NMRT Member of the Month Spotlight: Taylor Worsham

Posted on December 13, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

Email: taylor@gunnisoncountylibraries.org

Institution/Location of Institution: Gunnison County Library District (Colorado)

Job Title: Marketing & Adult Programming Coordinator

Brief Job Description:

In true small library style, I have a range of responsibilities. From working the circulation desk to hosting community events to advertising our many library services and collections. I’m a paraprofessional and first-semester MLS graduate student at Emporia State University. I do both full time and travel between two branches in our district, Gunnison and Crested Butte, which are in the same mountain valley, 30 miles apart. If I had to sum up how I spend my days in one word it would be: communicating. I love interacting and serving members of the public and making them aware of everything our library has to offer them.

What are some things you like about your job or about working in libraries in general?

It sounds cliché but every day I learn something new and I love learning! Working in libraries has enriched my life greatly by introducing me to so many new ideas, experiences and people. I had no idea how much I enjoyed spending time with others until I started this job. As a natural introvert, this came as quite the surprise to me. My library experience has pushed me out of my comfort zone continuously and has facilitated so much personal and professional growth.

If you’re a library student, what’s your dream library job?

Instruction / Outreach Librarian in an Academic Library, preferably a community college.

What’s a project or committee you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?

In graduate school and as something I hope to incorporate into our library resources at work too, I’m developing an online Pathfinder for mental health information in our valley. Since the start of the pandemic, like many places, our local emergency services has seen a dramatic increase in the number of admits to the emergency room due to behavioral issues. This is something that is affecting our community deeply and my goal is to provide clear, accessible information about consumer health sources and how to seek help locally. My goal is to continue to help de-stigmatize mental health and caring for yourself.

What got you interested in libraries?

If I have to be completely honest, I was initially drawn to it through my love of reading. I was a big library user growing up and I wanted to work in an environment that surrounds you with books. As I started to pursue jumping into the field seriously, I learned that libraries are so much more than that. Don’t get me wrong, I still believe in the magic of books and here in our library at least, it’s still our primary mission to connect readers. On top of that though, libraries foster so many connections and they constantly introduce people to new ideas.

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

By becoming a part of ALA and NMRT this fall when I started graduate school and could tap into a student membership, I immediately utilized the mentorship program. I was paired with someone who has a long, diverse history in many types of libraries, holding many different positions. This has allowed me to soak up so much wisdom and learn from his experience. It’s been incredibly beneficial for me to learn from others in the field.

Do you have any advice for other new librarians?

I only started working in libraries 3 years ago so I perhaps shouldn’t be doling out advice for those new to the field, but if I had to I’d say that it’s important for you to take care of yourself. This field is amazing and it’s easy to put your heart and soul into because the work is so rewarding but make sure you take care of yourself along the way. Hopefully you’re starting a career that will be full of many adventures through the years so remember that life is long and you’re never going to finish everything you want to. There’s always more things to try and to do in libraries!

Posted in Member of the Month, NMRT | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Promoting Librarianship as a Career Path

Posted on December 13, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

Maria Lagasca, MLIS

Dauphin County Library System, Library Manager

Mlagasca@dcls.org

The discussion for this month focuses on the importance of promoting librarianship as a career path. The topic was brought about due to fact that the notion of wanting to becoming a librarian is now rarely expressed, especially in the younger generation.   

When was the last time one heard someone say, “I want to be a librarian?”  My elementary school days featured trips to the school library and local libraries, often meeting the librarians and becoming aware of all their tasks and responsibilities.  Given these memories were more than a decade ago and given the changes the library profession has experienced; it might be time to reconsider the need to improve how librarians and libraries promote librarianship as a career path. For instance, look at a local library website and see if the role of librarians is defined? If the role is defined, is the language simplified?  While this discussion provided answers to how librarians can better promote their careers, this discussion also highlighted some underlying reasons for the sudden decline in promoting librarianship. Furthermore, the discussion revealed a key fact often overlooked by other professionals: librarians are multitalented, often having transferrable skills to lead in other employment fields.  

Do you want to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, and librarian? 

Speaking from personal experience, my parents pushed two career choices. I was either going to be a lawyer or a doctor.  In the past, I thought this push for two money making careers was only common in Asian households. However, this was not the case, some of my friends endured the same push and some are now actual doctors and lawyers. Since elementary school, I have always wanted to be a teacher or librarian. Librarian became the official dream when I realized my university offered a graduate program.  According to some librarians in the discussion, the reason they chose to become a librarian at a later point in their life was because no one offered the choice of becoming a librarian. I cannot recall one time where someone offered me the choice of becoming a librarian and if it was offered, it was offered indirectly, with a brochure.  If children and teens are having to wait until college to learn of librarianship, this could prove to be damaging for all libraries.  Additionally, while many children and teens can experience libraries, many are unaware of the career path, the servitude to something greater than oneself and the pledge for equity. 

