Private & Public Schools
Responses from Librarians

1. Why did you want to become a Librarian?
I had a part-time job in high school at the local branch of the public library where I live. I loved helping people, checking out books, and working with my co-workers. I got another part-time job at the university library where I went to school and had the opportunity to catalog audio-visual material. I loved cataloging, too. Then after graduation, I worked in the reference department at my university library as a library assistant. I loved reference, too! So after four years of working full-time in a university library, I decided to make this my career and went to graduate school. I've never had a library job I didn't love.

2. What is your job in the Library now?
I am the head of the Upper School Library in a private PreK-12 boys school. There are only two of us working in the library, there's no district office or other outside supervision or support, so we get to do it all - which suits me to a T. I have also done other library work: reference in public libraries, head of retrospective conversion at a state library, head of serials at a state library, assistant area librarian at a public library, and copy cataloging while in graduate school. School librarianship has been a great opportunity to combine my many library interests in a family-friendly schedule.

2. A. What type of library do you work in?
school library

2. B. Main Duties?
Selection, acquisitions, budgeting, planning and directing all activities of the library.

1. Why did you want to become a Librarian?
I just completed a MSIS in May from the University of Texas at Austin. In the final semester, the Graduate School of Library and Information Science changed the name to "The School of Information" and changed the degree to Masters of Science in Information Studies (from a MLIS). There was quite a bit of controversy about dropping the term "library" from the degree and the school, but by the time we found out, it had already been decided.
I worked in a library as a high school student years ago, volunteered in a high school library and then worked as a Library Manager of a small private school in El Paso following completion of my bachelors degree. I enjoyed it so much that I decided that I wanted to complete the Masters because I felt that there was a lot that I needed to learn. I also wanted to work at the high school level which requires a graduate degree. I have always enjoyed books and research and wanted to pass along my love of literature and learning.

2. What is your job in the Library now?
I am currently working as a high school librarian at an all-boys' high school and I am enjoying it immensely. The students, faculty and administration appreciate what I am trying to accomplish in our library, which is to help students and faculty alike find the tools they need to enhance their studies. Additionally, I am trying to create ways to get students excited about reading. The only drawback to being the only staff member is that there is a lot of work to be done and not enough time to do it in. From what I have found, through reading and collaborating with other librarians, this is not uncommon. This is unfortunate since librarians could do so much more if given the time and resources. One final thought - it is so important to collaborate with other librarians. Talking with others in our field and exchanging ideas is invaluable.

1. Why did you want to become a Librarian?
I was interested in working in a school district, but did not want to be a classroom teacher--teaching the same subject year-after-year. I was drawn to the variety of the job. The opportunity to work with people, print material as well as the latest/newest technology.

2. What is your job in the Library now?
I am a school library media specialist at a junior-senior high school in a small Western New York school district.

2. A. What type of library do you work in?
School library

2. B. Main Duties?
Teaching information literacy skills, working one-on-one with students, collaborating with teachers, answering reference questions, collection development, weeding, and cataloging.

1. Why did you want to become a Librarian?
I have always enjoyed reading. I was a student library worker in high school and loved doing all the jobs that were assigned to me. My mother also became a school librarian about the time I finished high school. I love working with the books, children and teachers.

2. What is your job in the Library now?
I am the Library Media Specialist.

2. A. What type of library do you work in?
I work in a rural high school library of about 600 students, 50 teachers and 13,000 titles of books, videos, etc.

2. B. Main Duties?
My main duties are a little bit of everything: acquisition, cataloging, teacher, resource for teachers and students, circulation, repairing equipment, taping and showing videos programs, installing software, repairing computers, providing materials to support the curriculum and help meet standards of the various subjects.