Interview With Hannah Guthrie

Hello to all my faithful readers out there. This week I have a very special treat for all of you. We have a UNT College of Information graduate and current PhD student!!! Hannah Guthrie is currently employed by the Children's Hospital in Dallas, Texas and she has a very interesting educational background to match. If you would like to know more after reading this interview I suggest you come to this year's All School Day on November 6th, @9am @Discovery Park, because we will have a whole panel of non-traditional librarians speaking about their current professions. Our theme for this semester's All School Day is: "What Else Can I Do With My Degree? Non Traditional Paths In Librarianship" This event is free and open to the public but you must register by emailing unt.asd@gmail.com. Once you send an email you will be automatically emailed the registration page where you can choose your lunch option. We look forward to a big turnout this year so register early and tell your friends! Anyway lets get to the interview!

What is your educational/professional background?

I received my BA in Forensic Anthropology from Millsaps College in 2005. I received my MLS from UNT in December 2008. I work at Children’s Medical Center at Dallas as a Medical Librarian and am a PhD student in the College of Information at UNT.

When you graduated college/graduate school what were your career goals/have they changed since?

When I received my Master’s degree, my first goal was to find a job in Dallas and apply to the PhD program. Ever since I met those two goals, my long term career goals are changing every day. I feel like a kid who wants to be a firefighter one day and a lawyer the next. I’m contemplating being a professor eventually. Or a director of an academic library. Or maybe even a researcher in a medical library. Perhaps the Smithsonian could use a librarian. I’m still young – 27 years old – and I have no clue what I want to be when I grow up. I’m keeping an open mind about career opportunities and just taking things one day at a time. I love my job at Children’s Medical Center and am enjoying the PhD program immensely. For now, I only have one concrete goal: to finish my PhD. Other than that, I’m just having fun thinking of the possibilities.

When/how did you decide the LIS career path was for you?

The summer after college graduation I had an internship at a human identification lab at the University of Florida. It was very interesting and I came away with great stories and experiences, but I didn’t feel a true passion for the work. So I moved to Denver and worked as a manager of a bookstore for a couple of years while trying to figure out my next step. I had worked in bookstores since I was 14 and I realized that I love books and I love helping people, but I didn’t like the retail environment. That left libraries. I applied to UNT and moved to Texas in the Fall of 2007 to start my Master’s degree.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

No two days are alike. We have 5 libraries at Children’s and 4 librarians; so we are each in charge of our own library. My library – the Krissi Holman Library – was the first of the libraries. It opened in January 2005 and is named after a cancer patient who wanted a place where patients could get books. Our libraries are a hybrid, per se. We have a leisure collection for children of all ages as well as adults, of which all the books are donated. We have a medical reference section and a consumer health section. We have computers with full internet access for patients and their families to use. We have magazines and a book mobile that goes to all the rooms. The libraries are built for the patients and patient families. I like to think of our libraries as a safe haven, a utopia away from white coats and needles, a quiet escape from the hospital room.

We librarians do a lot of research for patient families, such as information about their child’s diagnosis or a procedure, medication their doctor recommended. In a world where nearly everyone turns to Google, we are here to help them find information through reliable and unbiased health websites and other sources. A lot of the time parents just want to come in to pay their bills, update family and friends via Facebook or Caring Bridge, or just checkout a good book to read to their child.

We also do research for medical staff, everyone from nurses to the transport team, from surgeons to clinical dieticians. Such research is often for evidence-based practice, presentations or lectures, or research papers or publications.

A typical day can encompass: conducting story times, coloring or reading with a little patient while the parent is looking for information, troubleshooting computer problems, taking out the book mobile around the hospital, doing research for medical staff, organizing donations of hundreds of books, or just letting a parent vent about the stress and emotions of their child’s condition.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about your job?

In regards to tasks, I love it that my day includes such a variety of responsibilities. It keeps me on my toes.

In regards to working in a hospital library, the setting itself has helped me stay grounded. I tend to worry and stress easily, but when I come to work I am constantly reminded about how miniscule my worries are compared to those of my library’s visitors. Such a reminder not only helps me stay sane, it also keeps my heart soft and empathetic. The libraries and librarians are here to make life as easy as possible for our patients and patient families. I truly enjoy striving towards that every day.

What is your salary range/What can students interested in working in your type of LIS profession look to make as far as salary (both starting out and over time)?

The salary range for this position is $37k-$55k, depending on experience and education. This is my first library job, not counting the experience as a library assistant at my middle school during my 6th – 8th grade years. Although the job description required 2 years of experience, my boss took a chance and hired me with only 3 months experience I gained from my practicum while in the Master’s program. And so, as my entry level job, this salary is completely in line with the other entry level jobs across the state of Texas.

How do you think your education prepared you/didn't prepare you for your current career?

My education gave me enough knowledge to feel comfortable taking a job where I was in charge of my own library. I felt I had enough of cataloging, library management, and collection development to get started. Of course, I still had lots to learn, but I had enough under my belt to give it a good start.

There are things you just don’t learn in the classroom. I quickly discovered the chain of command and the hierarchical structure of the organization – who I can and who I cannot contact directly. I learned to look as myself as a professional, working on the same level as others who have much more experience. Although some people didn’t take me seriously because they thought I was too young, I learned to develop the confidence and professionalism needed to do my job and do it well.

What advice do you have for current/graduating library and information science students?

Keep an open mind to the type of library or information setting you want to work in. I was set on working in an academic library, even after my practicum in a medical library. But I turned down such a job offer to take this job at Children’s. I love the job and can honestly say I love going to work every day. Go ahead and apply for jobs even if you don’t have all the required experience. In my interview, I pointed out to the director that I did not have the required experience but I was completely confident that I can accomplish all responsibilities and duties outlined in the job description.

My advice really boils down to three things: be confident of yourself, follow your passion, and stay open minded.

What changes do you foresee for the field of Library and Information Science in the next five to ten years?

I believe the stereotypical expectation of librarians as stuffy old women with long skinny fingers telling you to “shhhhh!” is going to go away (think of the librarian in the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s) – but not easily. The technological advances are forcing librarians to not only redefine their job descriptions but also to convince the greater society that librarians are not a thing of a past as many perceive print books to be. Librarians and the MLS degree is needed more than ever. We are becoming more of a bridge to information than ever before and we are going to have to continuously convince people of that. The title of “librarian” is not the only title that defines what we do. People with MLS degrees are also called Knowledge Managers, Research Analysts, Systems Analysts, Information Architects, Digital Knowledge Managers, Public Health Informationist, among many others. The resources and mediums used by our society are constantly changing and advancing and thus so are our responsibilities and skills. We can’t let our field be left behind, we have to keep on the edge of technology and keep proving that we are relevant and necessary in our society.

Interview With Linda Absher

Hello to all of my loyal readers. This week I have Linda Absher, a librarian who currently works in Portland, Oregon at the Portland State University Library. She pretty much has my dream job by the way. However, she has worked in a variety of library environments, not to mention she has her own website entitled "The Lipstick Librarian." Where she discusses the "prettier" side of librarianship. It's nice to see we still have fashionistas in our profession (besides me of course). Well I know I am excited so lets get to the interview.

What is your educational/professional background?

I have an AB in English Literature (what else) from the University of California, Davis. I received my MLIS from the University of California, Berkeley. At the time it was the School of Library & Information Studies; it’s been revamped and is now the School of Information Management, a program that does not have (and did not seek) ALA accreditation.

Since library school, I have worked in academic, special and public libraries, including IBM and Multnomah County Library. I am currently a reference librarian for the humanities for Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.

When you graduated college/graduate school what were your career goals/have they changed since?

Career Goals: the first goal was employment. The fact that I am an academic librarian surprises me since at the time, everyone in my program wanted to be one. I figured my best chance in getting a job was becoming a special librarian, unaware that at the time many corporations were downsizing and closing libraries. But I accepted a complex project as an internship with Golden Gate University, which led to a position with them after graduation.

As for changing goals, I’d say the bibliographic sparkle that made the profession so enticing has worn off for me. Not sure why, other than I’m at a mid-career stage. Currently I am one of a very rare breed: a tenured librarian. I would like to become a full professor, which would entail more service and publishing, two things I enjoy doing. I would also like to write a book that has nothing to do with the profession, but I do have one obstacle: I’m lazy.

When/how did you decide the LIS career path was for you?

I was working as an office drone right out of college; one of my workers was leaving because she was accepted into the librarian program at Berkeley. I was shocked because, quite frankly at the time I had no idea one needed a graduate degree to become a librarian. It stuck in my mind, though for a variety of reasons mostly boiling down to the fact that I was terrified, I didn’t apply to the program until almost ten years later. In the interim I worked at a slew of subsistence jobs, which included shoveling popcorn at a movie house, receptionist, and record store clerk. Ultimately weariness and poverty won out over fear.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Is there a typical work day for librarians anymore? I do work reference hours; I provide collection development services, including managing a budget. Since our library has a subject specialty model, I am the subject specialist and liaison for the World Languages, Applied Linguistics and Communication Studies departments for Portland State. I also provide bibliographic instruction as well as develop research guides and learning objects for the campus and community.
Because I’m tenured, I also do research on librarianship; right now my interests are diversity and vernacular materials. I try squeezing that in between questions from students as to why they shouldn’t cite Wikipedia in their papers.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about your job?

It’s probably the same thing, I love being a librarian. If I could no longer refer to myself as a librarian, I would feel a sense of loss. I enjoy trying to come up with solutions or (believe it or not) answers on the spot. I’m also extremely nosy, which means I get paid to listen to people trying to explain what they’re doing or what they’re preoccupied with—it’s intellectual eavesdropping.
But sometimes the whole aura of being a librarian becomes a bit tiresome. I have made somewhat of a name for myself by writing about the professional stereotype, but there are times when it is an obstacle, in expected and unexpected ways. I do believe once people find out I’m a librarian, I’m placed in this nice little mental box, unable to see the value of what I do beyond being something quaint and or quirky. And I don’t think my experience is unique.

What is your salary range/What can students interested in working in your type of LIS profession look to make as far as salary (both starting out and over time)?

I will say I make over $50K/year—average to high for a front-line academic librarian with over five years experience. My salary went up after being granted promotion and tenure, a process that took approximately six years. As for salaries today: I’m not too familiar with starting salaries, but they seem to have gone up somewhat since I started in the mid-1990s.
I’m hesitant to speculate about salaries in this day and age. That being said, I think salaries are higher in that many positions require a fair amount of tech savvy, even for positions that may not seem at first glance to need it (e.g., YA librarian, et al).

How do you think your education prepared you/didn't prepare you for your current career?

I was lucky in that I attended library school right before the World Wide Web was introduced. Berkeley at the time was incredibly forward thinking in terms of computer skills and training. As part of my course work, I completed C and database programming classes. In addition, I learned to work in a command-based, UNIX environment. These skills were what got me interviews. I also have to give a shout-out to Marcella Genz, who was my reference instructor: she was the person who made me truly think and develop a reference philosophy. There’s not a work day where I don’t base my reference interview on something I learned from Marcella.
Surprises: The biggest surprise was how much public speaking/interaction I’ve had in my career—that wasn’t brought up in library school. I do think many people still choose librarianship because it seems like a secular nunnery: it’s a profession where one can cloister themselves with as little interaction with others as possible. Alas, it is a myth: I have done more public speaking as a librarian than in any other position. We teach; we present; we give tours, story times—in short, we do a lot of very loud talking. All in the name of information literacy.

What changes do you forsee for the field of Library and Information Science in the next five to ten years?

I think librarianship will continue being more and more technologically sophisticated. Even with the background I came out with from Berkeley, there are very few positions now for which I would be qualified—I don’t see that changing. In fact, the only change would be the speed at which technology is morphing.
The biggest challenge for us as a profession is convincing those around us that they truly do need us, even with these big, sophisticated tools--*because* of these tools. The technology is so powerful it deludes folks into thinking they’re expert information researchers, when all they’re doing is pulling so much dreck that they’re unable to filter or assess what they find. I’m hoping there comes a breaking point where people are so overwhelmed with what they find they realize they need some sort of expert to deal with all this content, but at this point, most people are perfectly content with the first 3-4 hits in Google.
But I am a patient librarian. And a proactive one to boot. You should be one too.

What advice do you have for current/graduating library and information science students?

Don’t become discouraged by the job market. Despite what you may have heard, it’s always been tough to find librarian position, a fact that was presented to me during my library program orientation in the early nineties. Try to be as technologically sophisticated as possible, even if you’re looking into positions that seem to have little to do with technology. You’d be surprised at how many library positions have been completely transformed over the last ten years.

And though it may sound like heresy, you may want to think about positions outside librarianship. The skills we learn in school aren’t just applicable to librarianship—I know of one graduate who works with an insurance company handling complex disability claims; she’s very highly regarded (and financially rewarded) due in no small part to her ability to ferret out information from a variety of resources.

Carolyn Sosnowski

Hello to all of my faithful blog readers out there. This week I have a new interview with an employee of SLA or the Special Libraries Association. Carolyn manages SLA's Information Center and is also the association's e-learning manager. She has fourteen years' experience in libraries, including seven years at SLA. In addition to her research and professional development duties, she writes the Info Sites column in SLA's Information Outlook magazine, in which she recommends sites of interest to information professionals. I know you are all excited after reading that bio so lets get to the interview!

What is your educational/professional background?

I received a BA in History from the University of Virginia and then my MLIS from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I've been a librarian in special libraries and information centers for fourteen years. I have worked for large companies and small ones, in for-profit companies and non-profit organizations.

When you graduated college/graduate school what were your career goals/have they changed since?

My main goal was to work in special libraries. In school, I was mostly interested in film and the arts, but that focus changed as I realized there weren't that many librarian jobs in that area! My main areas of interest now are research, coordinating information services, and applying technology applications (including social networking tools) to the work of information seeking and sharing.

When/how did you decide the LIS career path was for you?

When I was growing up, I worked in a couple of the libraries in the schools I attended, then took a bookshelving job in a public library when I was in college. I liked the atmosphere and the people, and saw first-hand the types of career opportunities that were available. I enjoyed working with books and information and could see myself doing that for the longterm.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Currently, I manage the information center at the Special Libraries Association and also work in Click University, our professional development area. I conduct research for staff, help association members and even non-members find the information they need (resources, statistics, etc.), and help plan and present continuing education offerings. Some days I work on just one or two things, and other days I have a long list of tasks to accomplish, such as writing a blog post, organizing content for a program, answering member questions, helping staff find information. It does vary quite a bit, and being organized and having the ability to prioritize is crucial.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about your job?

I like working with our members and helping them succeed in their jobs and careers. On the flip side of that, it is difficult to hear from librarians about how their jobs are in jeopardy or that their library is closing.

What is your salary range/What can students interested in working in your type of LIS profession look to make as far as salary (both starting out and over time)?

I work in a special library, and salaries in special libraries are generally higher than those in public, school, and academic libraries. Specific career paths will definitely affect salary potential. Do your research about salaries before accepting an employment offer. SLA (as do other library/information associations) publishes a survey that can offer guidance about salary depending on job responsibilities, geographic area, and years of experience, among many other factors.

How do you think your education prepared you/didn't prepare you for your current career?

I think my education was a good foundation for the work that I do, but working in the tech lab in the library at Greensboro while I was earning my MLIS offered a different, practical training that was helpful as well. The classroom is very different than the workplace, so getting that hands-on experience even before graduating is a necessity in order to hit the ground running. Beyond giving you practical skills, internships and library jobs help you make professional connections, which can lead to career opportunities.

What advice do you have for current/graduating library and information science students?

Visit libraries to see information services in action, and ask questions. Join and be active in an association that will help you along the career path through continuing education opportunities, networking with colleagues, and leadership training. Education does not end with the diploma! And, be flexible. The economy can be challenging to deal with, and that first job may not be ideal but it will be a good start if you make the most of it.

What changes do you foresee for the field of Library and Information Science in the next five to ten years?

A continuing emphasis on technology, especially mobile applications and social networking, in all types of libraries. More of a focus on analysis for those who are doing research. Hopefully, barriers to information sharing being removed and a recognition that librarians are not just people that deal with books, but strategic professionals who track, organize and manage information in its many formats!

Special thanks to Carolyn for participating in our blog. Stay tuned for our next fun filled interview and as always if you have any special requests for interviews please email untlissa@gmail.com and we can get that arranged.