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sarah · 09-30-2008, 12:45 PM

I'm a youth services librarian. Contrary to what you may think about librarians based on reading a few books and movies, we do not sit around reading books all day, nor do we get terribly bent out of shape by noise. Our library system is the busiest and the most user-friendly in the state I live in, and we are constantly changing in order to meet the needs of library users.

I spend a lot of my day planning, presenting and promoting programs for kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers. (Yes, we get our hooks into 'em while they're still infants, so as to make them lifelong library users.. heh heh heh!) Some of my day has to be spent on the reference desk, helping people find what they need. I bet you can guess which I prefer more.

Everyone's concept of "library" depends on what they grew up with, or where they live now, but those of us who work in a busy urban setting get constant variety (and I do mean constant) and a lot of opportunities to make an tangible immediate impact on others. Doesn't hurt that we get to do so in a way that's fun. I get paid to entertain kids with puppets and make them roll arond on the floor with laughter. They pay me to go to schools so I can whip those first-graders up in a frenzy of lusting after getting their own library card (yow!) I get paid to get hugs and artwork from kids because they love "Mithith Sawah". I get paid to wear my jams for part of the day doing pajama storytimes. I get paid to sing, dance, dress in costumes, solve computer problems (by the seat of my pants -- I'm no computer expert, even if I do let people believe that), and do art and craft programs. I get paid to run Wii tournaments for teens. I love my job!

On the other hand, I'm realy bad at organizing, and I hate "collection maintenance" (aka ordering books in a timely manner), and whenever the circulation staff needs help shelving, I dread it because shelving is mind-numbingly boring.

(ps: I majored in fine art in college and didn't know what to do with that after I graduated. I didn't want to do commercial art, so I reluctantly went back to school and got my masters' degree in lbirary science in order to get a "day job" that wasn't too strenuous and promised to be only 40 hours a week -- so I could spend my private time doing art. I'm glad I found out that my job could be a lot more than just a paycheck!)

Sarah
ISFP

09-30-2008, 12:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
sarah soft and silky Join Date: Sep 2008 Type: isfp Location: curled up in my den Posts: 548	I'm a youth services librarian. Contrary to what you may think about librarians based on reading a few books and movies, we do not sit around reading books all day, nor do we get terribly bent out of shape by noise. Our library system is the busiest and the most user-friendly in the state I live in, and we are constantly changing in order to meet the needs of library users. I spend a lot of my day planning, presenting and promoting programs for kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers. (Yes, we get our hooks into 'em while they're still infants, so as to make them lifelong library users.. heh heh heh!) Some of my day has to be spent on the reference desk, helping people find what they need. I bet you can guess which I prefer more. Everyone's concept of "library" depends on what they grew up with, or where they live now, but those of us who work in a busy urban setting get constant variety (and I do mean constant) and a lot of opportunities to make an tangible immediate impact on others. Doesn't hurt that we get to do so in a way that's fun. I get paid to entertain kids with puppets and make them roll arond on the floor with laughter. They pay me to go to schools so I can whip those first-graders up in a frenzy of lusting after getting their own library card (yow!) I get paid to get hugs and artwork from kids because they love "Mithith Sawah". I get paid to wear my jams for part of the day doing pajama storytimes. I get paid to sing, dance, dress in costumes, solve computer problems (by the seat of my pants -- I'm no computer expert, even if I do let people believe that), and do art and craft programs. I get paid to run Wii tournaments for teens. I love my job! On the other hand, I'm realy bad at organizing, and I hate "collection maintenance" (aka ordering books in a timely manner), and whenever the circulation staff needs help shelving, I dread it because shelving is mind-numbingly boring. (ps: I majored in fine art in college and didn't know what to do with that after I graduated. I didn't want to do commercial art, so I reluctantly went back to school and got my masters' degree in lbirary science in order to get a "day job" that wasn't too strenuous and promised to be only 40 hours a week -- so I could spend my private time doing art. I'm glad I found out that my job could be a lot more than just a paycheck!) Sarah ISFP