What’s a Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? Or How I Came to Work in Libraries
photo by me of my favorite shoes
My library roots, or how I got into libraries for The Library Routes Project.
I’ve worked in libraries for years I volunteered in the library during Junior High, mostly to get out of study hall but all for the books. When I turned 16 my first “real” job was as a clerk at the local public library. A tiny library, we had less than 10 staff members, 4 full time. As a part time clerk I worked the reference desk on the first floor alone every other weekend.
Throughout High School I thought I wanted a degree in psychology, I even took classes at a local college. When I got to college full time I decided it wasn’t for me, but wasn’t sure what I did want to do. I had a history class I really enjoyed with a great professor, so I decided on history. At first I thought I would teach High School, but luckily my program required a 1 credit practicum at the beginning and I quickly realized I did NOT want to teach teenagers.
Enter two more great History professors, the first being my adviser, John (he’s my Facebook friend & I hope he reads this) who encouraged me to continue my education after graduation. He was a kind person and a wonderful advisor, generous with his time, advice and encouragement. The second was a teacher who was willing to do independent study with me in the field I was interested in as there were a not many classes on it where I went to school.
Looking back, this independent study was crazy I read a book of her selection every week and gave her a written and oral report. I took Spanish and became fluent, flirted with the idea of adding Portuguese, but didn’t. I did independent study in the anthropology department where the area of my interest overlapped between history and anthropology. The work I did was amazing and fascinating but I wont bore you with the details even the eyes of other history majors glaze over when I start talking. :-)
I got into the grad school of my choice however, I deferred my enrollment for a year to spend time with my boyfriend while he finished his degree, then we’d move so I could go back to school. I think you know how this ends, we didn’t last the year. At some point I decided I didn’t want to pursue the masters in history (I don’t remember why), so I stayed in Pheonix and continued to work. During a conversation about our futures, one of my friends, V, said to me why don’t you become a librarian? I asked why she’d made the suggestion, I didn’t remember telling her I’d worked in libraries when I was younger. She said she just thought I’d be good at it. Just like that it clicked. I saw her last year in England and I mentioned it during a conversation about my career and her credit for my success, she laughed because she didn’t even remember saying it.
I wish I could say my masters advisor was as wonderful as my bachelors, but I can not. Thankfully there was a wonderful librarian, Lisa, working in the offices who was very helpful (she’s since moved on to get her PhD). I also had some wonderful colleagues during graduate school. During grad school I started interning at a corporate library. Before I graduated they offered me a full-time job managing the library, I accepted, completing my degree was a priority for them and me, and I graduated on time.
The years I spent in the corporate world both before and after my degree have stuck with me. I can often tell my thoughts and approaches to issues are not the same as colleagues who have always worked in a not-for-profit environment, I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing.
That’s my story of how I got into libraries. If you haven’t shared your story with The Library Routes Project go do it! You share your library roots– how you got into the profession in the first place, and what made you decide to do so. And/or and your library routes – the career path which has taken you to wherever you are today.
I’d like to thank Ned Potter for inviting me to post my story and I apologize for not doing it sooner.
Libraries and Transliteracy – the video version
I took my slideshow on transliteracy and turned it into a video. I was curious about how easy it was to turn a slideshow into a video (its super easy!) so I thought I’d try it. Most of my presentations aren’t meant to stand alone and so don’t really translate well to video. When I was putting the transliteracy one together I wanted it to be able to stand alone, so I thought I’d give it a try. A little self indulgent I know 
But anyway here it is.
Learn more about transliteracy
Libraries and Transliteracy Slideshow
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about transliteracy and how important the concept is for libraries and librarians. I’ve created a slideshow I hope conveys the message and is easy to share.
I have also added page with information on transliteracy.
Libraries need to focus on transliteracy
Libraries have focused on literacy, the ability to read, write and interact, for years. It is an important service to our patrons and our communities. People need to be literate in order to be involved in and contribute to society. Times are changing, technologies are evolving rapidly, it’s no longer enough to focus on the ability to read and write alone. If we only focus on literacy we are doing a disservice to our patrons. Just as libraries took on the task of helping to ensure all people are literate, now we need to take on the task of ensure all people are transliterate.
What is transliteracy?
Transliteracy is the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks. – wikipedia
Soon people will need to be transliterate in order to be involved in and contribute to society. It is already a requirement to participate in some aspects of our society and it will only become more so. Government agencies are no longer issuing print forms, you have to access them online. Your health insurance plan was a website and you have an account, when you call they will tell you to go there to get information. Banks are sending alerts and account balance information via text messages. Facebook privacy settings are complex and change frequently. The price of computers is dropping allowing more people to own one. Free WiFi access points are increasing, allowing more people internet access.
For many people all of the above are new experiences. Experiences they can have with no training, no supervision and no support.
In order to best serve our patrons we need to move from literacy to transliteracy. Add it to your strategic plan, mission, statement and goals. Commit to it. Talk with your coworkers and colleagues about it.
Read more about transliteracy.
- Transliteracy: A Trend of Amplified Organization
- Transliteracy Project
- Transliteracy: Take a Walk on the Wild Side pdf
- Transliteracy Research Group
- Transliteracy: Crossing Divides
Libraries and Transliteracy Blog- Media Skills Integrated into Core StandardsA draft of K-12 standards put forth by the National Governor’s Association, as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), integrates media skills as a key design consideration of these standards. The draft points to the importance of these skills: To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students [... […]Tom Ipri
- What is Transliteracy?I attempt to answer some questions about transliteracy including what is it, in my Librarian by Day blog post – Defining Transliteracy I have been asked this question many times by librarians so I am way overdue for this post. Most recently I was asked “….are librarians the people best equipped to define and interpret transliteracy (as opposed [...] […]Bobbi Newman
- Digital Literacy Skills Essential to Closing Broadband Gap #knightcommThe Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy sites the Broadband Adoption and Use in America (pdf) report released by the Federal Communications Commission in Digital Literacy Skills Essential to Closing Broadband Gap when emphasising the importance and need for digital literacy The survey findings reinforce the growing body o […]Bobbi Newman
- Media Skills Integrated into Core Standards
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