A weeklong feature for those bookish types considering a career in the library sciences, or just curious about what it means to be a librarian.
If you're a librarian or someone with another kind of bookish job, and you're interested in being interviewed -- please email me!
Today's interviewee is Jo, an Assistant Department Head in the Adult Department at a public library who's had her MLS for 5 years. She also blogs at Fluidity of Time!
First off, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Let’s see …. This is actually the hardest question, because I don’t usually talk a lot about myself. I’ve been a Librarian for 5 years now, working at my local public library (which is great, because I have a really short commute). I’ve always been a book addict (that’s my term for it, at least), so working in a library is a great thing, and also a bad thing, because my stack of books to be read is always growing. Outside of my life at the library, I’ve got a great husband, and a couple of bunnies – and a piano that I’m meaning to start sitting at again (I’ve taken lessons since I was 5, stopped when I was in grad school, and now need to get myself back on track again).
Did you always want to be a librarian? What first drew you to the career? What other options did you consider?
When I was in high school, I worked in my school library (working off my scholarship), but I never thought about being a Librarian. Instead, I was putting all my effort towards law school, so I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, took the LSAT, and then paused to really think about law school. Instead of going to law school, I started working at a law firm --- and soon discovered that as much as I liked my job, I wasn’t sure if law school was for me. I spent about 10 years in law firms (and working for about 2 years part-time at my library) until one day, the idea of library school was suggested to me. I had no idea there was “library school”, but when I really thought about it, the idea of becoming a librarian really appealed to me. My current law firm job made me feel like I never helped anyone – and being a librarian, depending on where you’re working and what kind of library, is all about helping people in some way. So, it really all started to click for me. And, I admit – the lure of being surrounded by books had appeal, as well.
How is the current economic market and the transition to digital media affecting traditional libraries? I’ve heard that it’s a difficult field to enter right now, because of a lack of available positions – would you encourage people to pursue it, or possibly take a different path?
I can only speak for my own experience in a public library, but librarianship now and what it was even 10 years ago are very different. There’s more technology now, whether it’s in how we process our materials, to how we serve our patrons. We do offer downloadable materials at our library, and I think t2 Comments on Ask A Librarian: Jo from Fluidity of Time, last added: 10/26/2011Display Comments Add a Comment
Awesome interview! Thanks for the insight, Jo! I am getting my MLS online right now and work at my local library in adult services. I love adult.
Wow --- I really ramble on, don't I? I suppose I wanted to be thorough.
Casey, I wish I could have done more online -- it would have been nice to stay home, instead of driving back and forth. Yay for Adult Services!!