Staff Spotlight: Ryan Harrington

With more of us working and learning from home and more patrons engaging with the library through virtual services and online resources, we are starting a monthly Biddle staff spotlight series to get to know the people behind the library.

The Essential Questions

What is your role and how long have you been working at Biddle?

I am one of the team of reference librarians who teach and assist with legal research projects for faculty and students. I just joined the team in October 2020.

What had helped you adjust to working from home?

The greatest gift for me from our management has been flexibility with my schedule. It is not uncommon to do a few hours of work before 9 am so I can take care of some personal responsibilities midday. Things like school drop-off/pick-up, which used to be rather flexible, have become much more structured. It is an enormous asset that the workday has accommodated these outside shifts.

What book/s are you reading right now?

The Tobacconist by Robert Seethaler. A young man moves to Vienna to become an apprentice at a tobacco shop and befriends Freud.

Lightning Round

Cats or dogs? Dogs
Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction
Comedy or horror? Comedy
Sweet or Savory? Savory
Coffee or tea? Coffee

Wildcard Qs

Where did you work before your time at Biddle?

I worked for over 8 years at the Yale Law Library and then as a legal officer at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, in Vienna, where I also managed the library.

Where in the law school would the Penn Law community most likely find you hanging out?

Ha ha

What is your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?

I enjoy running both indoors and outdoors.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the town next to Sedona, Arizona. It is still one of my favorite places to visit.