The Crab Chronicles

Career Corner: Librarian/Media Specialist

Every time I hear the word "librarian" I think of the song from The Music Man, Marian the Librarian. I did that show in high school. Of course, librarians are far more than their stereotype portrayed in the media.

I should know. I have a cousin who has been working at the same library for over 40 years, having attained a really good position now, despite the fact her degree is not in library science. One of my aunts [other side of the family] has a degree in library science but has never actually worked as a librarian. I have several friends who are adoptive moms, who are librarians. Actually, I think the correct term nowadays is Media Specialist..

My friend Jill is a fellow adoptive mom, and graciously answered my questions about her profession.

  1.     What do you do?

I am a librarian/library branch manager. 

 

2.     How long have you been doing this?

I have been a librarian in the same library system for 25 years, and a manager for 10 years. I started as a children's librarian, but switched to an adult librarian when I became a manager.  My library system has 23 branches, and I have worked at 4 of them throughout the years.

 

3.     What made you choose this as a career?

I started college planning to go into elementary education. After my first semester, I switched to School Media Services (school librarian).  I was a School Media Specialist for 4 years, before becoming a librarian in a public library.

 

4.     What type of schooling or training did you need to do your job?

A Master's degree in Library Science is required by my system to be a librarian. (some don't require master's degrees) I also have an undergraduate degree in School Media Services. Many librarians with an MLS have an undergraduate degree in something other than school media or library. I'm the exception! 

 

5.     Describe some of the typical activities you do every day.

As a librarian, my main job is assisting patrons. Some are looking for recreational reading, some are working on reports/homework. Sometimes the person has a specific book/author they want, other times they have a theme/genre they enjoy, and ask for recommendations. The library also circulates DVD's, music cd's, and books on cd. Patrons can download free music from the library. Patrons can also access books electronically to read on their iPad or other eReader. The library has computers that access the Internet, so many people need assistance in this area. Some are completing job applications or completing resumes. Some are opening email accounts for the first time.  I assist any of the above. Many times it's a quick interaction, but I might spend up to 30 minutes with the same patron.   There is also programming, for both children and adults. When I was a children's librarian, I used to plan and execute programs for preschoolers.  The branch where I work now offers 3 sessions of preschool programs each week, as the demand is that great. There isn't as much adult programming, but we do offer an adult book discussion group once a month.  

 

6.     What is your favorite part about this job?

My favorite part of the job is interacting with people, especially children. I meet new and interesting people every day.

 

7.     What is your least favorite part of the job?

My least favorite part of the job is dealing with those "difficult" patrons, or having to explain a policy to someone who doesn't agree with it. 

 

8.     What would you say to a young person contemplating this career?

Being a librarian isn't all "sitting at a desk and reading the books"!  It offers a wide variety of options, such as school librarian, public librarian, academic librarian, law librarian, and more. It is becoming much more technical too, so if computers are your thing, being a librarian can still be an option. 

 

9.     If you had it to do all over again would you still choose this career?

Definitely

 

10.  Why or why not?

After 25 years, I'm still enjoying what I do, and I don't know that a lot of people can say that about their career.  The profession has changed enough to keep things fresh, and as I said earlier, you meet different people, so each day is a little different. 

 

11.    How do you see this career changing [if any] in the next ten years?

Libraries are expanding to include computers, computer labs, 3-D printers, and more technology. There is also a lot more outreach.  Libraries are also becoming gathering places for families and groups, so the quiet library of the past is long gone!  

 

12.    What’s the best career advice anyone ever gave you?

My dad always told me to do what I love, and don't worry as much about the money. 

 

Now I've got the song stuck in my head so here's Marian the Librarian.. LOL

 

 

Career Spotlight: Real Estate Developer

I am pleased to be able to publish my first Career Spotlight. Developing commercial real estate is something I didn't know anything about until this afternoon.

My interview subject is my cousin James -- one of my 5,000 or so cousins in Georgia and South Carolina. James doesn't like to be tied down to a desk any more than Michael would so this might be a good career for Michael, if he will get at least a bachelor's in business. James travels all the time, and Michael likes to travel...

1. What do you do?

My job is go out and find sites to develop. My territory is Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, a little bit of Alabama.  I just picked up West Texas. I find areas where the client wants to locate and then I go in and find a property and negotiate the purchase of the property. Once we get the contract we submit a budget to the client and then hopefully move forward with the building.

