Meet Tiffany Gillaspy, the University of Notre Dame’s Music Librarian!
What’s your musical background?
I started taking piano lessons from our next-door neighbor when I was five. One of my earliest memories is sitting under our donated upright piano by the pedals as my sister played Moonlight Sonata. When I was old enough to play in band, I picked up the clarinet, but it wasn’t to be. However, it all led me to the bassoon, which I fell in love with immediately. I was much happier on that instrument and saw it through a bachelor’s degree in performance and continued lessons in grad school. In undergrad, as much as I loved the sound of the bassoon and the playful parts you get when you play it in ensembles, I found I loved myself much more in the music library than I did in the practice room and turned my sights away from performance and over to music librarianship.
What might others be surprised to learn about you?
I tend to have multiple books that I absolutely love and recommend to other people, but that I haven’t finished reading myself. I don’t want the journey to be over with them, so rather than finish the book and start re-reading, I just start new books and pick up the really good ones when I’m in a good mood and ready to learn a little more about the characters and their adventures. Could the endings disappoint me? Absolutely. But I love being in the middle of a good book so much that I juggle them to get the most out of the story. I’m currently in the middle of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, and The Revisionaries by A.R. Moxon and will be very sad to finish them.
What superpower would you choose for a day, and why?
Flight. My head has always been in the clouds and I’ve always wanted the option to take my body up there, too. I sat for hours as a child watching birds and I think having the power of flight would be so freeing. From a logical standpoint, I’m not sure I would overcome my fear of heights by having the ability to keep from falling from them, but who needs logic when you have a superpower?
What can’t you live without?
My backyard. It’s small but almost entirely made of gardens and a couple of koi ponds. It absolutely teems with life and every plant (ivy, water lilies, cattails, ornamental grasses, etc.). Everything is a little overgrown and only nominally under my control. It means I will have gardening projects forever and a peaceful little sanctuary to sit and enjoy the biodiversity.
What’s your favorite thing about MLA?
Definitely the people. This is such a wonderful group of genuine and supportive people, and I’ll tell you where I feel it the most: the final business meeting at the conference. Most business meetings I’ve attended have been dry, boring affairs. With MLA, though, every report is infused with care and hope for the next year, every award shines a spotlight on a dedicated individual who works hard without expecting credit, and every memorial is evidence of close relationships and heartfelt esteem. I love looking around at all the new friends I’ve met over the week and picking out people I’ve been friends with for years. It is my favorite part of an always wonderful conference because it highlights what makes MLA different—the people.