Adam Kamerer Gets Caught Reading

Photo and graphics by Joel Bullock

Adam Kamerer joined the Carmichael staff as a Reference Assistant in May of this year. His appearance on our blog marks the first time we've featured a member of the library staff in our Get Caught Reading segment. Adam, 24, graduated from Montevallo in May 2008 with a Bachelor's degree in History with a minor in Writing. Adam worked as a student assistant at the circulation desk during his undergraduate studies. Adam describes himself as an avid supporter of independent artistry, especially the Weblit movement. Adam himself is a Weblit author who publishes most of his writing on the Web under the pen-name Gabriel Gadfly.

We caught up with Adam before a shift at the Ask Here Desk.

Carmichael Library: What are you reading?

Adam Kamerer: World War Z by Max Brooks

Carmichael Library: Why did you choose this book?

Adam Kamerer: I'm a big fan of zombie culture. Movies, books, games, you name it. Max Brooks is one of the more well-known authors in that niche and his book World War Z is a collection of anecdotes from survivors of a fictional zombie apocalypse -- the characters come from all walks of life: soldiers, Buddhist monks, Girl Scout counselors, even an unscrupulous Colombian transplant surgeon.

Carmichael Library: We know it's a strange question to ask one of our own, but how do you use your campus library?

Adam Kamerer: Aside from a paycheck? [laughs] Actually, I use the library a lot even when I'm not on the clock. I don't have internet access at my apartment, so the free WiFi is a big help, and I like checking out the DVD collection. As a writer, I've found the reference collection and various academic databases really helpful -- if I need to check a fact (with more accuracy than Wikipedia provides), I can usually find a text in the reference collection to help me out. I used one just the other day to look up some info about some Jewish folk myths.

Stay tuned for another edition of Get Caught Reading coming soon!