Meet the Staff

Mario A. Ascencio, Library Director
mascencio@corcoran.org
(202) 478-1543

Mario has been the Library Director of the Corcoran Library since November 2009. Mario strives to maintain a welcoming and pleasant environment at the Corcoran Library. Whether you are looking for information about art or want to learn more about the cultural resources available in Washington, D.C., Mario's door is always open.

Mario was previously the Visual Arts Liaison Librarian at George Mason University and has held positions at the Getty Research Institute, the UCLA Arts Library, and the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. In addition, Mario held graduate internships at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

On a national and international level, Mario has presented lectures, keynote addresses, workshops, and radio and television interviews throughout the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, and Panama. Topics have included InfoDiversity, Libraries and Civil Societies, Web 2.0 Technologies in Libraries, and Library Services to Latinos and Spanish-speakers.

Mario holds a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of California, Los Angeles; and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History with a minor in Italian from California State University, Northridge.

Tansy Matthews, Access Librarian
tmatthews@corcoran.org
(202) 639-1822

Tansy became interested in arts librarianship as a work-study student at the Savannah College of Art & Design Library. It was here that she saw students and faculty in the library being inspired by new art and learning about the past. She is looking forward to assisting with, learning from, and addressing the information needs of Corcoran students, faculty, and staff.

Tansy has a Bachelor's degree in Art History from the Savannah College of Art & Design, a Master's Degree in Library Science from Drexel University, and a Master's Degree in the History of Decorative Arts from the CCA+D/Smithsonian Associates HDA program. Prior to joining the Corcoran Library, Tansy worked at a smorgasbord of libraries and arts institutions, including the Visual Resources Library at UC Berkeley, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Virtual Library of Virginia.

Jacqueline Protka, Assistant Library Director/Reference & Instruction Coordinator
jprotka@corcoran.org
(202) 639-1765

Jacqueline became a librarian because she enjoys learning something new every day. She loves the diversity of questions brought to her by students, faculty, and staff at the Corcoran.

Jacqueline has a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the College of William & Mary, with credits earned at Oberlin College and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Pratt Institute in New York City. Prior to working at the Corcoran Library, she served as Reference Associate at the Frick Art Reference Library in New York City. Jacqueline is a past Chair of the Visual Resources Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter, and is on the Art Library Society (ARLIS) 2014 Annual Conference Planning Committee. Jacqueline is the current President of the District of Columbia Library Association, a state chapter of the American Library Association.

Patricia L. Reid, Technical Services Associate
preid@corcoran.org
(202) 478-1545

Patricia originally came to the Corcoran Library as a part-time, evening library technician in September of 1989. In March 1990, she became a full-time employee. Prior to coming to the Corcoran Library, she worked for Trinity College Library.