Recliners line the entrance to the library, where the sound of students quietly chatting floods the room. Sitting behind the large front desk is librarian Daljeet Gill, who sports a red cardigan, khakis and brightly colored Air Jordans. 

Despite the dependence his job has on literary materials, Gill didn’t always love books. “I was not really a voracious reader,” he said. “When I was younger, I was into comics and then later manga.’’ 

To get to where he is today, Gill worked his way through the college system. “I did okay in high school and graduated, but I didn’t really get into any of the places I wanted to go,’’ he said. Yet, as a would-be first-generation college student, Gill’s parent’s still wanted him to try to go to college. “I ended up going up to a community college, and then later transfered to Berkeley where I found some professors and classes that really impacted me.”

One of Gill’s primary obligations is the implementation of technology resources that students can use. “It is definitely different from being an English teacher,” he said. “I try to help incorporate technology but at the same time include the traditional literary aspect of a library.” 

Yet, Gill also stresses that the technology resources the library offers don’t have to be strictly used for academics, and that they can also provide creative outlets for students. “In terms of equipment, we have a lot of technology here, things like a photography and film studio that kids don’t use as much,” he said. “I think the misconception is that kids using the media room have to be using it for an academic purpose when it’s really just space for students to be creative.”

With all of the resources that the library offers, Gill is always looking to improve the student experience at the library. “We made a lot of changes in the past five years,” he said. “There are always things that we are researching and I always look for technology that can help students and not only in terms of a specific assignment but technology that will help support their learning as a whole.’’