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The Staff at The Library

Daniel Alvarez / Access Services and Circulation Manager
Daniel’s ten years of experience providing high quality library services to patrons started at the Somerville Public Library, and has continued for the past 9 years at the Stan Getz Library. His responsibilities include ensuring the circulation desk operates efficiently, managing the library’s materials, as well as supervising and training the student employees. The dedication and passion that Daniel puts into his job is mirrored by his team, whose main goal is to provide the best library experience to students, faculty and every member of the Berklee community.
Daniel is a graduate of Berklee (Professional Music ‘96) and, as a musician, he has performed and recorded with a variety of artists in South and North America. He also worked as a music instructor for 10 years. In his spare time, he likes street photography, hiking with his family, jogging, and occasionally playing Candombe (Afro-Uruguayan drumming) with friends.

  • Stan Getz Library
  • (617) 747-2599
Michael Burke / Digital Repositories Librarian
As Digital Repositories Librarian, Michael (he/him) oversees the management and development of Berklee’s Research Media and Information Exchange (REMIX), the school’s institutional repository. REMIX is a centralized resource through which Berklee institutes, departments, faculty, and students can provide long-term open access to their scholarly materials, from creative works and educational resources to research articles and conference proceedings. Michael is a graduate of Boston College (BA in English) and Simmons University (MLIS) with research interests in digital scholarship and digital preservation.
  • Berklee Archives
  • (617) 747-3112
Youn Choi / Associate Director of Technology Support, Data Analytics, and Multimedia
Youn Choi is the Manager of Technology Support for the Content and Media Services team in the Library & Learning Resources. Youn Choi has extensive experience with Digital Audio Workstations(DAWs), Non-Linear Editors (NLEs), computer lab management and computer network management. He oversees the Media Development and the Digitizing Support teams, digital asset management, and audio visual equipment technical support. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music (majoring in MP&E and EP&D) and Boston University (Masters in Computer Information Systems).
  • The Library
  • (617) 747-8209
Reginald Didham / Cataloging and Acquisitions/ILL Librarian
Reg Didham has worked as a librarian since 1976, and at Boston Conservatory at Berklee since 1978. He obtained his library degree at what was then Simmons College on The Fenway, having gotten his Bachelor’s Degree at Northeastern University. Having started at BoCo in a part-time position, he moved through several positions in the Albert Alphin Library, including Head Librarian, until he reached his current position of Cataloging and Acquisitions Librarian. As is often true in small libraries, Reg has found himself wearing multiple librarian hats, sometimes more than one at once. Among his duties are cataloging of scores and books for the Alphin Library shelves, Interlibrary Loan for all of Berklee and BoCo, and chamber music reserve librarian during the academic year. A devoted choral singer, Reg has belonged to a number of groups over the years both large and small, including the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, John Oliver Chorale, Boston Concert Opera, and Russian Chamber Chorus. He is currently an enthusiastic member of Chorus pro Musica, the Commonwealth Chorale (formerly Newton Choral Society), and the New World Chorale.
  • Albert Alphin Library
  • (617) 747-2578
Jenée Force / Associate Director, Archives and Special Collections
Jenée has held various roles within The Library since 2007. She currently oversees Berklee Archives, which includes collections from both Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, as well as special collections, such as those that are broadly about jazz, music pedagogy, and the Boston music scene. Jenée also manages Berklee’s institutional repository, REMIX, and various Berklee community online indices. In her previous roles at Berklee, Jenée was Manager of Metadata Services, and Catalog Librarian. Jenée is a graduate of the State University of New York at Geneseo (B.A. in Ethnomusicology, Anthropology, ‘02) and the State University of New York, University at Buffalo (M.L.S., ‘06, M.A. in Musicology, ‘07). Hailing from Western New York, Jenée is an avid Buffalo Bills fan and Wegmans lover. As a violinist and vocalist, she has performed with various folk and rock groups around the Boston area.
  • Berklee Archives
  • (617) 747-8684
Ernie Gillis / Director, Content & Media Services
Ernie oversees The Library’s Content and Media Services team (or CaMS). He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Berklee (Music Production and Engineering, ‘99) and a Master of Liberal Arts (Digital Media and Design) from Harvard University. Ernie has been on staff at Berklee for roughly two decades, and has also worked in studio environments on everything from small solo or duo acts, to large orchestral and major feature film productions (including working with Kozue Kuriyama, Ludovico Ensemble, Boston Pops, and Boston Symphony Orchestra). At Berklee, he and his team focus on all aspects of technology and infrastructure in The Library and The Berklee Archives facilities and websites so that all curricular, faculty, and student needs are met.
