Corina is another of the friendly faces you see at the Help Desk. She has been a Library User Services Assistant since January of 2015 (happy 4th anniversary, Corina!) and has become known for her wonderful laugh and passion for sharing her knowledge about library research.
Away from work, Corina has many varied interests: cycling, ancestry research, traveling the country with her husband and dog, hiking, listening to CBC radio, Netflix binge watching, and singing with the U of R Concert Choir.
What’s the one book you suggest everyone read? Why?
“A fine balance” by Mistry Rohinton, if you enjoy novels with many characters that are being followed for several decades. When I was reading this book it reminded me of the British television series “The Jewel in the Crown”. This tv series is based on the Raj Quartet novels by Paul Scott. Since reading gives you the opportunity to travel in your mind, I wish you a good journey to India’s 20th century history.
Who are your favourite writers?
Lindsey Davis (Falco Mysteries), Louise Penny, Richard Adams, Heather O’Neill, Maya Angelou, John Irving, and my all-time favourite, Astrid Lindgren.
Which person – living or dead – do you most admire?
Vincent van Gogh, because of this:
Early last year, I was in the Netherlands and had the opportunity to visit the exhibition Inspiration from Japan. And in a letter to his brother Theo van Gogh he writes: “And we wouldn’t be able to study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much happier and more cheerful, and it makes us return to nature, despite our education and our work in a world of convention.” If you ever visit Amsterdam you should make an effort to visit the Vincent van Gogh Museum.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement is moving from the Netherlands to Canada. In addition to an achievement it can also be viewed as a miracle since my ancestry records on my paternal side show that my ancestors have been living in the city of Leiden (Netherlands) since the 16th century!
What is your motto or favourite quote?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou