Snapshot: Andy Forsyth
Occupation: I’m the head of the Reference Department at C.H. Booth Library. I manage that department and collections on the third floor and manage the Reference Department staff. I deal with public requests for materials and handle interlibrary loans that come into our department. It’s really more accurate these days to call it “Information Services,” than “Reference.”
Family: I have two kids. Max is studying computer science and math at Brandeis University outside of Boston. Emily is studying geology and history at Mount Holyoke in western Massachusetts. My boyfriend’s name is Scott.
Pets: I had to put down my little miniature dachshund, Misty, last year. She was 16 years old. I’m thinking about getting a cat…
How long have you been here? I lived in Bethel for 17 years, and in Danbury the past couple of years. I started working at C.H. Booth in 2008, and have been head of reference since last fall.
What do you like to do in your free time? I like to read and go to the movies. I definitely like to hike.
Do you have a favorite movie? I like anything by Hitchcock, and I like Billy Wilder movies. I love to watch Turner Classic movies.
What have you read recently? I usually don’t read fiction, but recently I read The Golem and The Jinni by Helene Wecker. When I read fiction, I love historical fiction. I like a strong sense of the setting. This is a mash-up of fantasy and history, set in the turn of the last century New York City.
Do you have a favorite travel destination? I just got back from visiting my brother in Hawaii, so that’s my number one, right now. I love the Geneva, Switzerland, area, and I love to visit Montreal.
What is the best thing about Newtown? The people I’ve met — our patrons — are warm, engaged and fervent lovers of their library and community, in a way that is more palpable than anywhere else I’ve worked. People in Newtown stand out as being so supportive of our library, especially since we’ve been closed this winter. People tell us they felt a lack in their daily routines, without us here. It brings it home, why we do our jobs: to have that personal connection in the library.
What has been the greatest influence in your life? When my son started school, I volunteered in the media center there. It was the epiphany that library science was what I wanted to pursue. It was a real “Ah-ha!” moment for me. All of the aspects of library work were a perfect fit for me.
Do you have a personal philosophy? Take each day as it come. Don’t overthink things.
Do you have a guilty pleasure? Splurging on television. I’ll binge on TV series, like House of Cards.