Introducing Our New Librarian, Ms. Theresa Balick

Aquinas College is excited to have Ms. Theresa Balick as our new head librarian! Ms. Balick graduated with her master’s degree in library science from The Catholic University of America in 2024. Read on to learn more about our new librarian.

Welcome to Aquinas! Please tell us about yourself.

I am originally from Howard County, Maryland. I was homeschooled for most of my life but was also taught by some of the Dominican sisters in high school at Mount de Sales Academy, which helped me to grow as a Catholic and as a scholar. I really appreciated the focus on Catholicism in every aspect of my secondary education, especially the opportunities for daily Mass and monthly Adoration before and during the school days.

Tell us more about college? What was your experience like?

I studied French at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. There, I joined a household focused on studying the Diary of St. Faustina, studied abroad for a semester in Gaming, Austria, sang in the University Chapel Choir, and finished my studies in three years. It was a great experience despite being primarily during COVID, and I’m very grateful to have attended a Catholic college where I could continue to learn more about the truth.

Did you always want to be a librarian? Where did you do your grad work?

During high school, I worked as a shelver at my local public library, and I continued to work in libraries in college both in Steubenville and while I studied abroad. I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to study in college; I was interested in studying so many different subjects. What I discovered though was that libraries are a place to study many different topics, and helping others do research for their projects and papers was both fun and interesting. After graduation at Franciscan, I moved to Washington D.C., to begin my master’s degree in library and information science at The Catholic University of America, and I loved it!

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

Some of my hobbies include reading (of course), knitting, crocheting, sewing (I always carry a project on me), and hiking (or walking anywhere in nature). If I could recommend one book I’ve read in the past year, it is Dorothy Sayers’ Gaudy Night!  The novel is a mystery novel that takes place at Oxford University, so not only are the general plot and themes incredible, but also the atmosphere is so fun.

What prompted you to apply to Aquinas?

When I was looking for jobs, I wanted to work in a Catholic library, whether that was in an elementary or secondary school or in a college. The first places I looked were the Newman List colleges, where I initially found nothing. However, a few weeks and many prayers later, I saw that Aquinas had posted the job, and since I knew the sisters and had visited Nashville before, I knew I had to apply. God supplied the rest!