How Paul Trescott Jackson fell in love with library science

Paul Trescott Jackson has dabbled in a little bit of everything. Endlessly curious with a deep passion for information, Paul’s love of archiving and connecting to people has allowed him to mold his varying interests into a successful career. 

A 1965 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Information, Paul’s Master of Arts in Library Science degree gave him the opportunity to work in a range of industries. His first job included establishing a music research library at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.  

A musician at heart, his position at Lincoln Center and the skills he developed lead him to eventually help Motown Records develop an information system. His career, though primarily focused on music, also included creating a library at a correctional facility, helping develop a cataloging system for disk operating systems and creating the Association for Recorded Sound Collections. 

“Library work just happened and I loved it because it has allowed me to develop some ongoing things that will hopefully continue forever,” he says.  

Though retired today, Paul’s career in archival and library work has made an impact on hundreds of people. 

Read more about his life, his influences and his advice for students in his alumni snapshot.