Staff Spotlight: Margaret Samson

First impressions can shape someone’s entire day and sometimes their whole UTA experience. That’s precisely what Margaret Samson, Service Experience Manager at UTA Libraries, brings to our community daily. With a friendly “hello,” or a heartfelt “how’s your day going?” she has a remarkable ability to turn a frown upside down into a smile. 
 

A Lifelong Connection to UTA Libraries 

For Samson, the UTA Libraries has always been more than a workplace; it’s been a community. She began her journey in 1979 as a student worker while earning her degree in English and History. Two years later, she joined the Libraries full-time in the Circulation Department. 

During this time, Samson met the person she would marry, Bob Samson. Bob retired from the Libraries in 2020 after 40 years, having started the Library Systems Department, now known as Libraries Systems and Technology. 

“He was hired as the engineering librarian in the summer of 1980. We didn’t work closely together at first, but we knew each other. After a few years, we started dating and later married,” Samson said. “When we had our first child in the mid-1980s, I decided to stay home for a few years. Later, I returned to work as the director of religious education at a Catholic Church, St. Jude, a role I held for 15 years before returning to the Libraries.” 

Even while working elsewhere, Samson remained connected to the close-knit library community. In 2010, an opportunity arose for her to return. 

Leading with Compassion and Family at the Heart 

As Service Experience Manager, Samson leads with compassion and care. She oversees four service points across the Central Library, the Science and Engineering Library and the West Campus Library, supporting staff and student workers. In her role, she emphasizes one guiding principle: focus on the people we serve. 

“We want to be open, approachable and attentive,” Samson explained. “Many people come in hesitant to speak with us, but if you greet them first, you create an opening. That’s when the real opportunities to help begin.” 

Outside of the Libraries, Samson’s heart is centered on her family. She spends much of her time helping her daughter, Sarah, who owns a dance studio offering ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop classes. Because Sarah works nontraditional hours, Samson often helps care for her grandson, Pearson, who shares a special bond with his grandfather, Bob. 

“He is into gaming, so he and my husband built a gaming computer,” Samson said. “Bob is very much into that kind of thing, too.” 

Samson is also proud of her younger daughter, Catherine, who works as a CPA in Arlington. 

Samson carries the same spirit of care and encouragement, whether at home with her family or welcoming students into the Libraries. Her story reminds us of what makes UTA Libraries so special: people who dedicate themselves not just to student success but also to creating lasting connections that strengthen our community.  

Through her warmth, leadership and commitment, Margaret Samson ensures every Maverick who walks through our doors, decade after decade, feels welcome, supported and ready to succeed.