UH Libraries News

Introducing new staff members Gisella De La Portilla and Roberto Torres-Torres

This semester the William R. Jenkins Architecture, Design, and Art Library welcomes two new colleagues, Library Supervisor Gisella De La Portilla and Library Manager Roberto Torres-Torres.  

Gisella majored in Art History and minored in Fine Arts at Bryn Mawr College, focusing primarily on Pre-Columbian art and artifacts.  She has experience in bookmaking, printmaking, painting, and film photography.  She also worked in the Bryn Mawr Libraries’ Special Collections department or two years, assisting with the preservation of rare and archival materials.  At our library, Gisella will be responsible for managing course reserves, promoting collections in-house and online, processing donated materials, and for maintaining, organizing, and repairing our physical collections.  

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Houston, Roberto is a graduate of the University of Houston, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art/Painting with a minor in Art History.  He worked previously at the MD Anderson Library and the UH Graduate School.  Roberto has shown his art in solo and group shows and continues to draw and paint.  At our library, Roberto will be managing our service desk, facility maintenance, training the staff and student workers, interlibrary loan and paging, supplies, and budgeting. 

Like all members of the department, Gisella and Roberto’s primary tasks will be helping our patrons access information and master research methods.  

Written by Catherine Essinger on October 11th, 2024 and filed under Jenkins