1.        He used to have an internship at the middle school. He liked the high school, and wanted to work here, and a few weeks later a spot opened up at the high school.

2.        Before becoming a librarian Mr. McDonnell was a paralegal (someone who assists lawyers in their legal work). He liked the researching for his job as a paralegal, and liked coaching his son’s soccer team, so he just combined the two plus his love of books, and decided that a librarian was something that suits him, and his interests.


3.        He has four “motor-bikes”- some people think that he only has the one, but in reality he has four, and the likes to ride to Ohio or West Virginia. “Even when the sun isn’t shining, I get up and go riding,” said McDonnell.

4.        He came to America for a road trip, but got an unexpected surprise-  After college he came to America for a road trip and intended to go back in a year, but in reality it was five years later when he returned home. He met his wife while he was here in his five year journey, and got married fifteen months after he came here.


5.        He also volunteers at Vandergrift library – He keeps the computers and the network running even when other people cannot be there to do it.

6.        He co-teaches at a college during the spring- He teaches a class at University of Pittsburgh, called “Resources for Young Adults” which prepares his students to be future librarians.


7.        Some of his favorite books are some you might have read too – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, he likes anything by John Kracker, and another one of his other favorite books is called The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.


8.        When his kids were young he took them to D.C. every summer to go to the Irish Musical Festival- He wanted them to appreciate their culture and where they came from.


9.        He has traveled some of Europe- He visited Italy, England, and worked on a oil rig in Scotland for money while he was in college – He used to work an 84 hour week, and McDonnell said it was a great way to make good money.

10.     When he was in school he loved to take as many languages as possible- When he went to high school he took French, Latin, and Spanish as some of his courses.