Meet the librarian who keeps our campus curious, connected, and research-ready.

We sat down with Mat Sheehan, director of library services, to learn more about Goodwin’s Hoffman Family Library, the resources students often overlook, and why this University staple is so much more than a place to find books.

Whether you’re a frequent visitor or remote learner, let’s explore how Hoffman Family Library can support your learning journey.

For those who haven’t met you yet, can you introduce yourself and tell us what you love most about being our librarian?

Absolutely. I’m Mat Sheehan, your director of library services. If you’ve been on campus, you’ve probably seen me wearing a bow tie — and, actually, a student shared with me that their nickname for me is ‘bow tie.’

That taught me two things. First, if you wear a bow tie even once, it becomes something of a personality trait. Second, our students are observant, and that’s something I love the most about being your librarian. Students are eager to learn or view things from a different perspective.

When people think of the library, they usually think of books. What are some resources or services you wish more students knew about?

I’m a bit old school. I firmly believe that students need to develop critical thinking skills, and accessing books is the best way to do so. Understanding how to connect the dots between ideas, synthesize information, and share that with others is one of the best ways to prepare students for their careers.

Of course, other resources augment our main collection. I would love it if students knew more about the Evidence-Based Care guidelines. These are accessible through our CINAHL database, and we just enabled direct linking to these items in SingleSearch.

How can a librarian help students with research projects, papers, or presentations — and when’s the best time to ask for help?

Librarians partner with faculty to ensure that students not only have access to reliable information but also discover perspectives that differ from the ones they hold.

So, librarians really serve students at all stages of their research. And this really gets at the heart of learning as a nonlinear process. This process usually means adjusting your understanding as you connect ideas from different academic sources. From this point of view, students can ask a librarian for help at any point in their assignment.

What’s one way you’ve helped a student (or faculty member) that surprised them or changed how they used the library?

With most of my academic experience at catholic institutions, I like to joke that I traffic in conversion stories. And truthfully, there might have been a few occasions within the last few months that turned students toward valuing the library at a deeper level. But a lot of our impact is actually happening behind the scenes. In the last six months, around six system enhancements have been integrated into our online infrastructure, basically improving how students find and access relevant information.

We need to win over students’ time and attention, and so care is being invested into revising library systems and collections. But to create library-raving fans, we need to cultivate support across campus. I think we are very fortunate to have found a strong supporter in Piotr Krzemien from IT.

For someone who hasn’t used the library much yet, what’s one simple way to start — and one reason you think they’ll end up loving it?

Everyone has at least one amazing teacher. Think of a lesson, topic, or fact that you still hold onto from that class – something that fascinated you or maybe caught your interest. Once that memory comes to mind, enter those ideas into our library’s SingleSearch.

When students recognize the library as a learning companion, a place where content goes far beyond the limitations of a textbook, then they’ll grow to trust it. When students begin to use the library and its collections to foster understanding, they’ll grow to love it.

Your next chapter in learning

The library isn’t just a place — it’s your partner in learning. From expert research support to continually evolving digital resources, it’s designed to meet students wherever they are in their academic journey.

This semester, consider taking a fresh look at what Hoffman Family Library has to offer. You may just discover a resource — or a perspective — that changes the way you learn.