Our inaugural recepients for the monthly Staff Spotlight Award are Nina Johnson and Ruth Feldkamp.
Nina Johnson works in the Columbia Missourian Newspaper Library, and has worked for MU Libraries since August 1997. Born in Athens, Ohio, she received her B.A. in Political Sciences from UMSL in 1978 and her M.A. in Library & Informational Science in 1990.
Nina has four cats: two five-year-old brothers Mystic & Shadow, their mother Lily, and Sam, who she adopted recently. Nina found Sam as a stray last summer and found that he tested positive for FIV, but could not find a good home for him whre there were no other cats. She is slowly integrating him in with her other cats, taking care not to allow him to infect the others. A neighbor cat also comes to visit in bad weather as he is not allowed indoors at his own home.
In her leisure time Nina enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, live heater and folk dancing. She loves to travel and is also on staff at an annual “Dark Shadows” festival which she helps to organize in New York and Los Angeles in alternating years. (For those of you not in the know, “Dark Shadows” was a soap opera–with a twist–from the 1960s.) Nina says it’s like a large family gathering because many of the same people return year after year, including the cast. They even organize a trip following the festival!
Nina says the coolest place she’s ever visited is Greece (Corfu and Athens) and Tuscany. Asked to name who should play her in a film of her life, Nina responded that she’s sure that would be boring. Two of her favorite actresses, however, are Joan Bennett and Melina Mercouri, both deceased.
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Ruth Feldkamp works at Ellis Library in the Physical Processing & Preservation Unit. She began working for MU Libraries as a student in 2005, then became full-time staff in 2007.
Most of Ruth’s early education experience was in Lewis County C-1 Consolidated School System. She spent a semester of high school at the Missouri Academy of Sciences, Mathematics, & Computing, “where I learned that none of those are my gifts, unfortunately–however the faculty and experience were amazing and I can’t say enough good things about the program itself.” Ruthe completed her high school career at Notre Dame High School in Quincy IL (her birthplace), achieved an undergraduate degree in History from Mizzou, and completed a semester of Library Science coursework “before life got in my way.”
Ruth currently has no house-pets, but has both a quarter horse mare and gelding stabled at her mother’s home.
In her leisure time, Ruthe likes to walk on the MKT trail, read and spend time in media and Science Fiction fandoms. She also assists with costuming for friends involved in Renaissance Faires. Ruthe also collects DC and Marvel comics and also stamps, and is an amateur photographer and writer.
The two coolest places Ruth has ever been are Kauai, Hawaii and Sitka, Alaska. They are “both amazing in totally different ways.”
In a movie of her life Ruth would like to havethe part of herself played by her actress cousin, Kristen Sttewart. Not only do they share a family resemblance, but Ruth feels she is an amazingly talented actor.
Thanks to both this month’s award winners for their positive response to our interview/survey questions. Tune in next month for two new staff spotlight reports!¼/p>