Get to Know… Sam Ready
Get to know one of the individuals whose daily efforts shape the library experience and support our mission. From the staff who help every person who walks through our doors to team members who keep our finances running smoothly, our work is possible because of them.
Meet Sam Ready
Library Assistant II, Dunwoody Campus
“…I try to make fewer bad days for students… I try to remember that one interaction can help make or break someone’s day…“
What do you enjoy most about the work you do in the library, and how does it contribute to helping students, faculty, or the community?
I actually enjoy being a non-player character (NPC) in someone else’s adventure. I consider it a privilege and try to provide assistance whenever I can and to add external conflict only when not doing so would create a huge plot hole for other characters.
What’s one work-related project, service, or moment from the past year that made you feel especially proud?
I have been involved in some hiring committees for part-time positions in the past year. The first one was hard, but our satisfaction with the hire we chose made me more confident about doing the second one.
What motivates you to do your best work every day?
I was quite miserable as an undergrad at private colleges, and now I try to make fewer bad days for students of a similar standing. I try to remember that one interaction can help make or break someone’s day, and that to such a person, I am the face of GSU itself. They will not remember my name or the context, only how I (GSU) made them feel.
What’s something most people don’t realize about your job or the ways your work supports the library’s mission?
I am amazed by the volume and scope of free services available to GSU students. I only wish that I could promote them all without causing information overload. Between University Library, Perimeter College, and all of the other departments, there are so many slept-on resources for students. Just ask!
What’s a recent personal achievement you’re proud of?
In the 2024-2025 academic year, I moved up to full time work status (30 hours/week), graduated with my MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science), published an essay in the Journal of Creative Library Practice, and finished my transition from weekend work into the workweek.
What’s a fun fact people might not know about you?
I was never ready in the sense of being prepared. I have always been Ready, which rhymes with treaty and might mean likely to read. Like I said, I’m a library NPC.