How I became a librarian

I occasionally think I should write about my work as a librarian -- especially since that's the job that pays me a salary.

When I went back to college to finish my B.A. I wasn't sure what to study.  I went to an alternative college where I could design my own program, and I spent a lot of time talking to my advisors.  The first advisor talked with me a couple of times and then suggested that based on what he was hearing I should switch to someone else.  The second advisor became someone as close to a mentor as I've ever had.  She encouraged me to call my baccalaureate degree "Information Management."  I focused on the liberal arts, and tossed in a handful of classes surrounding managing information.  For one class, I organized a collection of documents pertaining to the early years of the school & created a searchable database using a software that is now surely as extinct as the dodo bird.

I was thinking all the time that I'd like to work in a library; in fact, I'd taken a part-time job shelving at our local library to get a feel for the work.  I love the orderliness of libraries, I love books and reading, and it seemed like a good fit.  So with my newly-acquired degree I started looking for work with a little more responsibility than shelving.  I quickly discovered that most libraries require a Master's degree before you can work as a librarian.  However, one local county library system did not -- and in the fall of 1994 they were hiring!  The jobs were all half-time and the starting pay was not great (for librarian work), but they were jobs.  I was able to qualify and got an interview.  I interviewed -- badly, as I always feel I do -- and was hired by the best boss I've ever had, or ever expect to have.  Her name is Ruth, and I've always been grateful that she saw something in me worth giving a chance in her library.

I worked at the Forest Lake Library for 5 years.  Ruth retired and left after I'd been there about 4 years.  The manager after Ruth was just biding time until she found a job out west -- she went to Montana -- where the sun shines more often -- and although she was frustrating, she wasn't there often enough or long enough to have a huge impact.  The manager after her was the worst boss I've ever had and I hope the worst I ever do have!  Shortly after she arrived I started actively looking for other work.  I applied for several jobs and was hired by Ramsey County Library as a substitue librarian.  I tendered my resignation to Washington County Library, took the cut in pay, and jumped ship immediately.  Within months of starting with Ramsey County, I was called for an interview at Dakota County, after which I was offered a 3/4-time job, at a very good starting salary.  At that time, Dakota County Library was the up-and-coming library system.  There seemed to be a lot of creative juices flowing, librarians were encouraged to be innovative, and the pay scale was about the best in the Twin Cities.  I took the job -- that was July 2000 -- and I've been with Dakota County Library ever since.