Education
Major: B.A. in Anthropology & Spanish
Working in the Libraries
What has been your favorite part of working in the Libraries?: My coworkers and supervisors are some of the loveliest people I've ever met! It's great coming to work and seeing them everyday, and I'm so grateful for all of the support and opportunities my supervisors have granted me while working here. The coolest folks work in libraries!
Can you give us one (or more) example of an achievement or special memory from your time working for us?: Through my first assignment in MCOTA, I discovered a great interest in local history that I carry with me. My job was to transcribe handwritten records from the county assessor's office into a digital format, and the records included the names of local property owners from 1913-1960. When I needed a break from transcribing, I would look into the owners and their families, many of whom were very influential in Reno's early development, and I would look up the addresses of the houses they owned. Many are still standing in Reno, and while most are now used as office space for local businesses, I get nostalgic driving by them and remembering who lived there, how they got there, and what they did for Reno's growth. This started a curiosity which I've continued to feed through my metadata projects. I've worked on editions of Artemisia (UNR's yearbook) from the earliest decades of the university's operation and learned so much about our campus and its history that I'm reminded of every day. Now, I'm working on a metadata project centering on the Basque community in Northern Nevada, which I was born into, and I get to use my job to learn about and piece together the details of events, places, and people which paved the way for the Basque-American community my friends, family, and I take part in today. It could otherwise be just another office job, but I've learned so much about my hometown, school, and self here that I never would have known otherwise!
What is next for you? Short-term or long-term plans: Having already completed my undergraduate degree requirements, I'm now completing an independent study within the Department of Anthropology in order to prepare to apply to graduate programs in Sociocultural Anthropology. Currently, I'm researching programs which offer interdisciplinary modes of study and prepare students to conduct research that aims to understand and address social issues (injustices, inequalities, failing systems, etc). In the meantime, I plan to work for at least a semester in the Washoe County School District as a bilingual classroom aid, making use of my Spanish skills and love for teaching.
From Shelly Johnson, Oihana's supervisor
What has been your favorite part of working with Oihana?: Oihana has been a stellar student worker. She has produced excellent work, has refined procedures and workflows, and has been the unofficial go-to person for the other student workers in the department because of her knowledge and her willingness to help. Her presence will be greatly missed!
Please share one job-related achievement or memory of Oihana: Oihana was hired for her skill in reading cursive writing! Some of her biggest accomplishments during her time with us were: transcribing historic Washoe County Assessor's Office indexes, initiating a collaborative project between MCOTA and the Center for Basque Studies, and enhancing metadata for our Sanborn Fire Insurance Map collection.
From Erin Wells, Oihana's supervisor
What has been your favorite part of working with Oihana?: Her enthusiasm to learn and help others is absolutely inspiring. There is nothing Oihana can't do when she sets her mind to it, especially when it's in the aid of others. It's been a pleasure to work with her.
Please share one job-related achievement or memory of Oihana: While I haven't worked with Oihana long, one achievement that has to be recognized is her work in creating and organizing a thorough spreadsheet of every serial that comes in and where to find the information needed for their technical and physical processing. It's a fantastic document that will be used for years to come, even when she's well and moved on. Our team is so grateful for it, and all the work she's put into it. She has also personally trained most of our student workers, applying her experience every chance she could in their development.
Oihana’s selected book from the Libraries’ collection: