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Interview with Elizabeth Gatling, MLS ’11

Elizabeth at Miller-Motte

Elizabeth at Miller-Motte

1) Tell us your current position and job duties.

I am currently the acting Head Librarian at the Raleigh, NC campus of Miller-Motte College. As the librarian, I assist students with their research, editing, and citation issues, and conduct library orientation and “pathfinder’ classes for the faculty when their classes have projects. I also manage several work-study students, proctor entrance exams for college applicants, order, receive and catalogue materials for the library (and other programs). I also pinch hit for our IT department when our printer goes down or a student has computer issues.

Miller-Motte is a small, specialized library. Our collection is limited to books in the programs taught here but we have thousands of electronic books available. The students are generally focused hard on their goal: graduating and getting a better job. The more serious students don’t want a lot of fluff, but they need a lot of hands on care sometimes. Once they know you take them seriously and truly want to help them, they trust  you and seek you out. It’s great!

2) How did studying at NCCU SLIS help you prepare for your current work?

Everything I learned about the steps of internet research and citation was very helpful because the population of students I work with are often very unfamiliar with either. I’ve created research pathfinders and been able to explain the WHY of citation based directly notes from my classes.

3) What was your favorite thing about your time at NCCU SLIS?

Discovering that there was a profession almost tailor-made for me and the way I think about life—classifying and organizing—was a HUGE bright spot for me. All my classes simply emphasized the fact that librarianship encompassed all of that and more. It’s not just some old lady in sensible shoes and glasses shushing people, but a whole world of making information available for the use of people in the creation of a better world.

 4) What are your career goals?

As I learn more about the library as a part of the for-profit education arena, I see that there are not very many people who see the potential here. I am fascinated by the possibilities this sort of school can offer. I want to contribute more to the very limited conversation about for-profit schools and libraries.

 5) What advice would you give to students going through library school right now?

Associate. Associate. Associate. Be part of the ALA and NCLA. Find your niche and make your mark.

 6) What advice would you give library students about job hunting?

Never give up and don’t be afraid to move if you can. There are opportunities out there, lots of them. Some of them don’t look like “traditional” librarian jobs but you will find one that fits you perfectly.

Elizabeth and Chelsea

Elizabeth and Chelsea

 7) What advice would you give to people considering applying to library school?

Realize that librarianship is a huge area and getting bigger as different areas of information creation are released. Technological advances are not negating the need for libraries or librarians, but they are changing the field in which we play. Add some data administration and networking and programming to your resume, get to know the various sorts of e-readers out there. Participate in the social arena because this is where the magic is made and if you can handle it plugged in, you can handle it unplugged.

 8) What are you reading right now?

I’m in the middle of Lent right now (Orthodox Lent began a few weeks after Western Lent) so I am reading the Spiritual Biography of Saint Seraphim of Sarov by Archimandrite Lazarus Moore, along with The Companions by Sheri S. Tepper. On my Kindle I have begun a re-read of The Way of Kings  by Brandon Sanderson, and I am listening to Hammered: the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne and my son and I are listening to Watership Down by Richard Adams.

Interview with Danielle’ McGhee, MLS ’12

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

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

Interview with Terrence Martin, MLS ’10

Terrence Martin

Terrence Martin

1) What is your current position, and what are your duties?

I am currently the O’K Scholars Coordinator/Social Science Librarian at Winston-Salem State University. I am responsible for coordinating the information literacy institute twice a year, supervise media and marketing services in the library, and provide all library instruction and reference assistance for the Social Science department. I partner and serve on the General Education Committee for Information Literacy (IL) to ensure the library is doing its part to embed IL into General Ed. Courses.

2) How did studying at NCCU SLIS help you prepare for your current work?

Let me preface my next couple of statements by saying I completed my degree completely online. This program was a great fit for me because as a social worker I was always organizing information to be given to someone else. The NCCU SLIS program helped me to refocus those skills into librarianship.

3) What are your career goals?

I want to be an Associate or Library Director in the next 5 years, if not sooner.

4) What advice would you give to students going through library school right now?

Start networking now! If you currently do not work in the library field, it is going to be imperative that you connect with individuals that are currently in the area (i.e. academic, public or special libraries) where you want to work.

Present and publish – If you are going to be in the academy it is important that you are able to see trends, evaluate information and articulate deficiencies when needed. Don’t wait!

5) What advice would you give library students about job hunting in the library field?

Stay focused! If you are in North Carolina keep your options open. Get the experience you need to be a good candidate.

6) What advice would you give to people considering applying to library school?

Talk with as many people as possible that are currently in the field. I’ve learned that it is important to speak with the Dean of the library school and faculty before applying. Don’t go in this field misinformed.

7) What are you currently reading?

Several blogs and library journals to stay abreast of current and researched perspectives in the field.

Interview with Latesha Valez, MLS ’10

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Latesha Valez graduated from NCCU SLIS in May 2010.  Here’s her story!
1. What is your current position, and what are your duties?

I’m back to being a student. I’m currently in the PhD program at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. For my research assistantship I work with Dr. Jon Gant and the Center for Digital Inclusion.

2. How did studying at NCCU SLIS help you prepare for your current work?

I was lucky enough to get to know some of the faculty and administrators pretty well.  They helped me not only during school but after.  They really remained a positive network of people I could count on for advice, introductions to others in the field, references, etc. I also took classes that gave me both a practical knowledge base, i.e. how to actually perform the work of a librarian, and a theoretical one, conceptualizations of library as place and the role of library and information science in society and knowledge creation.

3. What are your career goals?

I feel like I have to experience things before I can really answer that. I know that where ever I end up I want to have an administrative role. Despite its inequalities, I LOVE academia so I know I want to end up in an academic library or teaching. I have not experience teaching yet so I’m looking forward to teaching while here at UIUC GSLIS.

4. What advice would you give to students going through library school right now?
Remember that your professors and the administrators are not JUST your professors and administrators, they are your future colleagues; act accordingly. People talk (even professors and administrators) and the LIS field is even smaller than you may think. If people are going to talk about you, try to make sure that what they say is positive. That starts NOW.

5. What advice would you give library students about jobhunting in the library field?

Some of the same as above, like I said my professors and Dean Owens provided references.  Also remember when applying for jobs to make it clear in your cover letters that you want THAT job, not just a job.  You are a librarian, an information specialist, so they will expect you to have looked them up and have information about their organizational culture, mission, and goals.  Your cover letter should not be about regurgitating in paragraph form everything that’s on your resume. It is your opportunity to explain how what is on your resume and who you are as a person can help them achieve their organizational goals.  And, side tip, look for someone to address your cover letter to.  You may not find them but look, the contact name on the job announcement, HR manager, someone, search committees don’t like “To whom it may concern”.

6. What advice would you give to people considering applying to library school?

Just do it. Seriously though, it can lead to a myriad of other careers beside just working in a library. We have people from Google, Yahoo, and the museum world in my cohort. I love libraries, but the field is not limited to them. Corporations need information specialists to so you can also make a good living, if that is a concern or deterrent.

7. What book(s) are you currently reading?

That’s a funny one. Remember I’m in school so nothing new and exciting. Some of the more interesting class requirements are:

Marx and Engels Reader

Daulatzai, Sohail. 2012. Black Star, Crescent Moon : The Muslim International and Black Freedom beyond America.

Holland, Sharon Patricia. 2012. The erotic life of racism.

Ferguson, Roderick A. 2012 The reorder of things : the university and its pedagogies of minority difference (Difference incorporated)