Technical Services Librarian 

How did you get your current job?
I had worked at the circulation desk part-time on the weekends for a year. My supervisor notified me that a position in an area in which I had part-time experience had opened up, and she offered it to me.

What was the application process?
I submitted my resume, a cover letter, and references via email.

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Because I was in a unique situation in that the job was offered to me after having worked part-time in a different role at the library, I did not interview for this particular position. For my original part-time position, however, I interviewed both with the supervisor as well as with the rest of the staff.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. The job’s responsibilities were clearly stated, and I was well-trained by my co-worker and supervisor.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes. I was trained by the staff member who had been performing some of my duties temporarily. It entailed learning the software necessary to perform the various functions of the job, as well as other daily tasks.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes; I could not perform the tasks I do on a daily basis without having a Master’s in Library Science.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
First, go to graduate school for library and information science. Focus on academic libraries and/or technical services (especially cataloging) as well as collection development. Second, try to find a part-time job doing copy cataloging, or as a tech. services assistant in a larger library, or work circulation at an academic library part-time. I did all three while I was in library school and shortly thereafter, and it helped prepare me very well for the work I do now.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
First, you absolutely must have a fine eye for detail. Catalog records should not have any mistakes! Second, you should have a keen sense of knowing whether or not a title is appropriate to add to the library’s collection — or be able to collaborate with those who do know. Collection development is not as easy as it seems. Third, you must be open to collaboration with co-workers and supervisors, but accept the fact that you are not the librarian who gets to spend the most time helping patrons.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes — you must have a Master’s in Library and Information Science.

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Make sure you are detail-oriented — if not, you will be very bored. Definitely try to find work in copy cataloging, to make sure that it is something you enjoy. Cataloging is not all I do, of course, but it does take up a fair amount of my time, and if you do not find it satisfying, you will not like being a technical services librarian.