We are humans before we are gods 

This discussion revealed several ways librarians can improve promoting librarianship. First, one librarian in the discussion mentioned the need to “demystify” and “remove the vocational awe” that comes with being a librarian.  While its amusing to think of librarians as untouchables or God-like beings filled with all the knowledge in the world, this thought also evokes tall hills to climb and pain staking treks only people with super human strength and endurance can overcome. The mystified awe also overshadows the notion that most librarians are grounded to not books, catalogs, or spreading good will, but to humanity.  Thus, librarians are more human than God-like and for other humans who wish to share their dedication to humanity, this outlook appears more touchable. While many view librarians as God-like beings, many are also unaware of all the tasks librarians complete and all the responsibilities librarians hold. One librarian in the discussion recommended the need to tell people exactly what librarians are doing. A good place to start is on social media.  Another suggestion is to reintroduce field trips to local libraries and for libraries to create formal job shadowing programs for all ages. Lastly, public libraries should also consider defining the librarian role of their websites.

Multi-talented Humans 

Though librarians may not be mythical beings, they are multi-talented, often coming from other career fields. For example, one librarian in the discussion was a travel agent prior to becoming a librarian and another librarian was also a teacher. I have known librarians who were first preachers, bakers, social workers, counselors, musicians, and bartenders.  While librarians have a variety of backgrounds and skills, librarians who chose to become librarians also have plenty of skills to offer other career fields. Many of the skills librarians learn on the job such as cataloging, project management, leadership, customer service, and public relations are all beneficial to other industries.  

Given the ever-evolving role of librarians and the need for more funding, it seems promoting librarianship as a career path is ever more important.  Librarians must continue to seek the best candidates and this begins promoting the field to the younger generation. Rather than push for librarianship, librarians and other school professionals should present librarianship as option. In return, libraries should keep their options open as many aspiring librarians are also unconventional dreamers, who in turn, serve as the guide for everyday dreamers.

Posted in NMRT, NMRT Discussion | Leave a comment

Deadline Extended to December 8–NMRT’s Nominating Committee: 2022 Spring Ballot

Posted on December 1, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

The NMRT’s Nominating Committee still needs nominees to run on the 2022 spring ballot for the following offices: 

— Vice-President/President-Elect 

— Networking Director

— Outreach Director  

For more information on the positions visit https://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/nm/officerposition

Help lead NMRT into an exciting future! All interested parties wishing to submit names for nomination, please contact the following individuals via e-mail: 

Charity Stokes, Nominating Committee Chair charity.martin@tamu.edu

Kayla Kalnasy, kkalnasy@shreve-lib.org

Nomination forms open Friday, September 3 and closes Wednesday, December 1, 2021 (deadline extended to December 8).

For more information on Nominating Committee activities visit https://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt-nominating-committee

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else, go to https://divrt.directnominations.net log in and choose “New Members.”

Posted in NMRT, NMRT Elections | Tagged | Leave a comment

NMRT President December Update

Posted on December 1, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

Hello again, NMRT colleagues,

We are entering into one of my favorite seasons of the year, where we are called on to reflect on gratitude and hope. This year, during our second holiday season of the pandemic, I’m grateful for the NMRT volunteers who have helped us to deliver our programming and services to the newest members of ALA. Our ways of interacting may have changed in the virtual environment, but the support from our NMRT colleagues persists.

NMRT started off our year strong, with robust online discussions on the librarian stereotype and librarianship as a career path. Online Programs planned and delivered an excellent webinar on “Disability Justice in Libraries,” featuring Jessica Schomberg. Mentoring matches have been made, and our website is looking clean and beautiful, thanks to the Web Committee. Many of our other committees are hard at work planning events for Annual 2022 in Washington D.C. (including an anniversary celebration of NMRT!), and preparing to announce calls for our various awards.

I’d also like to extend a congratulations to Kelly Williams, our NMRT-sponsored Emerging Leader for 2021-22! Kelly will be joining 48 other Emerging Leaders in the class of 2022, and will begin engaging in project work during LibLearnX in January.

2022 will bring more free and open webinars from NMRT, the launch of our call for awards, and more. I hope you’ll join us in participating. And if you are reaching a season of your life where you would like to get more involved in NMRT, it’s never too late–drop me a line at danicook@ucsd.edu and we’ll see what might be a good fit for you.

