UTA Libraries Staff Spotlight: David Hayden

From his time in the military to serving as a volunteer Little League coach, David Hayden’s life has been connected to one word - service. As stacks manager at UTA Libraries, David continues to find ways daily to serve others at the university. 

The Stacks Department is about getting physical resources back into the hands of patrons, but it is also about teamwork. David feels that working together enhances a person's experience at the library. 

"The job that we do in this department, Stacks, is to move books around. We make sure that books returned to the library get processed," David said. "We have a great group, and we do a lot of great work here. If you look at my accomplishments on the library staff webpage, they are not just my accomplishments but the team's accomplishments." 

Lining David's office's walls, shelves and counter space are action figures from comic books, television shows and movies. The most abundant characters are Mando, Boba Fett, and Batman. These characters' values, such as honesty and integrity, are why they have found a place in David's office. These character traits mirror his values. 

David shared that he enjoys the opportunity at UTA Libraries to help build future leaders through mentorship opportunities. He noted that being a leader is not just being a supervisor. Anyone can be a leader no matter where they are in life. The first step in the leadership path is involvement. 

"I was on the board for over 10 years for the North Arlington Little League. There were some heated nights with people. On other nights we just got things done," he said. "It is caring. If you care about something and do something to help that, you can be seen as a leader, whether in a minor or a major role." 

He shared that leadership goes beyond what is expected and sometimes does the unexpected when called upon. That is how David, for the last several years, took on the role of Santa Claus during December. Those experiences can grow you as a person and provide you with a rich experience in return. 

“Just over two years ago, our then-dean, Rebecca Bichel, asked me if I had ever played Santa. She asked me if I wanted to do it for the upcoming staff party. So, I let the hair grow a little bit and let the beard fluff a little bit. I said, 'ho, ho, ho,' and off we went," David said. "It is great working with people, but when you are a non-entity as Santa is, and you walk up and hand them a candy cane, you see the biggest smile that pops up. At that moment, you were able to make that person happy." 

As you go about your day, remember that we all have the chance to be leaders no matter where we serve. The opportunities are numerous.