in Dublin, Ireland, during which I took courses in History, English, and Theater. I previously worked in an internship as a box office manager for the Dodge Performing Arts Center at SMCM.

3. How would you describe your job to other people?

I assist Peter Roudik as an intern at the Law Library of Congress, organizing information for Congress, and gathering research to write a post for the In Custodia Legis blog, and for the Global Legal Monitor.

 4. Why did you want to work at the Law Library of Congress?

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Law Library, and the Library of Congress in general. I was interested to find out more about the library, and to be able to gain valuable experience and improve my research skills. Also, living so close to Washington, D.C., I wanted to enrich my understanding of current politics and legal news, especially given that we are in an election year.

5. What is the most important fact you have learned about the Law Library of Congress?

While I knew that the library had a lot of resources, I didn’t realize just how vast the collection was. Not only does the library’s collection cover a variety of different areas, but it also has a lot of information that is available online and easily accessible for research. I also didn’t know that the Law Library publishes the Global Legal Monitor, its own publication covering worldwide legal news.

 6. What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?

I have a podcast with a few of my friends, in which we discuss different types of media. Past topics have included Shadow and Bone; Red, White and Royal Blue, and 55 episodes centered around the show Julie and the Phantoms, which was the topic of our podcast before the show was unfortunately canceled, and we had discussed every frame in depth.

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