thursday, march 18, 2004
news
the university daily kansan
5A
© 2014 MasterCard International Corporation
Bremt Carter/Kansan
Aagje Ashe, administrative assistant for the Moore Reading Room in Smith Hall, said she enjoyed her job at Smith. Ashe has worked in Smith since April of last year Her husband is a professor of biology at the University.
Smith Hall librarian makes shift from science to religious studies
By Samia Khan
skhan@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
She passes her work week wondering how many people know what is behind the burning bush stained glass window of Smith Hall, across from the Kansas Union.
Aagie Ashe knows most people have no idea about the Moore Reading Room nor the unusual path that brought her to the quiet study area behind the glass of Moses' burning bush.
Ashe, senior administrative assistant, manages and coordinates the Moore Reading Room. Since she took the job last April, she has been in charge of ordering books for faculty, hiring student workers and making sure all the resources are in order. She is a scientist turned librarian, taking her masters in biology to the field of religious studies.
"When she started, I was impressed by how devoted she was to learning."
"I don't feel like you have to keep going in one direction,"
Whitney Rice Lee's Summit, Mo., junior
she said. "It's OK to change around. My whole life is that way."
Whitney Rice has been a student-hourly in the reading room for three years. Rice, Lee's Summit, Mo., junior, said Ashe was always trying to educate herself.
"When she started, I was impressed by how devoted she was to learning." Rice said.
Learning and readjusting is nothing new for Ashe. She had to learn how to live on her own in a new country after moving from the Netherlands 30 years ago. Ashe had to adjust to a new culture and the nuances of an unfamiliar language. When she
wanted to buy a dresser cabinet, she found out she shouldn't use the word "commode" as she had done in the Netherlands.
"People wondered what I was going to do with a toilet," she said.
In her 30 years in the United States, Ashe has had several jobs working with science and biology.
When she looked into jobs at the University of Kansas last year, she initially planned to apply for a job involving specimen collection. She noticed the librarian opening and thought it sounded interesting.
Ashe's background in the sciences is not contradictory to the religious studies field. She said religion was an academic endeavor that also involved some type of research. Studying theology doesn't conflict with the scientific approach because theology is not like practicing a religion, she said.
Rice said Ashe came into the job with no assumptions. Ashe is constantly trying to learn
more about religion from people in the department. She said she was now more aware of the variety of religions in the world. She has learned about rituals that exist in other countries, such as the temple caretaking ceremony of the Japanese on Mount Hiei.
Ashe said she was happy she chose to pursue a new field. She said she loved being with students in the reading room and talking to religious studies faculty.
Ashe loves coming to work on sunny days when the light from the window tints the room different colors. She said only students who have taken religion classes or people who come in to take a picture of the window really know about the reading room.
"I try to advertise it as much as I can," she said. "But it's a dilemma because part of the charm is the intimate feel."
Edited by Guillaume Doane
band: $ (undisclosed amount)
you are here: priceless
Go to mastercard.com to apply for an internship making a music video for the band Hoobastank. there are some things money can't buy. for everything else there's MasterCard. $ \textcircled{e} $
MasterCard
Red Lyon Tavern A touch of Irish in downtown Lawrence
944 Mass
832-8228
Domestic & Foreign Complete Car Care
LAWRENCE AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICS INC.
842-8665
2858 Four Wheel Dr.
"We Stand Behind Our Work, and WE CARE!"
www.lawrenceautodlag.com
DON'S AUTO CENTER "For all your repair needs"
841-4833
920 E. 11th Street
- Import and Domestic Repair & Maintenance Machine Shop Service Computer Diagnostics
SUNFLOWER OUTDOOR BIKE Spring Break Essentials!
The Mush sandal from Teva...only $19.98!
804 Massachusetts St.
Downtown Lawrence
(785) 843-5000
5