Carl A. Harvey II

Prior to my current position, I was a school librarian for 4 years in MSD Warren Township. I have a B.S. in School Media Services from Ball State University and a M.S. in Education (focus on Educational Technology) from Indiana University. I have been active and served in various leadership capacities in both national and state professional associations. 

Mostly notably I’m a past-President of the Association for Indiana Media Educators, Indiana Library Federation, and American Association of School Librarians. I have written numerous articles for professional journals and I am the author of 4 professional books published by Linworth/Libraries Unlimited.


ABOUT YOUR JOB

I am the school librarian at North Elementary School in Noblesville, IN and the Department Chair of libraries for Noblesville Schools.

As I enter my 15th year in the field, I think the most interesting think about my job is that no two days have ever been the same. I am always looking for ways to do what we do better the next time around. 

Carl A. Harvey II

So, even lessons or projects that we’ve repeated year after year are constantly being tweaked and adjusted based on feedback from teachers, students, administrators, and me. One of the elements I like the best about being a school librarian is that constant journey to improve and get better and better.


ADVICE 

The most important advice I can give is to build relationships. The key to school libraries (and really any type of library) is building relationships with your patrons. They have to trust you. For school librarians, it is building trust with administrators about how you move your program forward; it is building trust with teachers that you can teach their students just as well as they can; and it is building trust with students that the library isn’t yours, but rather there for everyone…especially them! When you have those links and connections, the possibilities of your program are limitless.

Dr. Gary Hartzell has said that principals know about librarians and libraries from their days in school. So, every new administrator I’ve had, I have tried really hard to paint the picture of what I think a school library today should be all about. I think that is part of creating that 21st Century school library is creating that vision and then going full force to implement it.


JUST FOR FUN

As far as breaking stereotypes, I can remember interviewing for my first job, years later the principal said she saw this young guy get out of the truck, and she said, “Surely this isn’t the guy coming to interview for the librarian’s job!” I was…and I got the job!


E-mail Carl at carl@carl-harvey.com


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Janet Spaulding

After working part time for the Indianapolis Public Library as a page and a clerk with the summer reading program while I was in college and library school at Indiana University, I joined the staff full time in 2002. In 2003, I became a children’s librarian at a branch and, three years later, in 2007, the page supervisor at the branch.


ABOUT YOUR JOB

Janet Spaulding

Since 2010, I have served as the juvenile and teen collection development librarian for the Indianapolis Public Library. I work with library staff to maintain these collections and am responsible for the selection of new materials.

What would most surprise people about your current job?

When I tell people what I do, their response it to tell me how great it must be to be able to sit and read books all day. I wish!

How do you stay current?

I am constantly reading a variety of review journals and professional journals. I have a number of websites that I look at regularly to stay up-to-date on what is popular in entertainment for youth of all ages. I follow about a hundred blogs that cover a variety of perspectives – author blogs, review blogs, pop culture blogs, blogs written by teens, and blogs written by fellow librarians. Most important is word of mouth – I love talking to kids and teens about what they are reading.

How do you measure success?

Much of my selection of materials is driven by patron demand. I spend a lot of time reading about trends and about future releases, trying to select titles that I think will appeal to my patrons. Success for me is looking in the catalog and seeing that the items that I have selected are checked out or that people have placed holds on items. I also love it when kids come and tell me about a book that they got from the library. 

[After Janet sent her responses to these questions, she shared the following anecdote on Facebook: I worked the reference desk at Central this afternoon. It absolutely made my day when I heard a little voice behind me say, "Mom, look! It's my favorite librarian!" When I turned around, I found myself receiving a big hug... I love being someone's favorite!]

JUST FOR FUN

Paper or digital?

While digital options are very popular, I still love paper. For me, the act of holding the book and feeling the paper is an important part of the reading experience.


E-mail Janet at jspaulding@indypl.org 

And if you haven't liked/followed the Blog over at our Facebook page, I hope you'll take a moment to do that too!

Sam Sednek

I graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana in August of 2011 and have since been working as the Teen Services Librarian at the Haverhill Public Library in Massachusetts. Prior to grad school, I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the southern African country of Lesotho as an English teacher and community library developer. I'm a big fan of getting teens to create content not just consume it and I hope to continue working in libraries striving to add digital media centers to their list of services. 

ABOUT YOUR JOB

My current job is a little of everything. My library is short on people and long on jobs. I do reference, help with the website, do some children's programming, all teen programming and teen collection development.

Teen Services is really a do anything, do everything job. I was hired to “handle the teens” but was given a lot of leeway on how that gets done. So, I've done rocket launches, added computers to the Teen Area, am working with teens on painting benches, can't wait until the next outdoor capture the flag game, love working with the robotics club, and hope that the upcoming Beautiful Creatures movie stirs up as much book excitement as the Twilight and Hunger Games franchises did. 

Who is your greatest ally and why?

The head of children's services, my boss, was the last Teen Services librarian in Haverhill. The assistant director of the library was the Teen Services librarian before her. I've got a lot of administrative support and it helps me get far. 

