Sarah Wade
Campbell University – Buies Creek, NC
Assistant Medical Librarian
A little about Sarah’s job:
I am the assistant medical librarian in a brand-new medical school and because of this, one part of my job consists of working with the faculty to build up our collection. Our building houses not just doctor of osteopathic medicine candidate students but also physician assistant candidate students, so we work with faculty in both departments. I also answer and help with reference questions, create LibGuides, and work with campus-wide library programs and activities.
1) What are some things you like about your job or working in libraries in general?
One thing I really love about my job is the opportunity to learn from different professionals in different medical disciplines. The professors that work here are some of the best in the field of medicine and because of this they have a lot of knowledge to share with others. Something else I really love about my job is the opportunity to work with the students. Because we are a small library I have gotten the chance to get to know some of them very well which makes it easier for them to approach me and makes me feel like I am better known in the medical school.
2) What’s a project or committee you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?
Every spring our main campus library hosts an academic symposium where the students on campus can exhibit any research work they have done. This was one of the committees I became a part of when I took this position and I have gotten really excited about it. This year we will also include both our distance education students and the PA and DO students.
3) What got you interested in libraries?
I think, like a lot of my fellow librarians, I was a book- and library-lover from childhood. I have always loved libraries and am very passionate about their importance and place in society. When I was a little girl I used to pretend my living room was a library and I made my younger brothers go through and check books out. I had the due date cards (index cards cut up with a scribble for the date and signature) in them and everything.
4) What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?
I really like the resume review service. I think it helps those that are struggling to find a job be more aware of the weak places in their resume and gives them a better idea of how to fix them and make their resume better. I know I personally used it when I was looking for a job.
5) Do you have any advice for other new librarians?
When you first get out of school it can be hard to find jobs in libraries so don’t be afraid to use your connections. Did you do an internship? Ask the person you worked for to help you. He or she might know of a job or might even be willing to create a position for you. That is how I got the job that landed me where I am now. I knew someone at the university I currently work for and she knew I was finishing up library school and so she specifically asked me to fill a library assistant position. I will forever be thankful to her and thankful that I was willing to put myself out there and make it known who I was and that I was interested in working for academic libraries.
6) What advice do you have for job-searching librarians?
Don’t wait for the jobs to come to you because they won’t. You need to put yourself out there and make it your job to find one. Even if it is a job you are not sure you will like or you think is beneath you, apply anyway. You might be surprised and turn out to really like it or maybe it will lead you to something even better. Once you get in that position you are more likely to be hired for a better position than someone who has not been working in that particular library and doesn’t know the ins and outs of the cataloging system and the circulation system, etc. Libraries want someone who is competent in their products and is confident about what they are telling the patrons. Be that person!
7) What strategies for finding entry-level library positions have worked for you?
While I was working as a library assistant I started looking for full time jobs and when I did that I utilized a lot of different websites and joined several listservs. I also put an alert for the term librarian on Indeed so every morning I got an email with all the librarian jobs that had been listed from the previous day. I also checked out all the local universities and colleges that were near me. One of the websites I thought was really good was the ALA JobList. One of the things I like about it is I can limit my search by keyword, city, and state. The other nice thing is it lists all library types and not just one particular type. The listservs I joined were NMRT, College and Libraries Section, University Libraries Section, and now that I am a medical librarian I have joined the Medical Library Association’s. The College and Libraries Section and University Libraries Section are both run through ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries). I joined this one because I work in an academic library, but if you work in another kind of library they are sure to have their own association and that association will more than likely have a listserv you can join.
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