Not So Frequently Asked Questions with Elisabeth Ferguson!

Elisabeth Ferguson, Coordinator of Public Services
Elisabeth.Ferguson@chattanoogastate.edu

You're likely to find Elisabeth Ferguson manning the reference desk, teaching a class, or heading to a meeting. As Coordinator of Public Services she's a jack of all trades! In addition to ensuring that our patrons get excellent library service, she's the subject liaison for Engineering, Psychology, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Economics, and TCAT. So bring all your tough questions to her; she's prepared! But before she gets to answer your reference questions she has to answer of few of our unique inquiries.

1. What was your favorite class in high school? 
AP English with Mrs. Becker in 12th grade. She was really serious about teaching us to be good writers. She was a tough grader. I still remember getting my first paper back from her—I was totally horrified at the grade because I had always done well in English. However, I learned a lot and was definitely well-prepared for writing in college. She was also a fun teacher; we did some cool projects and I made some good friends in the class.

2. What's your favorite song to sing at the top of your lungs while driving? 
Almost anything when I’m in a great mood—or when I’m in a terrible mood and trying to cheer myself up.    

3. If you weren't a librarian, what would you be? 
When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a flight attendant! It seemed like such a glamorous job.  

4. What is the last picture you took with your phone? 
My group of girls at dinner on the last night of our beach trip. Wish I was still lying on the beach!  

5. What's your favorite childhood story/book? 
I loved (and still love) all the Ramona books. Ramona is such a fun and relatable character—although I probably identified more with Beezus, the older sister who was tortured by her pesky little sis!    

6. Coke or Pepsi? 
Definitely Coke…unless it’s a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi.

7. What's the most rewarding part of your job? 
I love being at a community college because I get to work with students from such diverse backgrounds. 

8. Worst book you ever read?
Ok, I will admit that I tried to read 50 Shades of Grey but couldn’t get through more than a few pages. It is truly terrible. 

9. What was your first paying job and how long did it last?
I used to babysit all the time in middle and high school. Some of the kids were great, but some of them were awful! I remember a brother and sister who ran out of the house. I had to chase them all the way down the street, and then they refused to come back home. I can’t remember how I ever got them back. I was pretty excited when I was old enough to get a job at the mall and leave the babysitting behind.

10. What advice do you have for students? 
Be practical and think about the future—if you don’t start thinking seriously about your career path early on in your college years, you may end up wasting a lot of time (and money!). However, you can learn a lot in classes that have nothing to with your major or your future career—don’t be afraid to study something that is outside your comfort zone.

CGR