Jeff Marraccini has been a member of the Board of the FTPL since September 2016, but he’s been a TPL lover for much longer. Read all about Jeff here!
What is your role with the Friends? List all jobs that you perform for the FTPL and for how long you’ve been associated with the same.
Board Member, focusing on IT and web site development. I joined in 2016.
Briefly describe who you are – married, single, family, kids, interests, etc.
I am single but have a wonderful relationship with my partner Allison, and we both enjoy TPL! I was involved early in helping spread the Internet back before it was commercialized, and thus have had a lot of exposure to many computing platforms thanks to my alma mater, Oakland University, consulting, and my full time work. I enjoy helping others with computing and network issues, and have helped people recover / convert older word processing documents from extinct platforms so that they may become current ebooks!
What is your educational and/or professional background?
Graduated from Oakland University in 1994, Economics, Computer Science, and Anthropology. I have been with Altair Engineering in Troy for 20 years working in IT management.
What makes you passionate about the library and/or the Friends?
Books made me what I am, and I have enjoyed TPL even before I moved to Troy. TPL’s generous access to those that work in Troy is a tremendous benefit, and spreading the word about what the Friends and the TPL both accomplish is very important. The Library and the people I have met through it have been there for me, good days and bad, and by reading, using the databases, and attending events, I have learned a great deal about many topics!
What are your favorite types of books/materials to read?
Science Fiction, Technology, and (gasp!) Economics
Who is your favorite author?
Arthur C. Clarke
What is your favorite book?
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Where do you see/hope to see the Friends in five years?
Online searchable Book Shop (don’t worry, I’ll help with it!), and helping TPL move to a larger, more current building.
What is the most valuable thing TPL offers the community?
Being open. I immediately feel brighter just walking into TPL and exploring. It was devastating when the Library was perhaps going to be closed for a while (during the millage decision issue), and I thank the entire community for coming together and helping ensure it remains in our community.