Libraries/Info Sci

As a new librarian, I thought it might be interesting to share things that are helping me to get acclimated to the working world. This is the third in an occasional series.

This option is more relevant if you’re starting a job in a new town that you’re not familiar with. If you work in an academic library, check out the public. If you work in public, check the local academic.

There are things each will provide better than the other. For example, we don’t maintain a stock of leisure movies. Someone asked if we did the other day, and I was able to answer “No, but the public library has a really good selection you can try.” Its just nice to know what’s out there, and I learned a bit about my new community in the process.

I have yet to visit the other local academic libraries, but they’re on my to-do list.

Previous tips:
#1: Do someone else’s homework
#2: Work a weekend

As a new librarian, I thought it might be interesting to share things that are helping me to get acclimated to the working world. This is the second in an occasional series.

One of my first weeks of working at UAH, I came in as a ‘backup’ librarian on Saturday. There’s a thousand and one things to be done on a Saturday that don’t pop up during the week.

On weekdays, our building opens before the reference desk does. So by the time I come in, all the “setting up” tasks for the day are already done. But on a weekend, I was forced to learn how to do them myself.

There were doors to unlock and gates to raise. I learned where lightswitches are, how to check to make sure the print server is up, passwords for the desk PCs, and plenty of other smaller items. These are the things I’ll need to know at some point, but might not be covered in the standard procedure of starting a new job.

Now of course I wouldn’t recommend stumbling through this process by yourself the first time. Being there as an extra librarian worked out well – I had someone to bounce questions off of and show me the ropes. Thanks, Linda!

Previous tips:
#1: Do someone else’s homework

As a new librarian, I thought it might be interesting to share things that are helping me to get acclimated to the working world. This is the first in an occasional series.

Today I received a copy of a “scavenger hunt” assignment that students from a business class must complete. I had a couple of open hours this afternoon, and took a crack at the list.

Hoo boy was that an undertaking. While I don’t have the exact questions in front of me as I type, they were along the somewhat obscure lines of “What percentage of people who eat Cheerios are under 17?”. Lots of market research, demographics and company profile info. I finished off my MLIS with a business resources class, but this was a whole new level!

I didn’t get to answer every question exactly, but I now at least have an idea of where to look for the answers. When a student comes in with questions about this assignment, I’m better prepared to assist.

And that was the objective I set out to accomplish. But along the way I picked up a couple of unexpected bonuses: Firstly, I’m much better acquainted with our business reference collection in general. Secondly, I struck up a conversation in the stacks with a student who was doing the assignment himself. We were competing for the same book, actually. The whole task also sparked some good conversations with my co-workers

In sum, it was a great integrating experience. I’m hoping to pick up some similar worksheets from our other subject specialists.

Today at work it was announced that we’re throwing open our computer labs to the large numbers of Katrina refugees who have ended up in the Huntsville area. Library cards and printing cards will be issued free of charge – Getting them access to our resources has been made a priority. This is after the public libraries’ computers have been very full.

One of our librarians put together a handout of sites relevant to the situation, and we have tentative plans to open more labs than usual and have staff on hand to assist person to person.

If you know anybody in the Huntsville area who could make use of these resources, please point them to the UAH library and/or drop me a line: Haefele@gmail.com