Matthew Borowicz, a selfproclaimed "vinyl freak," is a long-time fan and passionate volunteer of the SIRIS Classic Vinyl & Media Sale. After graduating from high school in Orland Park, Illinois, Borowicz decided to travel around the country. He lived in California where he worked various jobs and tried to figure out his interests.
At the age of 25, Borowicz enrolled at Southern Illinois University where he earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in History, with a special focus on United States history. After earning his graduate degree, Borowicz began his career at Morris Library on the SIU Carbondale campus where he works as a Library Specialist in Periodical and Special Formats.
Borowicz became interested in the SIRIS Classic Vinyl & Media Sale about four years ago when his neighbor, SIRIS director Vickie Devenport, told him about the sale. He volunteered at the sale for the first time last year. "I'm kind of a vinyl freak, so that's one of the reasons I wanted to do it," he says.
While volunteering at last year's sale, Borowicz organized all the rock records, most of the blues and jazz section, and helped alphabetize many other genres. "I used to work upstairs [at Morris Library] with our music collection, so I was familiar with how to categorize music by different artists."
Borowicz admits that one of the benefits of helping to sort records for the Classic Vinyl Sale is the opportunity to look at the inventory before the actual sale and cites Pink Floyd's The Wall and albums by BB King, Dixie Land Jazz, and early Fleetwood Mac as examples of the classic works he's found.
He also appreciates the opportunity to be part of a service that benefits the community. "SIRIS helps to raise awareness about the physical challenges people with disabilities face and pays attention to their specific needs," he says. "I mean, most of us take for granted the simple act of reading the newspaper or certain other types of materials in our daily life. Having a disability makes these everyday activities a struggle for some people."
Borowicz also believes that SIRIS helps to build community pride. "Anything that brings the community together for a positive outcome is a good thing. I think that's the best part about SIRIS."
In his spare time, Borowicz is an avid outdoorsman who regularly enjoys fishing, hiking, camping, and playing with his dogs. He also enjoys reading and says his favorite authors include Kurt Vonnegut, Mark Twain, and J.R.R. Tolkien. As a history buff, he also enjoys the writing of Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin.
When it comes to entertainment, Borowicz is a big fan of both WSIU Radio and WSIU Television. His favorite programs include History Detectives on WSIU-TV and the WSIU Radio programs Fresh Air, Morning Edition, Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me, and A Prairie Home Companion.