Simmons College

Kris Liberman Profile

Kris Liberman, a GSLIS grad, is the program manager for the GSLIS Continuing Education (CE) program. This interview was originally published in the November/December 2008 issue of InfoLink.

This is our "Hollywood" issue — Do you have any connections to Hollywood or the movies?
I went to my old home town last spring and drove past a house that I had lived in when I was in high school. There were a lot of trucks and construction people in the driveway, so we drove in and explained who we were and asked if we could see the inside of the house. The contractor kept talking about his brother who owned the house, but I wasn't really listening — until I realized that he was saying that Terrence Howard, the Hollywood actor, now owned the house! If you look at his Wikipedia entry it does mention that he lives in a suburb of Philadelphia — in "my" house! The house was built in the 1800's and was the carriage house for a nearby house that was on the Underground Railroad. Also, I was once featured in a Lexis-Nexis video when I worked for Lotus.

What advice do you have for people just entering the profession?
As someone who has been out of school for 20 years, I'd say to really embrace the GSLIS program and get everything out of it that you can — and try to keep a connection to it after you leave. It can be hard to keep up the level of intellectual stimulation that you get while here (though taking CE courses can help), and I found that I really started to miss that after a number of years in the profession.

How did you get interested in LIS?
I was one of those kids who loved my local public library and the librarians, so the idea was always in the back of my mind. I'd get stacks of books from the library and read every day after school. I also got interested in bookbinding and conservation after college, and that was another motivation to apply to GSLIS, though I ended up not following that path.

When did you graduate from Simmons?
I graduated from GSLIS in 1987. I really loved my time here. I was a part-time student, taking one class at a time, while I worked full-time: first at the Brookline Public Library and then at the Simmons School of Social Work (SSW) Library. The SSW used to be on Comm. Ave. in the Back Bay, so it was a fun area to be in. I enjoyed the practical nature of the program—being able to learn something in class and apply it immediately in a job setting.

What are your goals for the Continuing Education program?
I'd like the GSLIS CE program to serve as a complement to the other GSLIS programs and to provide lifelong learning opportunities for our alums and other library and information professionals.

What should students know about CE?
Current students receive 50% off the cost of a CE course. We offer a wide variety of courses, including reference services, school librarianship, technology, entrepreneurship, marketing, and more.

How did you use your MLS between graduating from GSLIS and returning to your current position?
After GSLIS I worked at Simmons for about three years and then wanted to try corporate libraries. I spent a year at Draper Labs and then seven years at Lotus Development. Lotus was a really fun place to work at that time, and I created a program where we consulted with librarians about using Lotus technology. I then went to Ernst & Young to work in its Center for Business Knowledge, then I went to two short-lived startups. Then I was at Fidelity for almost five years.

What was a pivotal experience in your life?
When the Sox won the World Series in 2004.

What is the biggest life lesson you've learned?
To try to enjoy my life as much as possible. I do think a positive attitude is everything, though it's not always easy.

If you could have a totally different career, what would it be?
I would love to be a singer—I'm not saying I can sing, but I wish I could.

Something you do for fun or excitement?
I'm not a big excitement junkie—I like to read and to knit. Right now, I'm addicted to the HBO series Rome—my husband and I are about halfway through the 22 episodes. I like going to the movies too, but I'm really fussy about what I'll see.

Name a sanctuary or favorite spot.
I love being home or at a really great, cozy restaurant.

Three books you would never want to be without?
Well, I'll answer that by telling you my favorite author: Rosemary Sutcliff. She's a children's author that I've been reading since I was about 10 years old, and I continue to reread her books. If you'd like to give her a try, start with Eagle of the Ninth or Mark of the Horse Lord. Her writing is just beautiful, and her books are sophisticated enough for adults. I'm also a big mystery reader.

What is your most recent purchase?
Now that I'm in academia again, I've gotten very frugal.

Will you share a guilty pleasure of yours with us?
I do like a good potato chip.