So I left a Graduate Assistanceship job this winter to take an un-paid internship at Anderson University. This was partly because I needed to spend more time at home, as my wife is also working now, but largely because I wanted to get "real" Librarian experience before I try to get a job this summer upon graduating from SLIS.
Unfortunately, the first two weeks were frustratingly slow. Because students were not on campus, I was regulated to reading documents about the library, and journal articles about reference and instruction work. Because the library also hosted the beginning of semester Faculty Development day, the librarians whom supervise my internship were busy getting ready for the presentation. I helped organize some things, but I did not feel like I was really doing professional library work.
Because ordering slips for new books are due soon, the librarian I work with has been scrambling to put together recommendations to send to faculty members. The librarian I am working with is also new to the subject she is ordering, Theology and Religion. Her strategy is to scan reviews and ads from printed journals and combine dozens of these scans in one RTF to Word doc. In my opinion, a very time-consuming and unnecessary procedure. Similarly, librarians can send their orders to the Ordering agent online, but that person has to then fill out an individual quarter-page ordering slip. So, librarians still fill out the ordering slip to save a step in the process. This seems like an antiquated process.
The purpose, of all this ranting is just to suggest that I have a lot to learn about working in a Library. Not because I am not confident with the technology that I can use, but because each person is at a different level of technological ability. During my first weeks I am learning a lot about "office politics" and operating within the technological means of those around you, both colleagues and students.
5 comments:
Hey James! First of all I wanted to congratulate you for the really great website you made last summer, and for getting selected! Have they published it yet? Can you send a link?
Also, I can identify with what you said above here. There does seem to be a lot of antiquated procedures that get ingrained in a library and I don't know if it is the case with you, but I find that often there is a LOT of resistance when you suggest any changes. That sort of goes along with the "politics" part of it too. I've had to relearn how to ... phrase things. :)m
James, I had to laugh when I read your post. No matter what type of library I have worked in, there are always some policies and procedures that should have been revamped years ago. Sometimes even decades ago. I think our profession in general suffers from the "but we have always done it this way" syndrome. I know that some of my ideas in the past have been frowned upon simply because they were requiring changes. And some people do not like changes at all. It's just something we have to know going into our profession, that we will be met with some level of opposition. Hopefully some of our "radical" changes can be implemented.
One thing that has amazed me (about life in general) is that so many people do not even think to question the status quo. I've been mistaken many times in thinking, "if there was a better way to be doing this, then someone would have already thought of it." So many times, this is not the case. I have found that if you go about things humbly but with confidence, people will listen to your ideas. I am sure that being an intern might not put you in the best place to make change, but be encouraged that many “traditional” library environments are very welcoming of someone young who can come in and show them how things can be done better. In my experience, I’ve been able to get many things accomplished. Not all… but many. Hang in there!
Hey James! The title of your first blog made me laugh :-P I am still here doing scanning, even more than the usual because someone is really gung-ho with getting it done ASAP now. Interestingly enough, look at how well SLIS is adjusting *with* technology (digitization of all graduate records), and how slow others (at Anderson University) is at not adjusting *to* technology. Do you think they know how behind they are? One key issue regarding technology we are constantly being taught in our MLS classes is that not only must we embrace technology, but actually be open to continually learning about the new upcoming technologies. If AU librarians simply don't know that there are more efficient ways using technology to get things done- they can simply be blamed at not keeping up with new technologies, versus adamantly refusing to embrace it. Hmm...
Well, how do you really feel, James?! Don't forget that your blog is a pretty open forum that people outside this class may read. Just a word of caution.
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