Five short questions to our new Library Director Margaretha Grahn

1. Now you¿ve been working as Library Director five months, what is the most difficult or the easiest part of your job?

Just recently I felt that I was beginning to understand the organization and I¿m feeling confident and proud of being the one who supervises it! I¿m having a talk with all colleagues at the Linköping University Library and they are giving me a good view of how everything works here. I also feel like “Wow, it is so cool, that I¿ve got this opportunity…”. The most difficult is to understand all the complicated systems and databases. To understand how they are connected is difficult. The easiest is that I got a very friendly welcome by the staff.

2. Has your image of the library and its organization changed since you started to work at the library and how?

I¿ve begun to understand what an extensive business this is. There are so many parts in this organization.

3. A Library in your dreams, how does it look like?

My dream is that the library is a natural meeting point, the first people think of. There is much more than just books in the library. Activities are welcome and a café would be nice, close to the library.

4. You have been working as a music teacher and your doctoral thesis is about musical learning. Do you think, as some people do, that you become smarter if you listen to Mozart or another specific music?

No, you will not get smarter by listening to Mozart! It is not scientifically proven and the research was misunderstood, taken out of context. The music has a short effect. You feel relaxed and concentrated while listening to music. I think that you learn better if you use all your senses.

5. The last question, if you could choose only one, which book would you bring to a desert island?

I would bring a book called “Varje dag en fest” av Kim Meurling och Hans Alfredsson [by Kim Meurling and Hans Alfredsson] (in English “Every day a party!”). The book consists of a short story and recipes for a three-course dinner that covers every day of the year. I would enjoy the book and dream of all the nice food from all around the world.

2012-01-17