Introduction I became interested in the library field at a young age. Through school library programs and trips to the public library with my family I developed an appreciation for the library as a place and for the talented men and women who staffed the library. This appreciation continued through my time at Southern Connecticut State University, where I earned my BS in information and library science in the winter of 2011. It was in through the university’s library, Hilton C. Buley library, that I revived my first professional experience in the field of library science. I worked for three years at Buley as a student worker in the access services department. During these three years I felt an immense sense of fulfillment in my work which propelled me to further my education in the field and enroll at San Jose State University. After graduating from Southern Connecticut State University, I worked for a brief time at West Haven Public Library in West Haven, Connecticut as a part time library assistant. I found the transformation from an academic library to public library broadened my thoughts and opinions concerning library policies and patron interaction. Nonetheless, I found work at public libraries just as fulfilling as my work at Buley. In the fall of 2012 I was offered a full time position at Hilton C. Buley library as a library technical assistant and evening supervisor for access services. Due to limited funding and budget cuts my position has been revised within
I have been a Library Assistant at the Palm Springs Library for a little over a year, and in that time I made progress in constructive relationships with my co-workers and supervisors. Suggested ways to improve work place procedures by increasing efficiency, enriched in my skills in customer service, active listening, and multitasking. My goals looking into the future is to improve on those skills; while gaining new skills and trying to avoid blunders. When time allows expand my role as Library Assistant to take in more responsibility. Keep continuing to provide a positive experience to our library
In New on the Job: A School Library Media Specialist’s Guide to Success, Ruth Toor and Hilda Weisburg present a one-stop manual for first-year school library that details numerous aspects of what it means to be a successful school library media specialist. The authors, both of whom are veteran former school librarians, outline everything from the job interview to the last day of school, sharing years of wisdom and practical insight into the ins and outs of the profession. Special attention is paid to developing relationships between the various members of the school population and associated individuals, including students, teachers, administrators, school board members, parents, and volunteers. The authors remind school librarians to keep
Inclusive school librarianship has been my passion since my sophomore year of high school and I have maintained this commitment by working as an elementary library media center assistant. My experience as a library media center assistant at a multicultural metropolitan school has facilitated my ability to foster inclusiveness among students from diverse backgrounds due to working at a Title One school that is predominately Latino. I have contributed towards the development of accessible and diverse media centers for underserved populations through creating and promoting book displays for events such as National Hispanic Heritage Month and National Native American Heritage Month. Another way that I have promoted accessible and equitable library media centers is by assisting students and teachers with locating materials and processing interlibrary loans in fulfilling their information
Founded in 1899, Northern Arizona University’s (NAU) first library opened with a dictionary and encyclopedia in its collection. Located in the central part of the NAU Flagstaff campus, it provides both physical and virtual environments that foster intellectual discovery, collaborative research, and access to technology (Library overview, 2016). As with most academic libraries, the research collections are critical to supporting the curricular and research mission of the university. As of April 2016, members of the NAU community and public have access to more than 670,000 print and e-books, 81,000 e-journals, 161,000 online audio and video recordings (J. Swann, personal communication, April 19, 2016). Successful learning requires inclusive and widespread support along with relevant resources from the library. Thus, the library offers spaces including group and individual study rooms; multi-media production studios, classrooms, and a makerspace. The library’s mission statement confirms the organization is committed to:
The library I volunteered at is run by the high school, Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute (C.I.). The school was founded in 1979 and was named after Norman Bethune; a well-known Canadian doctor. He was best known for his services during World War I and his dedication to helping the poor in Canada. Moreover, over these past few years, the school has prospered beautifully and has had many renovations and changes. For example, two years ago, the school’s library had a huge makeover. The library was given new furniture to allow to have students a better working space. Similarly, the library moved shelves around in order to make it more convenient for everyone to access books. Ultimately, Dr. Norman Bethune C.I. has it in their best interest to provide students with the tools they need to succeed in education. In other words, the school displays good citizenship by assisting their students.
I have experience teaching first-year undergrads up through doctoral students in settings including traditional library instruction, online ELMS courses, and a for-credit course. As the director of the UMD Libraries Research and Teaching Fellowship, I have first-hand experience supporting MLS students as they learn to teach, provide reference support, and explore their scholarly interests. Working with future librarians has been the most worthwhile and gratifying aspect of my position. I would welcome the opportunity to extend this experience into a formal learning environment in
My work with the Freehold Public Library has been a huge part of my life, as I have volunteered there since I was 12 years old. I have grown up with the library, and my experiences with the library, whether it as a volunteer or a customer, are very important to me. I started volunteering for summer programs at the library. I then joined the Teen Library Committee and did service projects for the community as a part of it throughout the year. I also encouraged my brother and a friend to join the Teen Library Committee with me. As a part of this group, I have been able to do service projects for a wide variety of causes, such as making food for a local soup kitchen, making dog treats to donate, and making cards for those stationed overseas or in the hospital. In 8th grade, as a part of National Junior Honor Society, I wrote a grant for the library to expand their young adult collection. I spent months talking to Mrs. Kathy about the public library system and the issues that this library faces
During my time as a director, I have worked with different governing entities and have effectively adapted to each situation. I have moved around the county gaining experience and building my skills and competencies. I am know looking for a place to call home, where I can be part of the community and put down roots. In addition to having many years of experience in libraries, my formal education is geared toward library leadership and administration. My undergraduate degree is in business, I have a graduate degree in library science, and am currently a student in a Master’s of Leadership studies position.
I highly recommend Kathe Landergan for the position of Adjunct Faculty, Library Media Studies. During her time at the Lynnfield Public Library, Kathe has worked in a variety of positions. She started her employment at the Lynnfield Public Library as part of a library contract with the Massachusetts Library System, leading the Youth Services Department while the search for a permanent Head of Youth Services was conducted. After the search for a Head of Youth Services was completed, Kathe was hired as an employee of the library, working as both a Circulation Assistant and Reference Librarian.
As new technologies are rapidly introduced, people are able to find any information with the access of internet. This leads to people questioning the relevance of libraries and its true purpose. Public libraries cultivate the value of increased education and a social unity to advancing as a society.
I am a thirty-four-year-old United States Army veteran from Norfolk, Virginia. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, and I minored in Urban Studies from Norfolk State University in 2004. I have over nine years of volunteer and paid experience with the Norfolk Public Library in Norfolk, Virginia. Currently, I am a Library Associate at the Blyden Branch Library in Norfolk, Virginia. As a Library Associate, I serve on the reference desk, and I answer basic reference questions. Also, I assist patrons by locating materials on the shelves and providing help with the use of equipment such as computers, the fax machine, and the scanner. I suggest reading materials for patrons of all ages. In addition, I check out and discharge books and DVDs, reserve material requests, register new patrons, coordinate interlibrary loans and collect fees. I prepare statistical reports, order supplies, process library holds, distribute library materials, and process lost and damaged materials. Additionally, I open mail and ensure that the office equipment is functioning properly. Previously, I worked for the Norfolk Public School system as a Substitute Teacher for middle and high school grade levels. I tutored disabled students during my internship at Norfolk State University. I have a passion for helping others which is my biggest strength.
There are an enormous amount of people in the United States that depend on the librarian to do different tasks that they cannot do. Patrons may think it is simple, but before you can become a librarian you have to learn how to conquer some patrons that come in, you have to learn how to work the desk and learn how to work the shelves.
Applied research, since the effects of my research will be used to improve design and usability of digital libraries.
Since their establishment, libraries have served as a gateway to knowledge and services that revolutionized the way the public attains information. Unlike many other institutions, public libraries have grown and evolved along with society by adopting new technology and offering resources tailored to the needs of their local community.
For students to be adequately informed about the value of the university library and resources such as the Internet in information retrieval there must be a careful collaboration between teaching staff and library staff (Kenney, 2007). The focus in this task, of course, is preparing students not just for the immediate research project at hand but rather to prepare them to be life long learners, to prepare them to be successful and productive once they leave the academic environment and take up their chosen careers (Lauer & Yodanis, 2012).