2. How long have you been doing this?

Out of college I moved to Savannah and worked for an environmental consulting firm doing permitting for developers. From there I started a brokerage company, brokering land transactions while still doing some consulting. I got a masters in real estate development. Then I moved to Atlanta.

3. What made you choose this as a career?

I knew I wanted to do something with real estate. When I got my first job I realized the development end of it was more lucrative.

4. What type of schooling or training did you need to do your job?

I majored in forestry and minored in business as an undergrad. The masters is definitely a bonus. It’s probably one of those degrees that is so concentrated it can’t do anything but benefit you long term. It helped me, definitely, because when I was looking for jobs I was able to get my foot in the door with some folks I probably couldn’t have gotten before I got the master's. 

5. Describe some of the typical activities you do every day.

I negotiate contracts, find properties, and I oversee construction. I was touring a mixed use project in downtown Athens today. Bottom floor is retail and top 5 floors are apartments.

6. What is your favorite part about this job?

No day is the same. It’s always something new. I get to deal with a variety of folks.

7. What is your least favorite part of the job?

Schedules, timing. Time is my enemy. Sometimes due to weather or unforeseen circumstances we get behind with projects.

8. What would you say to a young person contemplating this career?

Do what you love.

9. If you had it to do all over again would you still choose this career?

Yes.

10. How do you see this career changing [if any] in the next ten years?

The nature of the business is traveling. I would like to do more projects and grow my portfolio.  We have a stable client roster but I’m always trying to get new business. If I’m driving around and I see something, a piece of property, and it looks promising, I can look up tax records and contact the owner.

11. What’s the best career advice anyone ever gave you?

Find something you love. Do it. Learn the business and grow with it.

Finding the Right Career

I've been thinking a lot about how one chooses a career. It's a tricky thing. I sort of backed into my legal career, because I needed a job. It took me years to really understand how much I love to write and how important it is to my life.

Most of my friends started out with one career and then changed course. Some of my friends have changed career paths numerous times. It's not like it was 50 years ago when someone finished school and went to work for a company and stayed there for 50 years until retirement. I know very few folks who have done that. (There's nothing wrong with it, but nowadays it's just atypical.)

One of my favorite jobs was working in a bookstore, but I never made any money because I spent my whole paycheck on books.

My point is, no job is perfect.

I am trying to help Michael understand different career options. Yes, there's a lot about that all over the web, but my thought was if I can interview different folks that I know personally, then if he thinks the career sounds interesting he can follow up with a phone call, and learn more.

I am going to start a new part of this blog called probably Career Spotlight, and I want to interview different folks about what they do. These are the questions:

1. What do you do?
2. How long have you been doing this?
3. What made you choose this as a career?
4. What type of schooling or training did you need to do your job?
5. Describe some of the typical activities you do every day.
6. What is your favorite part about this job?
7. What is your least favorite part of the job?
8. What would you say to a young person contemplating this career?
9. If you had it to do all over again would you still choose this career?
10. Why or why not?
11.  How do you see this career changing [if any] in the next ten years?
12. What’s the best career advice anyone ever gave you?

I could answer all these questions, too, but my son has expressed very clearly that he has absolutely NO interest in ever being a writer. He hates writing. So it would not be a good use of my time.

I do think that the best advice I ever got was pretty simple: do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. The tricky part is figuring out what you love.

My dad was a "people person" and very devoted to his customers at the bank. Most of them adored him. He had a hard time with bosses, though, because he always felt like he could run everything himself. In first grade, his teacher caught him talking and said "Tony, would you like to come up here and teach the class?" and he said "Yes M'am!" and jumped up to go "teach." Many years later she came into the bank in Augusta and visited with him and reminded him of that. He laughed. I think it's such a telling anecdote because even at 6 his personality was pretty much set.

I am working from home right now, which has ups and downs. I don't always get as many hours as I'd like. OTOH, I wore a bathrobe for the first two hours I worked this morning, which is a nice perk.

Michael has a very good work ethic, and he's always earned praise from his bosses for being so conscientious. He gets really ticked off when he sees other employees goofing off, however.

I've told him, that happens everywhere. You have to just roll with it, not let it ruin your experience. It's life. I'd love to see him be his own boss somewhere.

In the meantime, I will be helping him explore different careers, to see what seems like a good fit...

He's a talented artist -- see below, which he did in 3rd grade...