  • The Library
  • (617) 747-8533
Ashley Gray / Collections Archivist
Ashley leads collections processing and access and research services for the Berklee Archives, which documents the history, activities, and contributions of both the College and the Conservatory, with additional special collections in jazz and popular music. Prior to joining Berklee, she served as the Archivist for the Handel and Haydn Society and the Digital Projects Assistant for the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. Originally from the Midwest, Ashley is a graduate of Kenyon College (English Literature, ‘11) and Simmons University (MLIS, ‘15). In her spare time, she enjoys walking, baking, getting lost in a book, and attending arts performances around Boston.
  • Berklee Archives
  • (617) 747-6774
Kristen Heider / Metadata Librarian
As Metadata Librarian, Kristen works behind the scenes to support the library’s backbone: its catalog. Her work makes physical and digital Stan Getz Library, Creative Technology Center, and Berklee College Archives materials searchable and accessible to the Berklee community and beyond. She has an MLS with a specialization in Music Librarianship from Indiana University and a BA in Vocal Performance/Bass Trombone Performance from Gustavus Adolphus College. Kristen is also an active musician, actor, voice actor, and theater technician in the Boston area, and a company member of Flat Earth Theatre, an award-winning, egalitarian theater company based in Watertown.
  • Stan Getz Library
  • (617) 747-3194
Brendan Higgins / Faculty Liaison and Outreach Librarian
Brendan facilitates faculty engagement with the libraries for both the College and Conservatory. Previously, he served as the Public Services Librarian at Albert Alphin Library, working closely with faculty and students in reference and instruction. Brendan is a graduate of Berklee (Music Education, ’04), as well as Tufts University (MM, ’10) and Simmons University (MLIS, ‘14). While he’s always enjoyed wearing many hats as a librarian, his passion is in reference and research assistance, and providing instruction in information literacy. As a musician, he often performs on upright and electric bass, although he will still take the occasional saxophone gig (his primary instrument at Berklee) or lend his voice to a choir. As a scholar, his interests are at the intersections of musical genres and styles, musical borrowing and adapting, and gender and LGBTQ+ studies.
  • Library Instruction, Outreach, and Support
  • (617) 747-8525
Jennifer Hunt / Associate Dean
Jennifer A. Hunt has been the Library Director for the Albert Alphin Library at The Boston Conservatory since 2002 and was appointed the Director of Collection Strategy for Berklee Libraries in 2019. In 2022 she was appointed Associate Dean for the libraries. Among other things, she is responsible for the acquisition of new materials for the collections, handles donation offers, and has oversight of the operations of the libraries. She received her B.M. in flute performance, M.A. in musicology and M.L.S. in library science from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Jennifer has served as the Chair of the New England Music Library Association, Coordinator of the Boston Area Music Libraries, and as a member of the Career Services Committee and Résumé Review Service of the Music Library Association. Her research interests include French flute repertoire, 20th century wind ensemble literature, the U.S. Civil War, and the Lincoln assassination. Currently Jennifer is a member of the flute section of the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and has performed at such venues as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Faneuil Hall, and the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade.
  • Albert Alphin Library
  • (617) 747-2611
Carrie Keach / User Support Assistant
Carrie Keach received her undergraduate degree at MIT, where she majored in music (her main instrument is the fiddle). She has been a volunteer librarian of the MIT Science Fiction Society for over a decade, and will discuss speculative fiction at length with anyone who’s interested. Before coming to Berklee she worked with dogs and read books for leisure; now she is happy to work with books and play with dogs for leisure.
  • Stan Getz Library
  • (617) 747-6432
Amy Lawton / Associate Director, User Experience and Operations
Amy joined Berklee in the summer of 2022 as Associate Director of User Services and Operations. In this role, Amy oversees library patron services and organizational operations for the Stan Getz Library and the Albert Alphin Library at the Boston Conservatory. Along with the entire Operations and Access Services team, Amy strives to ensure both libraries continue to offer a welcome, accessible, and inclusive environment for the entire Berklee community. She also oversees the library’s social media channels promoting library resources, events, and achievements. A native of New England, Amy earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Bridgewater State University and her Masters of Library and Information Science from the University of Rhode Island. Amy enjoys traveling and attending music and cultural festivals and celebrations during her travels.
