Huskies Ask is a weekly column where we send questions to different Michigan Tech faculty and staff. 

This week, we reached out to Erin Matas, the director of the MTU Library!

(1) Where is your hometown and when did you come to Michigan Tech? 

My hometown is Menasha, Wisconsin, but life and work have taken me to many places including Madison, San Francisco, Ann Arbor, Brussels (Belgium), and from there, Michigan Tech in 2014.

(2) What is your favorite thing about Michigan Tech? 

My favorite thing about Michigan Tech is our Husky spirit. I really love our Michigan Tech community and how we rally around each other during the tough winter months. We also appreciate the natural wonders of our region and know how to enjoy every season.

(3) What is something you wish students knew about you and your job? 

I wish that students knew that we value their ideas for making our library the best for collaborating, using resources, studying, and recharging. Our strategic plan is a work in progress that is driven in part by the student community. What are we missing? Share your ideas at library@mtu.edu or anonymously via one of our suggestion boxes.

(4) What is a library resource or program that you wish more students utilized?

I wish that students didn’t wait to ask the library for help finding good resources! I hear so many stories from third and fourth years who wished they had asked sooner. Library employees are dedicated to your success and really can help you save time and reduce the stress of searching for articles, researching literature reviews, managing references, and more. Please ask us! Library and archives research help is easy to access in person and online.