Portrait of Robin Sinn

Please enjoy this interview with one of the Librarians of Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries: Robin Sinn!

Who are you and what do you do?

I am the Coordinator of the Office of Scholarly Communication. Scholarly communication librarians are a fairly new type of librarian, tasked with assisting faculty and graduate students work in the rapidly changing publishing landscape. We consult and make presentations about copyright, Fair Use, Open Access, predatory publishing, sharing research outputs, bibliometrics, and other topics. Most librarians work in these areas also, but we’re the specialists to turn to with complicated scenarios.

I also do a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ work on policy and how to use our funding to support open infrastructure and open content.

Tell us a little about your background. 

I started as a science librarian at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, in their historic library. After that I worked at two public universities in Ohio, managing a branch science and math library for 5 years. Then I hopped back to the East Coast with my initial job here at Sheridan Libraries as a science & engineering librarian. About 3 years ago I started my transition into my current role, which I really enjoy!

What is part of your job that people may not know about?

All the reading and discussions that support decisions about how the Libraries and the University will move forward into a more open world. How can we help faculty open their research as required by funders and often requested by readers? How should our funds be dispersed? What skills do our graduate students need to be responsible producers and users of information? These are longer term discussion that happen in an always-changing environment.

What’s the best part about being a librarian?

Collaboration and team work. Always learning.

What is your favorite hobby?

Walking for exercise and head-clearing. Travel.

You have to eat the same thing every day for the rest of your life. What is it?

Dark chocolate, 72%

Beach or Mountains? Why?

Mountains – I prefer hiking.

If you weren’t a librarian, what would you be? Why? 

Wildlife ecologist so I could help manage land and animals to protect both. I could work for a park service (local, state, or national) or a nonprofit like Nature Conservancy.

If you gave yourself a nickname, what would it be and why?

Frank or George, because that’s what my father used to call me and my sister when were little and he was teasing us.

Coke or Pepsi?

Unsweetened iced tea