At the Library

Ah, the ups and downs of librarianship! We all have things about our jobs that we like and do not like and we have to accept and embrace all of those aspects. Personally, I love many parts of my job but there are also those days when things can be challenging I guess we all just try to find a balance, look for the good and learn from the bad.

One of the favorite parts of my job is being the cataloger at the Washington Public Library. That involves creating the records for all of our new materials. When a box of books comes in, it is like a birthday party for librarians! I am an organizer at heart so there is nothing that delights me more than assigning call numbers for books, adding subject headings and all the detailed information needed in records so that materials will be properly organized on the shelves and easily searchable on the catalog. I do not even mind the repetitive tasks of adding the labels and covering books. I guess that speaks to my craftsy side.

Another one of my happy responsibilities is borrowing books for our patrons through interlibrary loan. If there is a book you would like to read and the WPL does not own it, please ask us to order a copy from another library. The State of Iowa has a great interlibrary loan system. We can get a request in for you in about a week for a small fee of $2 to help with the shipping of the item. Our library also loans our books out to other libraries who ask. Libraries working with other libraries is a beautiful thing.

Of course, an especially enjoyable part of my job is interacting with our patrons. We have some of the nicest people, young and old, in Washington and it is fun to hear about their lives, their families, and simply how their day is going. We definitely hear a lot of stories at the circulation desk. I was our teen librarian for 17 years at the WPL and I have many cherished memories of all the programs I facilitated for teens. They were always energetic and creative and they taught me a lot of things over the years. I am grateful for those times.

Ironically, some of the ups also have downsides. Interacting with disrespectful, disgruntled, or disagreeable patrons is not a fun part of this job. We try to be as empathetic as possible to every single person; however, we cannot solve everyone's problems and we cannot give legal, health, or tax advice. It is flattering that people think librarians know everything, but we do not. However, we can usually find a resource for you!

Days at the library are trying when we have to pick up endless cigarette butts in front of the library, or plunge a backed-up toilet, or catch another bat (although we have become very adept at doing so). I don't like seeing our materials abused; yes, I once found a slice of pizza in a book. Not nice. Those days can make you discouraged. But overall, being a librarian is a rewarding profession and we all are thankful we can serve our community.