Library Resources for Arts & Sciences Faculty

Kim joined Dartmouth Libraries in July 2025 as a Research & Learning Librarian for STEM.  She specifically supports the students and faculty in the following departments: Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, and Physics & Astronomy. She holds an M.S. in Information Sciences and an M.A. in English from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and previously served as a Science & Engineering Librarian at Tulane University. She has travelled the world and has spent many years living abroad, primarily in Mongolia and England. Kim loves supporting students in their scientific inquiries and helping them hone their skills in scholarly communication, as well as encouraging curiosity about the natural world.

What excites you about the collections at Dartmouth Libraries?

I just arrived to Dartmouth--and to New England!--on July 1st so I'm still exploring the extensive resources at Dartmouth Libraries connected to my subject areas, but I am especially excited about partnering with the team at Rauner Library to surface special collections connected to the STEM disciplines. As an avid naturalist and hiker, it seems fitting that my first opportunity to interact with Rauner's collections is to help with an exhibit that celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy this fall. What a great way to connect students, especially those interested in Earth Sciences and Environmental Studies, to the rich natural history of the Appalachian Trail, a national treasure that passes right through our campus!

What's your favorite place you've visited?

I spent six years in Mongolia during my 20's. From 1992-1994, I lived in the city of Khovd in the far west, near Mongolia's border with China and Kazakhstan. This area was often referred to as the "Wild West of Asia," and it definitely felt that way at times! There were more people riding horses, camels, and yaks through town than riding on motorized vehicles. I experienced powerful dust storms, weeks of electricity outages, crumbling Soviet architecture, and winter temperatures that regularly dipped to -40 degrees F. But I also experienced the amazing hospitality of the Mongolian people, the cultural complexities of their nomadic heritage, and the awe-inspiring beauty of the Gobi-Altai mountains.

Tell us about a book you particularly enjoyed.

Speaking of freezing nights and of the Appalachian Trail, one of my favorite recent reads is Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery. If I find myself bemoaning a rough night in my tent while backpacking, I only have to conjure up the image of 70-year-old Grandma Gatewood tackling the AT in her thin canvas shoes with a homemade drawstring sack slung over her shoulder and a shower curtain to shield her from the relentless wind and rain. Her story inspires me to keep trekking when the going gets rough!