Laura Heinz is the Head of Information Services at Texas Tech Libraries. She received her undergraduate degree from Tech and her masters in Library Sciences from North Texas. Heinz has worked at the library for 23 years.
Q: What does a Tech librarian like to do in her free time?
A: I like to go to Tech sports. I'm a big Red Raider fan. We go to the football games, we tailgate - we being my husband and me. I have a daughter who has graduated from Tech and a daughter who is a senior here at Tech.
Q: What made you want to become a librarian?
A: I enjoy learning and I enjoy helping people continue their learning beyond the classroom and become lifelong learners. We don't stop learning once we leave the university. We learn continually throughout our entire lifetime.
Q: What is your favorite book?
A: What I'm reading right now is "The Shack" (by William P. Young), which is a new book that's out. As far as a favorite book that I read over and over again, I just read everything. I'm an eclectic reader.
Q: What is your favorite genre?
A: I like fantasy literature, science fiction, that kind of stuff.
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: I like Troy. Again, that fantasy-type genre.
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
A: I love the CSI series.
Q: What is the biggest crisis you encounter in the library?
A: The biggest crisis is that student that waits till the last minute and they need all this research material and their paper is due in the morning. That is the biggest crisis.
Q: What is the weirdest situation you've encountered?
A: The strangest thing was when we had a giant snake in the stacks. It was a big python. Apparently it had been making appearances all over campus. Someone, I guess, smuggled it in in a backpack and stretched it out in the fifth level stacks. It was this huge snake just stretched out across the books. It was a big bookworm.
Q: What would you say is your favorite thing about working in a library?
A: I love working with students. I like the energy of the undergraduates. Everybody is excited about being on campus, especially this time of year when school is starting. I enjoy the students.
Q: If your life were a movie, which actress would play you?
A: Bette Midler
Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
A: The ability to see into the future.
Q: Are you a PC or Mac person?
A: PC
Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
A: On a beach.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Just keeping up with my daughters. Keeping up with their activities keeps me busy. I like to travel. I like to go different places and spend time with my friends - just new places and vacationing.
Q: What is your favorite vacation spot?
A: I like to go to the mountains. Ruidoso (New Mexico) is a nice, close place. You can get there easily from Lubbock. It's peaceful and it doesn't look anything like Lubbock. I like anywhere I can go and restore my sanity.
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