Wishing you a peaceful and safe end to 2021,

Dani

Posted in NMRT | Tagged , | Leave a comment

October 2021 Online Discussion Forum Recap: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype

Posted on November 11, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

by Laura Birkenhauer

The Librarian Stereotype

If you’re plugged into the LIS field, you’re likely already aware of the librarian stereotypes. A 2015 American Libraries article sums it up well:

“There are numerous librarian stereotypes, with the most recognizable being the middle-aged, bun-wearing, comfortably shod, shushing librarian. Others include the sexy librarian, the superhero librarian, and the hipster or tattooed librarian. These stereotypes are all characterized predominantly as feminine, white women. Newer librarian stereotypes, particularly those proffered by librarians themselves, tend to be depicted as younger white women. The original librarian stereotype, which was superseded by the introduction of his prudish sister, was that of the fussy (white) male curmudgeon.”

This month’s online discussion forum asked NMRT members to share about defying the stereotypes, with the goal of highlighting the diversity of NMRT membership and the many representations of library work within the ranks of NMRT. As much as they were comfortable, respondents were asked to share more about themselves and their experiences.

In response, we heard from a library school student, business librarians, an NMRT Past President, a cataloger, a young adult librarian, an online learning and instruction librarian, library managers, a metadata librarian, and a former Library of Congress Librarian-in-Residence, among others. Here’s what they had to say about defying the librarian stereotype:

On Dressing Differently

“My colors are too bright, my shoes are too funky. Style is important to me. I am not going to wear black and brown shoes with bows” (Carter, 2021)

“The students are always a little taken aback when I walk in – most business students dress very conservatively, ‘professionally,’ etc. in class. No unnatural hair colors or tattoos to be seen! I typically have both. […] I feel like I crack their stereotypes a bit and bring some entertainment into the classroom with my bad jokes.” (Wilhelm, 2021)

“My director even believed that we should always dress formally because we are a serious profession. I disagreed wholeheartedly. If kids came into the library with their parents, I got on the floor with them and entertained them. My coworkers started calling my Aunty Kim. I slowly started dressing more casually with fun patterned leggings and silly socks.” (Cull, 2021)

On Serving Our Community in Our Own Way

“[…] I think more than how librarians dress, we need to disrupt the stereotypes of how we act. We need to embrace being open and accessible to our patrons of all colors, creeds, and abilities. And yes, we need to be bringing our whole authentic selves to the library, so we are talking about the important issues like Justice, mental health, disability, child rearing, burnout, etc.” (Ward, 2021)

“[…] I didn’t put on a “professional” mask around anyone. I just acted like my weird, goofy self. The result? The students were more comfortable asking me for help.” (Cull, 2021)

“Maybe because my primary patron base is teenagers […] I’ve found that being open about my knowledge limitations (i.e., I haven’t read everything they mention and I don’t pretend otherwise) while mentioning the titles I am familiar with has gone a long way toward [countering misconceptions].” (Doherty, 2021)

“I’ve been intentional about being open and willing to share and talk about mental health topics with students. Even sharing a little bit about my own experiences or resources I’ve used related to mental health have made a major impact in conversations I’m having with students this semester.” (Birkenhauer, 2021)

On Supporting Others

“While I don’t personally debunk [the stereotype], I think supporting librarians who defy stereotypes is something I put into practice.” (Creswell, 2021)

“As a White female who wears glasses for computer work/driving and often wears her hair in a ponytail, I probably look the librarian part more than a lot of others. […] I think we can all support librarians who defy stereotypes by providing a listening ear for those who feel marginalized or who just want a couple moments to chat.” (Boniface, 2021)

Beyond the themes seen in the quotes outlined above, important issues arose from this conversation, including the damaging stereotype of the “sexy librarian” leading to harassment in public-facing roles (Creswell, 2021) and experiences involving one’s appearance and dress connecting to being taken seriously (or not) on the job (Lagasca, 2021).

It was also clear that the phrase “the librarian stereotype” did not evoke the same image for each participant, but that ideas of what a “stereotypical librarian” might look and behave like varied. These ideas were informed by pop culture, books and the media, as well as coworkers and others in the profession.

References

Birkenhauer, L. (2021, October 4). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Boniface, E. (2021, October 9). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Carter, L. (2021, October 4). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Creswell, M. (2021, October 7). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Cull, K. (2021, October 4). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Wilhelm, J. (2021, October 5). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Doherty, E. (2021, October 4). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Lagasca, M. (2021, October 12). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Pagowsky, N. & Rigby, M. (2015, October 30). The stereotype stereotype: Our obsession with librarian representation. American Libraries. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/10/30/the-stereotype-stereotype/

Ward, K. (2021, October 4). RE: Online Discussion Forum October 2021 Topic: Combatting the Librarian Stereotype. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/digestviewer/

Posted in NMRT, NMRT Discussion | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NMRT Nominating Committee: 2022 Spring Ballot

Posted on November 10, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

The NMRT’s Nominating Committee is calling for nominees to run on the 2022 spring ballot for the following offices: 

— Vice-President/President-Elect 

— Secretary

— Assistant Treasurer (to replace treasurer)

— Networking Director

— Outreach Director  

— NMRT Councilor

For more information on the positions visit https://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/nm/officerposition

Help lead NMRT into an exciting future! All interested parties wishing to submit names for nomination, please contact the following individuals via e-mail: 

Charity Stokes, Nominating Committee Chair charity.martin@tamu.edu

Kayla Kalnasy, kkalnasy@shreve-lib.org

Nomination forms open Friday, September 3 and closes Wednesday, December 1, 2020. 

