UTA Libraries Staff Spotlight: Didier Chavez

Knowing the struggles and challenges that students face daily is what makes Didier Chavez a vital part of how UTA Libraries connects with the university community.  

Chavez can relate to students because of his dual role as a UTA Libraries staff member and a student. 

He hopes that knowing what students face will help while serving the university community as a library specialist for the Community Engagement Department. 

“I help students on a daily basis, from answering questions to providing help with a specific item. No day is the same,” Chavez said. “I love working with students because I am a student. So, I know-how important it is to help people, especially students. I love being able to do that on a day-to-day basis.” 

Chavez stated that being able to help someone with a problem or issue and have them leave better than when they came in is a great feeling. 

Before coming to the university, Chavez worked at the Fort Worth Public Library system and the Tarrant County College Northwest Campus Library.  

He noted that while UTA is larger in scale, the mission remains the same, which is to be a resource for people in need. 

“I like that we can have technology that we can lend. When I worked at the city library, the most they could lend were DVDs and, occasionally, internet hot spots,” Chavez said. “Nowadays, the city is headed toward lending Laptops and that has been a thing here for a while, which is great. Now we are doing bikes, which is super cool. It is just a lot of little differences that add up to a bigger overall picture.” 

Chavez’s love of technology and helping people guided him toward his major at UTA, cybersecurity. He noted that this major will allow him to continue to help like he does at the Central Library, but in a different capacity. 

“I am still working out the details on what I will be doing after I graduate, which will be ideally by the end of next year,” he said. “I don’t think I would start my own business, but I would like to be a part of something big, like a big company.” 

A positive attitude and willingness to help others is something that we value highly at UTA Libraries. 

Chavez, we are happy that you are a part of the team here at UTA Libraries that serves not only students, faculty, and staff but also the greater public.