Mr. Mahollitz, Kent School’s research librarian, has possessed a critical  role in Kent’s academic community over the preceding three years. Originally from Wisconsin, Mr. Mahollitz’s prior work in libraries spanned roles within public libraries, youth services, and high school education, as Mr. Mahollitz’s experiences took him from the Bay Area in California, to Tallinn, Estonia alongside his wife, and eventually to New York.  

Before coming to Kent, Mr. Mahollitz accumulated a diversified range of experience within various educational settings. Mr. Mahollitz, succeeding a degree in English and a decade of service work, spent seven years working in a high school library setting in the Bay Area, California. “I worked with everyone from birth through age 18, managing the collection and running programs,” illustrates Mr. Mahollitz. Upon relocating to New York, Mr. Mahollitz’s intention was to return to work within an academic setting. However, encountering a limited availability of positions, Mr. Mahollitz worked in Youth Services before arriving at Kent. Yet, Mr. Mahollitz’s experiences and background within service-oriented work, roles in academic settings, and California libraries has culminated in his current position at Kent. “When you go through library school, you have a few different routes you can go,” states Mr. Mahollitz. “I didn’t know where I wanted to end up, but I had a feeling I wanted to be in academic libraries. I happened to wind up in a private high school and I am very happy to be back in the high school room.” 

Mr. Mahollitz’s position within library work is established in a commitment and passion for facilitating learning within an academic environment. Mr. Mahollitz’s background in service-related roles instilled an appreciation for the influence that the access to information possesses on an individuals’ learning experiences: “I have always worked in service-related work, and I consider library work as a service-oriented position…connecting information needs with information,” describes Mr. Mahollitz. However, a fundamental motivation for Mr. Mahollitz’s position within the library field is the dynamic characterization of the role. Mr. Mahollitz astutely discerns that library service is not undeviating, as it evolves alongside the desires of the student body. “It [library work] never gets old,” elucidates Mr. Mahollitz. “It is always a new experience… needs are always evolving and changing as the year goes on, and what is needed to satisfy those needs is changing as well.” Ultimately, Mr. Mahollitz’s decision in pursuing library work is based within the desire to support students throughout their academic careers, connecting information necessities alongside resources. “Coming out of service-related work, seeing how people fit into that picture as well, library work was only a natural fit.” 

Mr. Mahollitz’s decision in joining Kent School three years ago was informed through a confluence of inquisitiveness and the desire for collaboration. Possessing no previous experience within a boarding school setting, as a student or working professional, Mr. Mahollitiz highlights the novel opportunity presented by Kent: “…there was a lot of unknown when I first came here…I’ve always worked as a department of one, but I was intrigued by working with a team of librarians.” However, Mr. Mahollitz has exceedingly embraced his fundamental and multifaceted role within Kent. Although referring to himself as simply a “librarian,” Mr. Mahollitz recognises the significance of his contributions within research and research collaboration. “I am not first and foremost tasked with creating or leading the research agenda at Kent, but that is a big part of my role.” Within this capacity, Mr. Mahollitz works closely alongside the history department, where a substantial amount of research activity occurs for students. Mr. Mahollitz’s role encompasses assisting students with research demands and academic inquiries, ensuring students possess access to necessary materials. For Mr. Mahollitz, his work and position at Kent is “always new.” He reflects, “on a given day, I might work with a History Class needing a primary source on 16th century German history and an English class for a project on Hamlet.” Mr. Mahollitz’s engagement alongside a multitude of topics inherent to his role allows him to continuously learn and remain engaged with novel information. “It’s that variety of things which always keep me learning as I don’t have all this information in my head.”  Moreover, Mr. Mahollitz coordinates the Peer Tutoring Program at Kent, designed to provide students with additional academic support through classmates. For Mr. Mahollitiz, the Peer Tutoring Program embodies the ethos of educational service as ,overseeing this program, Mr. Mahollitz facilitates the training of Peer Tutors and the connection between students desiring academic help and their peers.  

Beyond his professional position, Mr. Mahollitz embraces craftsmanship and a diversity of hobbies. In his free time, Mr. Mahollitz thoroughly adores the art of cooking, often donning his apron when returning home. Extending beyond culinary expertise, Mr. Mahollitz engages in crafting handmade soaps, candles, and chapsticks, alongside producing his own maple syrup. Mr. Maholltiz’s literary tastes are as varied and fascinating as his hobbies, as a selection of his favorite literary works include The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. 

Ultimately, however, reflecting on his journey and position at Kent School, Mr. Mahollitz emphasizes the overarching impact of his role and the inherent passion positioned alongside it: “Helping walk a student through a specific need, I think that is very powerful and hopefully empowering for the students I work with.” Mr. Mahollitz concludes, “As I’ve always said with every job I’ve had in libraries, I could do this for the rest of my life.”