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What Librarians Listen To

People say music is like a universal language—something that connects us across cultures and breaks down barriers without words. It has a remarkable ability to resonate with us, offering inspiration and comfort throughout the day, and having a great playlist during the workday definitely helps keep us motivated. Plus, music can reveal a great deal about our personality and experiences. Have you ever wondered what kind of tunes your librarians listen to while working? (Spoiler alert: UDC librarians have excellent taste). 

We’ve put together a playlist that covers all the bases: some tunes to kick off our morning and help us get ready, songs to get us through that sometimes frustrating commute, nostalgic throwbacks that remind us of simpler times, and high-energy tracks perfect for powering through the dreaded midday slump — all curated by your librarians for your listening pleasure. Give it a spin—you might just find some surprising librarian-approved bangers. Enjoy!

Songs for the morning: These songs aren’t your typical “rise and shine” tracks, but they’re what get us moving as we gear up to crush the day. Pulled straight from your campus librarians’ personal playlists, this mix is all about starting strong—whether we’re opening the library or diving into a full inbox:

• “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” (Celine Dion)
• “Good Days” (SZA)
• “Shake it Out” (Florence + The Machine)
• “Right Back to It” (Waxahatchee)
• "Brown-eyed Girl" (Van Morrison)
• “Take on Me” (Ashley Johnson) 
• "Kimi to Kurasetara" (Spitz)

Songs for the road (commute/walk to work): Whether we’re catching the train, stuck in traffic, or walking to campus with a coffee in hand, these are the songs that get us through the commute by bringing the energy, rhythm, and distraction we need to make it to campus in one piece:

• Anything Kelly Clarkson
• “Self” (Noname)
• “Never Forget You” (Noisettes)
• “Bridges, Squares” (Ted Leo and the Pharmacists)
• “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” (Nathan Lay)
• “We Give Thanks” (Kokoroko)
• "A-nen" (Ulfuls)

Songs for nostalgia/best songs from your childhood: Who doesn’t love a little blast from the past? These songs take us back to some of our good ole days and represent some of the songs that shaped us (with plenty of questionable fashion choices along the way):

• Anything from the 80s or 90s Disney movie era. Think The Little Mermaid’s iconic “Part of Your World” or The Lion King’s “Hakuna Matata”
• “Pocketful of Sunshine” (Natasha Bedingfield)
• “17 Again” (Eurythmics)
• “Straight Up” (Paula Abdul)
• "What a Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)
• “I Will Always Love You” (Whitney Houston)
• "Taste of Home" (Claire Kelly)

Songs to wake you up during afternoon slump: When that after lunch energy crash hits and the day starts dragging, these songs come to the rescue big time. This mix reflects our personal go-to tracks for powering through the day, whether we’re answering research questions or shelving books:

• Never underestimate a good sea shanty, like the “Sea Shanty Medley” (Home Free)
• “Supernova” (Kylie Minogue)
• “Daytona Sand” (Orville Peck)
• “Bad Moves” (The Verge)
• “We Are The Champions” (Queen)
• “Wotless” (Kes the Band)
• "Kanashimi No Hate" (Elephant Kasimashi)