Christine Hasemann, University Library Hannover, Germany.

Q: What led you into your chosen profession?

A: After having got my degree in mathematics and physics I had the chance and good luck to become a subject librarian at the German National Library on Science and Technology (TIB), Hannover. In an amazing library with many different tasks I worked on different topics, appreciating most to meet people from all over the world: the United States, European countries, Eastern European countries and sometimes Asian as well.

Q: What book are you reading right now?

A: Donna Leon: Uniform Justice - I love the Italian atmosphere.

Q: Who do you admire the most (past or present) and why?

A: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz for his universal capabilities, being a great mathematician, philosopher and librarian who worked for a long time at Hannover - and he seemed to like Hannover.

Q: What was the first and last music record you bought?

A: The first record: Tchaikovsky: Symphonie Pathetique (When I went to school I did not have a record player but used to listen to the radio: Radio Luxemburg and BFN, BFBS respectively); the last record: Sibelius: Complete Symphonies. I still listen to the radio more often than to the record player.

Q: If you could have any career other than your chosen profession, what would you choose?

A: Banking.

Q: If you could have dinner with any 3 people, living or dead, who would they be?

A: Jane Austen, Annette v. Droste-Huelshoff, Thomas Mann - would become a funny dinner, I feel.

Q: Money no option, where would you like to go on vacation?

A: Australia. I have been in Sydney (incl. Sydney Opera!), Adelaide and the Outbacks once.

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