By Jon Dumais

Photo by Mackenzie Hefferman/ The Lafayette

“Thrash!”

Not the tattoo most would expect to see on their librarian, if they would be expecting one at all. But for those who know Douglas Durrenberger, it makes perfect sense. (He’s in a band, after all.)

Durrenberger is the first to enter Kirby Library each morning and he does so happily. Four years into his career at Lafayette, Durrenberger likes to think of himself as an intermediary between students and faculty. “My job is to facilitate as good an undergraduate experience as students can have,” he said. This often entails suggesting research avenues or explaining resources to students. To Durrenberger, interaction with students is the most enjoyable part of the job.

“I really like to talk with [international students] to get their perspectives on life here and more importantly what their lives at home are like,” he said.

Before Lafayette, Durrenberger obtained his degree in Political Science from Moravian College. After graduating, he pursued his “wanderlust,” traveling to Antwerp, a Flemish province of Belgium, and later to Brazil. When asked why he chose those places, he said, “I’m a very local guy and just wanted to find more urban and non-Anglophone places.”

After his adventures in Belgium, Durrenberger traveled to Brazil to spend time with a friend he’d met through the music scene. His band, Soars, was offered a few gigs in Brazil but they did not take them. For four months, Durrenberger stayed with his music buddy and, with his savings, explored Brazil, “going to supermarkets, seeing the night life, trying to absorb things on a street level.”

All too often, Durrenberger said, travelers get so caught up in the sights of a new place that they forget to truly immerse themselves in the culture.

“The only way you can get a real feel for something is to be in it for a while and ask questions. Don’t be afraid to look like an idiot,” he said. “I think there is a certain amount of pride that gets between people and having a real experience. I knew: I’m not going to be as suave, I’m going to be awkward and I’m going to get into some situations that are uneasy for me, but you have to be willing to do that.”

Durrenberger plays keyboard and electronic beats for the band, Soars, which he describes as “indie pop…only depressing.” Though the band toured briefly, today they play mostly local shows. “If we can draw 100 to 200 people to a show, that’s good,” he said.

In the library, Durrenberger works closely with Ana Ramirez-Luhrs to facilitate a quiet and helpful library environment. “He loves using ridiculous puns,” Luhrs said of her friend.

“I go for intentionally awful things,” Durrenberger added. “Like what’s the saddest creature in the ocean? The blue whale. The worse the better! I read a lot of Mad Magazine as a kid. They are master practitioners of the art of the awful.”

Durrenberger enjoys his job at Lafayette. It’s just like any other job, there are ups and downs. Overall, he enjoys the pace of library work and has become fond of the collection in Kirby.

“I know what makes me happy and I try to surround myself with it,” he said.