A Day in the Life Of...

There are many things that I enjoy talking about that the majority of people I know don't enjoy talking about. Countless times I've noticed that glazed expression develop in the eyes of family, friends, and acquaintances as I prattle on about Tracy/Hepburn films or whatever classic novel I'm current obsessed with. Now, there are things that I don't really talk that I'm sure would conversational numbness, and one of these is my job. However, I'm bored at the moment and thought that you should be bored too.

I work at an academic library, specifically in the archives and at the circulation desk.

I suppose the one thing to remember about library work is that everything is counted for statistical purposes. Half of the job is proving that the library is needed. So we mark down every question, book used, and visitor. These are ultimately used to show people that people in fact use the library.

At the circulation desk, I help people check out books, check in books, handle their fines, send faxes, and sundry errands.

I'm also part of the Interlibrary loan team (Go Team ILL!) and mainly deal with outgoing (borrowing) requests. This means processing request for materials made by our students, staff, and faculty. Basically, it boils down to asking a string of lending libraries if they would be willing/able to loan us their materials. A major part of this involves researching loaning policies to make sure that they do lend the type of materials we're seeking and aren't going to charge us fifty dollars. I also take part in managing all requests database which details all incoming/outgoing requests and their statuses. This is generally easy unless it's time for final papers or the occasional person going berserk. (For example when someone first realizes that attempting to get new releases through ILL is cheaper than Blockbuster or when someone wants every recording of an obscure Italian Cat Stevens cover band.)

I'm also the assistant to the archivist which entails lots of research into moldering tomes and newspapers. (Sometimes I get the archivist coffee.) Besides research requests, I handle a large amount of indexing and processing new acquisitions.

I generally like my job and have no real complaints beyond the minuscule pay and the lack of personal fulfillment. I'm not wealthy enough for existential angst concerning my noncareer so I try not to think about. Most positions of this type are transition jobs taken by those who wish to go to graduate school or work their way into a cushier administration gig.

So concludes a day in the working life of a archives/circulation technician. And now, Gentle Reader, I leave you to your own devices and hope that I have made some impact whether interesting you in the field of librarianship or curing your insomnia.

The borrow the mannerisms of Comic Book Guy: Most. Boring. Blog. Ever.