Library Staff Profile: Cybèle

What pronouns do you use?
I use she/her.

Do you have a specialty at the Library?
I buy the books, and I also really enjoy helping patrons find and gain access to the resources they’re looking for.

How long have you been at ECU?
12-ish years

Tell us a bit about the portrait of yourself!
I feel this is the most accurate portrait ever done of me, from the odd tights to the scarf and the pushing up of the glasses (which is a constant gesture), to the ergonomically unfeasible way I’m holding my book. Drawn by my daughter, when she was 14.

What do you miss about being on campus all the time?
I don’t know if I miss it, exactly. I think there are advantages to having a place to go most days, particularly in regards to mental health. I miss my co-workers, definitely, although we’ve found some good ways to connect in the online realm.

What do you like about working from home?
Access to snacks. No time spent on commuting. Being around my family.

What has gotten you through this past year?
I have no idea! I think just the passage of time, and seeking out hilarity whenever possible. Maybe it’s been youtube videos and compiling pirate jokes?

If you could go back in time to the start of the pandemic, what would you tell yourself?
I wouldn't do that. Time travel is a paradox. However I did enjoy the Julie Nolke “Explaining The Pandemic To My Past Self” videos, (see hilarity)

What could you talk about for a half hour straight, with no prep?
Anything, but it would probably mostly be lies. I have always loved talking, and I did some improv in high school, so if you were to give me a topic I would just go with it until my time is up.

What are you watching lately?
I have been watching “Total Drama Island” and its subsequent spinoffs with my 12-year-old daughter. It’s a Canadian animated send-up of reality tv shows - so funny.

What are you reading lately?
Until recently I was reading the Agatha Raisin series, by MC Beaton, but I ran out of books. I love a great series that has a lot of books! I just picked up “The Ugly Cry” by Danielle Henderson.

Do you have a favourite book or magazine?
I love Uppercase magazine.

What's a prized possession or item of clothing you have?
My mother was an amazing seamstress and designer, and I have many of her clothes. She also taught me everything I know about thrifting, and she would often buy items because she liked the fabric, and then remake them.

It was hard to choose one item, but I picked this dress she made out of silk she hand dyed, using traditional Japanese methods she learned at the Alberta College of Art in the 1980s. I wore it to my brother’s wedding.

Here is a picture of my mother in the dress.

What do you do if you can't sleep?
Read

What's the strangest thing you've eaten?
This is a particularly interesting question to me - my 15-year-old was recently telling me about how uncomfortable she is with tv show segments where people eat “gross” food, and how it feels culturally insensitive to judge food in this way. When I was growing up my family went for Dim Sum every Saturday, and my dad used to make us try all kinds of foods we weren’t used to in a sort of spirit of adventure, which I found harrowing. I also remember he cooked us beef heart for dinner once, so chewy. But I have to say the strangest thing was when my daughter was 2, we were at McDonald’s and she made me dip an apple slice into ketchup. I thought it would be horrible, but it tasted great, and why not? Dipped fruit into a fruit based dip, why would that be considered weird?

Is there a question you wanted to answer that we didn't ask?
I think I would have liked to be asked if I’m okay, and the answer is, somewhat. (As a co-designer of the survey, I wish I’d thought of it earlier, but I’m only thinking of it now!)