Yannis Maniatis talks to us
Yannis Maniatis talks to us about his life course and his relation with Hatzopouleios Municipal Library of Poros, in an interview with Katheti. He had a career in the navy and reached the rank of admiral. In the period of 1994-1998, he was naval commander of the Ionian Sea, with many responsibilities and duties. However, in addition to navy operations, he also gave emphasis to culture. He contributed to the organization of nautical weeks, book fairs and exhibitions on naval themes.
Despite his career in the navy, he states that his passion has always been books, intellect and culture. For about 20 years, he has been offering his services as a volunteer to the Hatzopouleios Municipal Library of Poros and he can show important work. He is essentially the soul of the library. He has digitized historical archives and books related to the area, some very rare; he gathers information about families and their family tree; and has donated himself many books to the library.
Tell us about your work.
I am in charge of Hatzopouleios Municipal Library of Poros and the Shell Museum. My involvement is voluntary. I come from the army.
What is your relationship with the local area?
I come from Poros, where I live permanently.
How have your work and your life been affected by the financial and now by the health crisis, and how do you deal with it?
My income has been significantly reduced by the financial crisis and I have greatly limited my family living expenses. As for the health crisis, I have not fortunately encountered a psychological problem in my family, I follow the instructions to avoid transmitting the virus, I have been vaccinated, but I am still wary of my social contacts.
Which of your knowledge and personality traits have been most useful to you in your professional life?
Because I come from the army, since young, I have been addicted to a methodical and planned, as far as possible, life, and these elements accompany me in my current life and help me effectively in my activities.
What would you like to improve in your personality or work? What are your weaknesses and how have they influenced you?
What I have to say is that the knowledge and experiences I have gained in my life have helped me to learn from my mistakes and to correct my course properly.
What would you do differently and what do you consider as right steps in your career?
I wouldn’t do anything institutionally different than what I’ve done in my life.
What piece of advice would you give to a young person who would like to do what you do?
A young person should be taught from their mistakes and correct the course of their life properly.ηλα την πορεία της ζωής του.
What are your plans for the future, short-term and long-term ones?
At my age, I believe that no further plan is required for the future, apart from the improvement of the operation of the Library and the Museum.
What else would you like to add?
That’s all. Thank you.
Yannis Maniatis talks to us moderately and modestly, but his work speaks for itself. A project he hasn’t completed yet. Among other things, he states that he wants to register the Library’s 9,000 book titles in an online library program, in order to facilitate the search not only locally but also from any linked library.