  • Stan Getz Library, Albert Alphin Library
  • (617) 747-3114
Eric Levine / Manager, Creative Technology Center
Eric is a Berklee graduate. An electronic production and design major in 2010 and has worked at Berklee on the library team since 2014. With the drum kit as a principal instrument, Eric holds down the groove for the Creative Technology Center. He has played in a bunch of different bands and was an internet radio DJ on Berklee's Internet Radio Network and he is focusing on music technology at Berklee as well as being the Boston area product specialist for Universal Audio. When not at Berklee he can be found hiking around New England with his wife, son Henry, and friends.
  • Creative Technology Center (CTC)
  • (617) 747-6011
Tsun-Ju Lin / Manager of Academic Research and Learning Resources
Tsun-Ju manages Berklee Valencia Library in Spain. She holds a Ph.D. degree from Washington State University (Langauge, Literacy and Technolgy, ‘12) and has served as a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology and as a post-doc researcher at National Taiwan Normal University in the areas of research process and methods, information literacy, educational technology, and foreign/second language learning. Since she started working in higher education, she actively participated in a wide range of scholarly activities, such as publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, serving as a reviewer for journal publishers and international conferences, organizing conference workshops, panels, etc. At Berklee, she facilitates the learning resources and academic research and very much enjoys working with faculty, students, and the music librarians in such a multicultural learning environment. Tsun-Ju hopes to stimulate creativity and facilitate lifelong learning and research continuously within the community.
  • Berklee Valencia
  • (617) 747-3438
Niamh Millers / Library Assistant (Valencia Campus)
Niamh Millers is the Library Assistant at Berklee Valencia. She has a Bachelor degree in Music and Psychology from Liverpool Hope University, and a Master in Clarinet Performance (Classical) from Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts. Since relocating to Valencia, she has gained experience in teaching English, and joining Berklee has perfectly combined her love of music with her passion about education. Although she no longer plays clarinet professionally, she is part of a local windband and is enjoying all that the Valencian music community has to offer.
  • Berklee Valencia
Mae Pemberton / Operations Supervisor, Creative Technology Center
Mae is a recent Berklee graduate. Earning their Professional Music degree in 2023 with concentrations in Screen Scoring and Music Production. As the CTC's newest staff member, Mae is looking forward to using their decade of experience as a recording & performing artist to to help students explore their creative potential. Outside of Berklee, Mae is the founder of a DIY music/media label and can be found performing regularly in one of their several projects.
  • Creative Technology Center (CTC)
Blair Pershyn / Director, Creative Technology Center
Blair led in the launching of two new facilities at the Library which he now oversees, the Creative Technology Center and the Immersive Technology Lab, providing the Berklee community access to the latest in music and video production tools as well as emerging technologies such as virtual reality. A performing guitarist and alumnus of Berklee’s Jazz Composition program, he seeks to explore the intersection of creativity and technology, working to help students develop the technical skills and master the tools necessary to attaining their artistic vision. Outside of music, Blair enjoys spending his time biking, gardening, traveling and studying history.
  • Creative Technology Center (CTC)
  • (617) 747-2864
Judith Pinnolis / Associate Director, Instruction & Engagement
Judith’s experience spans nearly 30 years as a research, instruction and outreach librarian, as well as over twelve years teaching college musicology courses. As a librarian, she has served at the national level as Chair of the Chapters Council and on the National Leadership Council of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). She’s also been President of ACRL’s New England Chapter as well as Chair of the Jewish Music Roundtable of the Music Library Association. She has contributed to major reference works such as Basic Music Library, 4th edition, and Women and Music in America Since 1900: An Encyclopedia, and most recently, the Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of American Jewish Women, in addition to publishing many book and music reviews. Pinnolis has been editor for over twenty years of the scholarly website, The Jewish Music WebCenter (www.jmwc.org). She received her B.A. from Newcomb College (Tulane University), her M.M. at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, and M.S. in Library Science at Simmons College. Judy has sung with the Kol Arev chorus and has played viola with local Boston groups.
