Reference Interviews in the Writing Center

I am no longer surprised by the number of times a day I conduct reference interviews. Unlike the majority of LIS students, I do not actually work in a library. I work in the writing center of a two-year college. I recently read Are You Experienced? by Stacy Russo in LJ. This topic of experience is something that I am sometimes concerned about, although I am currently looking for avenues to library experience.

While I realize the importance of knowing more about the internal workings of a library system, I agree with Russo that other jobs can give you some experience with the skills needed in being a librarian. For example, this morning, I assisted a panicked student who had left the article she needed for biology class in the cab of her dad's truck. She only knew that the article was about Pandas and the logging industry in China. I was able to ask her questions and eventually figure out what journal she had used. Using the library's online database, we found the article and she left for class. In this case, I used something I learned in my classes to help in my non-library job. The customer services skills I have learned here also helped me. Experiences like this make all that tuition worth it.

Here Goes Nothing!

Admittedly, this is my first blog. I am not sure how I feel about sharing my thoughts in such a public forum. Although, it could be fun. I attended my first professional conference this year when I went to the American Library Association Conference in D.C. One comment I heard over and over again was that NexGen Librarians should be VERY familiar with technology and all its various forms. I enjoyed the conference and felt welcomed by other librarians. I learned so much about the profession that I might have missed otherwise. I decided that no one knows more about what I should know for the future than other librarians. So, I am ready to dive head first into one of the most popular trends in the information profession!