1) Tell us your current position and job duties.
I am the Secondary Librarian (6th-12th) at Brentwood Christian School in Austin, TX. My job duties vary each day. My daily
Danielle’ McGhee
duties consist of managing the circulation desk, answering reference questions, shelving, updating the library reservation calendar, and teaching Book Club. Throughout the school year I host book fairs, and every quarter I teach faculty and staff new programs in our technology development training classes.
Outside of those traditional duties, I am very active on our campus. This year I coached 5th & 6th grade girls volleyball and I mentor 11th grade girls. Most recently, I travelled with our 8th grade students to Washington, DC. This year I am also coaching middle and high school girls in bible reading for our interscholastic academic meet. We are extremely active and busy at BCS!
2) How did studying at NCCU SLIS help you prepare for your current work?
NCCU SLIS prepared me to seek out the experiences that I wanted to get involved in that later lead to even better opportunities. It was a great place to actively get started in leadership roles, and taking initiative to do great things. Having that attitude prepared me to take on roles that were presented to me here at BCS that have lead to better opportunities.
3) What was your favorite thing about your time at NCCU SLIS?
I have several! My favorite things about my time at NCCU SLIS:
· Traveling abroad for the first time.
· Working as a Graduate Assistant for Dr. Abdullahi.
· Processing NCCU’s administrative papers and photographs for the Content, Context, and Capacity: A Collaborative Large-Scale Digitization Project with my cohort Shanee Murrain in the NCCU archives.
· Being a part of the new faculty selection committee and curriculum development team.
4) What are your career goals?
My career goals are to continue to learn and process the current and future changes in the information field, and ultimately push to be in environments that are wholesome, fun, educational, and productive. Overall, they consist of me being places where I can grow and where I can make a difference in someone’s life.
5) What advice would you give to students going through library school right now?
Stay focused, work hard, play hard, commit to the program, and get involved. Network within the department, and other departments of interest on campus. Also join local, state, and national library associations. Network as much as possible. Brand yourself. Stick out in a good way. Intern. Intern. Intern. Go out and create volunteer or internship positions at places of interest if none are provided. Try to publish and speak at conferences. Do as much as possible while in the program. Take advantage of opportunities presented to you, but also research and go out find opportunities.
6) What advice would you give library students about job hunting?
Stay positive. Reach out to people that you met while in the program. Also apply for the jobs that are of interest and seek out positions that aren’t as traditional. Another thing, find a job job that is fitting to your personality!
7) What advice would you give to people considering applying to library school?
Go for it! It’s an interesting field with endless possibilities. Have an open mind as to what you want to learn about. Go in wanting to know about every type library and its programming.
8) What are you reading right now?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Superman versus the Ku Klux Klan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate by Richard Bowers