For more information on Nominating Committee activities visit https://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt-nominating-committee

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else, go to https://divrt.directnominations.net log in and choose “New Members.”

Posted in ALA Elections, NMRT, NMRT Elections | Leave a comment

NMRT Member of the Month Spotlight: Jessica Kirk

Posted on November 10, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

Name: Jessica Kirk

Email: jessica.kirk@ade.arkansas.gov

Institution/Location of Institution: Arkansas State Library

Job Title: Senior Reference Librarian

Brief Job Description:

I serve the unique information needs of Arkansas state employees, legislatures, and the public. I provide resources on federal and Arkansas state documents, Arkansas history, and intellectual property as Arkansas’s only USPTO designated Patent and Trademark Resource Center.

What are some things you like about your job or about working in libraries in general?

I enjoy working with people and seeing the interesting information needs they have. I also enjoy being a part of the larger Arkansas library community.

What’s a project or committee you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?

I’m on the Arkansas Department of Education’s Equity and Inclusion Task Force working with a team to make recommendations for professional development. The work is just getting started and my team members all have great ideas and talents to help us work through the project.

What got you interested in libraries?

When I moved to Arkansas, I started to enjoy the libraries as a patron. The services were clearly high quality and conveyed a strong sense of community. I wanted to work for one because they were doing so many interesting things for the community. I felt the reach of impact had a lot of potential. What kept me interested in libraries was working for one and understanding the vast amount of different roles a library worker can have. It felt like possibilities were endless but were all tied into serving the community.

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

I like that we have the responsibility of being a welcome wagon to new members. We have the chance to help them see the value in their membership.

Do you have any advice for other new librarians?

Ask questions of other librarians and members of the community. Develop a broad understanding of what the people you work with do. Be curious. This helps you be more considerate of how your work intersects with theirs but also gives you connections to people that you may call on when you need help or need to create a partnership.

Posted in Member of the Month | Tagged | Leave a comment

NMRT Virtual Event: Disability Justice in Libraries

Posted on November 2, 2021 by nmrtsecretary

Join ALA’s New Members Round Table for a virtual event featuring Jessica Schomberg on November 18th at 1 PM CST. Register here: http://bit.ly/2Xj5tK4

Posted in Online Programs Committee | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Welcome from the 2021-22 NMRT President

Posted on September 9, 2021 by nmrtsecretary
Dani Cook, NMRT President 2021-2022

Greetings, NMRT colleagues,

It is my honor to serve as the NMRT president for 2021-22, and I am grateful to the many volunteers who serve on our board, as committee chairs, and as committee members. I look forward to working alongside you this year.

I know that I am not alone in having hopes that 2021 would be a better year than 2020, and feeling exhausted by the constant barrage of a global pandemic, racial and gender injustice, and the climate crisis. In times like these, it’s critical to have community to rely on. I hope NMRT can be a professional community that can support you during these times, and plan to work to expand and improve critical programs for new members, such as our Mentoring Program and grant-giving efforts, over the next year. We can and should re-invest our time and resources back to our members.

In our programming this year, NMRT will look to highlight the variety of library worker experiences, and how we can advocate with and for each other. We’ll be taking lessons learned from 2020 on how to hold impactful virtual events and conversations, and continue those practices over the next year. There have always been huge inequities in professional development opportunities for folks who are unable to travel, and I look forward to delivering more of our content and services to members, wherever they are located.

NMRT only exists because of our members, and I want to make sure that we are meeting your needs as you enter the profession or ALA for the first time. This year, I am inviting the board and committee chairs to think with me about how NMRT can be a welcoming and inclusive space. I invite you to share your feedback with me throughout the year via ALA Connect, email at danicook@ucsd.edu, or on Twitter @danibcook.

Though the year ahead will no doubt have unexpected challenges, I look forward to the work we will do to support new members, together. Thanks for being here.

Dani

Posted in NMRT | Leave a comment

NMRT Call for Volunteers!

Posted on August 10, 2021 by nmrtsecretary
NMRT is still looking for volunteers to serve on committees for 2021-2022! No experience is required. Find out more at the link below: http://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt/nmrt-committee-volunteer-form If you have questions, please contact Dani Cook at danicook@ucsd.edu. Thanks for considering!
Posted in Committees, NMRT, Volunteering | Leave a comment