  • Library Instruction, Outreach, and Support
  • (617) 747-8465
Monica Ruiz / Circulation Manager
Monica Ruiz is the Circulation Manager at the Albert Alphin Library. After receiving their undergraduate degree in music from MIT, they worked in access services and special collections at both MIT and Harvard. Originally from Southern California, she mitigates how much she misses the sun by consuming media in nearly all forms.
  • Albert Alphin Library
  • 617-747-2569
Julie Schaeffer / Electronic Resources Librarian
Julie is a member of the collections team focusing on electronic resources. She helps manage the purchasing of databases as well as ebooks, journals, and streaming video. Julie is a graduate of Pratt Institute (MSLIS) and Smith College (BA), previously she worked at Boston University Libraries and Teachers College, Columbia University library. She played the clarinet until 6th grade when the teacher told her that her fingers were too short and later sang in the Smith College Chorus. Her favorite genre of music is indie rock, she enjoys attending concerts, and going to the theater.
  • The Library
  • (617) 747-8143
Stacey Snyder / Instructional Design & Liaison Librarian
Stacey is the newest team member of the Berklee Libraries. Most recently at MIT, Stacey has been teaching research and information literacy skills online and in-person since 2012. Stacey believes in a student-driven approach to instruction, engaging classes in active learning and critical thinking whenever possible. She leverages the use of technology with thoughtful intention, creating minimalist and pithy learning objects for reference outside the classroom. A native Midwesterner, Stacey is a graduate of Drake University (BSBA & WGS Concentration, ‘07) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MLIS, ‘12). In her spare time, Stacey is an improviser, director, and writer in the Boston comedy community, and she is delighted to be working professionally among fellow artists.
  • Library Instruction, Outreach, and Support
  • (617) 747-6388
Jaesung Song / Library Sr. Web Developer & Systems Administrator
Jaesung Song serves The Library department as the Senior Web developer directly reports to the Associate Director of Library Systems & Web Development. Over a couple decades of jobs dealing with multimedia and programming experiences, he has expertise in architecting, building and managing data driven web applications, he consults and provides all aspects of the development process for the department as needed. He likes the challenges in troubleshooting issues and being creative on projects with limited resources. In recent years(2017~19) of experiences as a director and lead developer for an ecommerce software development team, he has a solid understanding and management skills for the full development and operations cycles.
  • The Library
Yamil Suárez / Associate Director of Library Systems & Web Development
Yamil is a member of the Content and Media Services team. His job focuses on the configuration and management of the Berklee library’s systems and servers, and maintaining access to library content to off-campus patrons. He also manages the library’s web development needs by collaborating with his direct report, the library’s Senior Web developer. Yamil has a bachelor’s degree of music (guitar) in Music Education from Berklee College, and a master’s degree in Computer Science from Boston University. His professional motto is “to ensure access to information,” and he is passionate about using and contributing to open source software projects. Yamil is fluent in both English and Spanish, in addition to a few programming languages.
  • The Library
  • (617) 747-2617
Pablo Vargas / Dean, Library and Learning Resources
As the Dean, Pablo provides leadership and oversight to the department.
He takes great pride in providing faculty and students with services and resources that support and complement their academic, professional, and creative journeys.
Originally from Colombia, Pablo graduated from Berklee in 1997 in Film Scoring and later got a Certificate in Media Production from Emerson College. He enjoys art museums, the outdoors, drawing, and playing music with his two sons.
  • The Library
  • (617) 747-2667
Tim Walsh / Department Coordinator/Acquisitions Assistant
Tim Walsh is the Department Coordinator for The Library. He received his Bachelor's Degree in English at Tulane University. Prior to this role, he gained experience at the Harvard Kennedy School, MCPHS University, and in Berklee's Academic Scheduling department. In his free time, he enjoys music production, writing, and traveling.
  • The Library
  • (617) 747-8748
Leah Washington / Sr. Audio/Visual Technology & Production Coordinator
Leah’s role in the Berklee Library ranges from technical and infrastructure support to multimedia production and digital asset management. Her duties include maintenance of Library computer facilities, video production, supporting online Library resources, collaborating with the Berklee Archives, and more. It is her goal to never stop learning new skills and she highly values authenticity in both personal engagement and artistry. She is a musician of over 20 years, a Berklee alumni (’11), a computer nerd, and an avid gamer.
  • The Library
  • (617) 747-8038