Hilltop Happenings

I have been the Director of the Phinny Library since July and am excited to join the vibrant Salisbury School community. I am fortunate to lead an experienced, enthusiastic staff, which includes the former library director Rosemarie Lopez and assistant librarian, Amy Wynne. Our mission is to make the library a hub for the whole campus—a place where students from all departments can meet to study, research, and collaborate. We work to create a welcoming space that also meets the information needs of all students, faculty, and staff.  

I am originally from Alabama and have worked in a variety of libraries and archives over the years. Before arriving at Salisbury School, I lectured in Information Science at University College Dublin (Ireland), and most recently, worked in the Alumni Library as an archivist at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. As a scholar, I am especially interested in the relationship between archives and social justice movements, and I have enjoyed drawing on my varied academic and professional experiences while on the Hilltop.  

During my time here, I have focused both on classroom instruction and on expanding the library’s digital offerings. When visiting classes, I discuss such topics as where to find credible sources, how to use and cite them, and why the quality and trustworthiness of a source matters. These classroom sessions also allow me to assist with individual research projects and to show students how to navigate the new library resources. By adding a new reference database (CredoSource) and subscribing to the digital New York Times, the librarians and I aim to meet the needs of all subject areas. To that end, I plan to continue building our print and digital collections over the coming year, and I look forward to meeting and working with many more of you in the months ahead. 

-James King