January Staff of The Month – Dr. Barber
by Jacqueline Garcia
Dr. Roberta Barber, Tucker’s head librarian, is the beating heart of the school’s community. A Georgia Tech graduate, she worked as an engineer before becoming a librarian. Dr. Barber spends her free time with her family and dogs. She is an avid reader, and is always great to consult for a recommendation. Apart from being the librarian, Dr. Barber is the supervisor of the Reading Bowl, Book Club, and MakerSpace. She also organizes the yearly TigerCon.
The library is not just book storage; it is a gathering space, a computer lab, and a place to work and relax. Dr. Barber is happy to help anyone in the library if needed and has an incredible passion for information sciences. Whether you need help with research or presentation, she will likely know what you’re looking for.
As a research buff, Dr. Barber wants to emphasize the importance of students becoming more aware of fake news in our society. Fake news is present in almost every corner of the world; how do you separate lies from the truth? Dr. Barber will be putting up an exhibition outside the library for students to learn how to differentiate fake pictures from real ones. Dr. Barber has many resources within the library to help students learn accurate information from the internet. “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes” Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892).
When you walk into the library there are many sections to explore, some more popular than others. According to Dr. Barber, the most student-used section of the library is the area with the gaming chairs; the least used section is the first two tables when walking into the library. Dr. Barber understands that some areas are more comfortable than others, and wants to do everything she can to improve the areas that need it. She would like to know what students would like to see in the library (i.e. furniture, books, eBooks, audiobooks, etc.) There is a link below for students to tell her what they’d like to see. Dr. Barber personally enjoys the graphic novel section where the couches are, and hopes the library can continue to be used as a space for students to relax and enjoy their time at school.
Here is the link to let Dr. Barber know what you would like to see more in the library: