Adult Services Librarian, Kitsap Regional Library
October 2011 - present
Competencies demonstrated:
As a librarian at the reference desk at the busy Bainbridge Island branch, I answer a wide variety of reference and readers' advisory questions for all ages. I love learning something new along with my patrons every day!
Competencies demonstrated:
- Treats users in a welcoming, professional manner and provides other staff with an example of positive customer service
- Acts as a goodwill ambassador for the library, promoting the library’s values and services in all user interactions
- Recognizes, honors and responds appropriately to diversity and cultural differences
- Deals with users’ concerns efficiently and effectively
- Maintains a calm, professional manner in difficult situations and applies effective communication techniques
- Contributes to a collaborative, committed and collegial work environment
- Demonstrates familiarity with the Library Bill of Rights and the ALA Code of Ethics, and articulates the relevance to library service
- Understands privacy issues and protects user confidentially
- Understands and promotes intellectual freedom and freedom of information
- Provides equitable services to all users
As a librarian at the reference desk at the busy Bainbridge Island branch, I answer a wide variety of reference and readers' advisory questions for all ages. I love learning something new along with my patrons every day!
Librarian, Milwaukee Public Library
Adult General and Subject Services (Central library), Children’s Services (Central library), and Children and Teen Services (branch library)
July 2010 – October 2011
Competencies demonstrated:
Working at several MPL desks and locations has given me the opportunity to hone my skills with a wide range of reference and readers’ advisory questions. In adult services, I provided reference via the Information Desk (the general reference / RA desk), subject specialty desks (Business and Humanities), online chat and email reference service, and telephone reference services. In children’s services at a the downtown library, I worked with children and teens, both individually and as classroom groups. Now, at a popular branch library, I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to improve my reference interactions by developing relationships with my regulars.
Whether helping a parent find SAT prep books for a high-achieving teen, conducting a reference interview to clarify the needs of a patron who “wants to see all the books about history”, or finding just the right book for a homeless patron to while away a chilly day, I find every aspect of this work rewarding. I’m always learning something new! I love exploring a challenging question with my coworkers, and both they and the library patrons are always helping me learn and grow. Even after a shift where I feel like every other questions was “why isn’t the printer working?” and “where’s the bathroom?”, I feel truly fulfilled knowing that I am helping to make the library a comfortable and safe environment for everybody. I consider my strengths to be patience, a sense of humor, a willingness to ask questions, and an unshakable devotion to intellectual freedom and information access which transcends my personal biases.
July 2010 – October 2011
Competencies demonstrated:
- Treats users in a welcoming, professional manner and provides other staff with an example of positive customer service
- Acts as a goodwill ambassador for the library, promoting the library’s values and services in all user interactions
- Recognizes, honors and responds appropriately to diversity and cultural differences
- Deals with users’ concerns efficiently and effectively
- Maintains a calm, professional manner in difficult situations and applies effective communication techniques
- Contributes to a collaborative, committed and collegial work environment
- Demonstrates familiarity with the Library Bill of Rights and the ALA Code of Ethics, and articulates the relevance to library service
- Understands privacy issues and protects user confidentially
- Understands and promotes intellectual freedom and freedom of information
- Provides equitable services to all users
Working at several MPL desks and locations has given me the opportunity to hone my skills with a wide range of reference and readers’ advisory questions. In adult services, I provided reference via the Information Desk (the general reference / RA desk), subject specialty desks (Business and Humanities), online chat and email reference service, and telephone reference services. In children’s services at a the downtown library, I worked with children and teens, both individually and as classroom groups. Now, at a popular branch library, I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to improve my reference interactions by developing relationships with my regulars.
Whether helping a parent find SAT prep books for a high-achieving teen, conducting a reference interview to clarify the needs of a patron who “wants to see all the books about history”, or finding just the right book for a homeless patron to while away a chilly day, I find every aspect of this work rewarding. I’m always learning something new! I love exploring a challenging question with my coworkers, and both they and the library patrons are always helping me learn and grow. Even after a shift where I feel like every other questions was “why isn’t the printer working?” and “where’s the bathroom?”, I feel truly fulfilled knowing that I am helping to make the library a comfortable and safe environment for everybody. I consider my strengths to be patience, a sense of humor, a willingness to ask questions, and an unshakable devotion to intellectual freedom and information access which transcends my personal biases.
Student Librarian / Reader's Advisor, Seattle Public Library
June 2009 - January 2010
Competencies demonstrated:
As a student librarian at SPL, I worked on the fiction desk at the downtown Central branch. Primarily, I performed readers advisory for adults, but also created passive readers advisory tools, answered reference questions, and helped with collection maintenance. At times, I also worked shifts on the general reference desk and the teen desk. Wherever I worked, I valued conducting strong reference interviews, excellent customer service, and serving the public including diverse populations.
I loved being able to focus purely on readers' advisory for this time! It is without a doubt one of the most fun and fulfilling parts of librarianship for me. Being able to take the time to do in-depth reference interviews to determine people's interests, to booktalk literature of all kinds, and simply to share the joy of reading honed my skills and passion for readers' advisory. I love the thrill of helping somebody find just the right book!
In addiiton, the Fiction department shared a desk with LEAP (Library Equal Access Program). LEAP provides services to patrons with disabilities and special needs, in part by providing access to a computer lab with adaptive technologies. Because of our proximity, I often worked with LEAP patrons. I learned some simple American Sign Language, worked with technologies such as Jaws, Zoomtext, videophones, CCTVs, and more. Learning to work well with patrons with a variety of needs has given me a unique and critical perspective and skill set.
Competencies demonstrated:
- Assists users with choosing popular and recreational reading, viewing and listening choices
- Understands the theory of appeal, listens carefully to information elicited from the user and bases recommendations on an interpretation of what appeals to the user
- Identifies and recommends a selection of materials that align with what appeals to the user
- Demonstrates the ability to read widely, formulate connections between resources, and converse with users about the resources
- Connects children and their families and caregivers with resources that encourage reading
- Develops strategies and sources to stay well-informed as a readers’ advisor
- Applies customer service skills to enhance the level of user satisfaction
As a student librarian at SPL, I worked on the fiction desk at the downtown Central branch. Primarily, I performed readers advisory for adults, but also created passive readers advisory tools, answered reference questions, and helped with collection maintenance. At times, I also worked shifts on the general reference desk and the teen desk. Wherever I worked, I valued conducting strong reference interviews, excellent customer service, and serving the public including diverse populations.
I loved being able to focus purely on readers' advisory for this time! It is without a doubt one of the most fun and fulfilling parts of librarianship for me. Being able to take the time to do in-depth reference interviews to determine people's interests, to booktalk literature of all kinds, and simply to share the joy of reading honed my skills and passion for readers' advisory. I love the thrill of helping somebody find just the right book!
In addiiton, the Fiction department shared a desk with LEAP (Library Equal Access Program). LEAP provides services to patrons with disabilities and special needs, in part by providing access to a computer lab with adaptive technologies. Because of our proximity, I often worked with LEAP patrons. I learned some simple American Sign Language, worked with technologies such as Jaws, Zoomtext, videophones, CCTVs, and more. Learning to work well with patrons with a variety of needs has given me a unique and critical perspective and skill set.
Children's Services Directed Fieldwork, Seattle Public Library
March 2010 – June 2010
Competencies demonstrated:
Working on the reference desk at the Northeast branch, I spoke with a variety of patrons of all ages. However, providing reference for children directly was a new experience for me, so I’ve chosen to emphasize those competencies here.
I kept a log of my observations and experiences about providing children’s reference (as well as programming and collection development) here.
Competencies demonstrated:
- Facilitates children’s requests for information and provides accurate and appropriate answers
- Understands and practices effective reference interviewing skills particular to soliciting actual and unstated needs of children
Working on the reference desk at the Northeast branch, I spoke with a variety of patrons of all ages. However, providing reference for children directly was a new experience for me, so I’ve chosen to emphasize those competencies here.
I kept a log of my observations and experiences about providing children’s reference (as well as programming and collection development) here.