How do you stay current? 

People often forget how useful the internet is...I mean, it is full of adorable cats memes and endless flash games but if you work with teens half of that can be turned into a program. I read blogs that interest me (io9, 4YA, Lifehacker, Jezebel) and then I turn as much of that into a program or activity for my kids. It has worked pretty well so far! 

How do you measure success? 

On the last half day of school, I was working on a new booklist at my desk when five kids made their way over. “Sam! What are we going to do today?!” was the call...and I knew I had some level of success. I got kids running from school to the library to do stuff. What's better than that?

ADVICE

What's worth fighting for? Why? 

Money. Budget cuts are everywhere but if you can build a program that brings folks into the library and has them leave with a) library materials and b) a smile on their face, you've got it made. Apply for grants even if they're scary and time consuming because once you start getting outside funding your possibilities become endless. 

How do you respond when someone asks you, “Isn't everything online?” 

Well, it pretty much is and we're heading further in that dirction, so when I get that line the first thing out of my mouth is, “Absolutely! Have you seen our awesome new databases?” Folks think everything is on Google but if you have one or two good databases up your sleeve you can show them the one-stop shop isn't Google but your library's webpage.

JUST FOR FUN

What fictional character would you most like to be for a day? 

Honestly? I read a lot of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction. Most fictional characters have really awful lives and I'd pretty much pass on all of 'em. But, I do sort of like the crazy medieval world in R.L. LaFevers' Grave Mercy so maybe I'd be Ismae...after she learns how to kill people. 

How do you hope to spend your retirement? 

Wait. What? Librarians actually retire? 

Paper or digital? 

All of the above. The more formats we have the more people we can reach. There's no losing scenario there.

Email Sam at sednek1@gmail.com


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Taliah Abdullah

My first professional library position was as a librarian/media specialist in an elementary school.  Librarianship was a career I was introduced to later in life, despite being a lifelong library user.  While I was student teaching as undergrad in Elementary Education, I met a school librarian who was African American and this was my first time meeting an African American librarian.  This encounter sparked an interest and set me on the path to becoming a youth services librarian.  While completing my MLS at University of Illinois, I worked at the University of Illinois-Urbana Graduate Library, and at Grainger Engineering Library Information Center.

ABOUT YOUR JOB

I am a Senior Librarian with the Denver Public Library, managing a branch, in which programming and the collection has a youth focus.  My top responsibilities are the daily management of staff, budget, and resources of a medium-size branch, community outreach to schools and organizations serving youth and families, and serving as the chair for the afterschool program committee.

How do you measure success?

For me, success is measured by the lasting connections that are made.  This includes:  teachers who call at the beginning of each school year regarding my availability to visit classes; adults patrons who seek out my assistance based on the patient and non-judgmental service they receive; teens who apply for the youth assistant position, after having attended the afterschool programs and reached the hiring age; and staff that enjoy and are interested in working with and for me based on my reputation for fairness, appreciation of diversity, and ability to provide a great working environment. 

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?

The most challenging aspect is inconsistent funding which results in reduced hours, programming, and staff.  In the past, it has been supervising inherited employees who are resistant to change.  Fortunately, I do not currently have staff that falls into this category.

                                                                                                     

Taliah Abdullah

ADVICE

What’s something you wish you had known when you started out in this profession?

The myth of equal access.  Early in my career, naively, I assumed that all libraries provided users with equal services and access to technology and information. I have learned that it is the responsibility of librarians to advocate for comparable access to information, services, and equipment regardless of the income level of a community.                                

How do you respond when someone asks you, “You need a degree for that?”

I ask “What is it that you think librarians do?”  Usually the response is check out books and put books back on the shelves.  At this time, I take the time to explain the varied responsibilities of librarians from programming to budget management to staff supervision to serving on committees and also explaining there are different responsibilities depending on the setting in which you are a librarian (i.e. school, public, academic, corporate)

JUST FOR FUN

What fictional character would you most like to be for a day?

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor is my favorite book of all time.  As crazy as it sounds due to the blatant racism experienced by African Americans during this time period, I would select Cassie as the character to be for a day.  I love Cassie’s outspokenness, her loyalty to friends and family, her sense of adventure, and her need to seek justice in her own way.


E-mail Taliah at taliahabdullah@yahoo.com        

Sandy Fouts

My previous occupations: Professional ballerina, department store clerk, elementary school teacher, Jazzercise instructor.

I began my library career as a substitute clerk at the Livermore Public Library in Livermore, California. Within a few years, I became a permanent clerk at LPL, and a library assistant in another town. In 2003, I decided to go back to school, at the age of 44, and become a librarian.  I was hired by the Hayward Public Library while completing the MLIS, but have returned to my home, the Livermore Public Library, where I now serve as a Supervising Librarian of Children’s Services.

ABOUT YOUR JOB

Tell us about your current position?

As a Supervising Librarian of Children’s Services, I share employee management duties with the Supervising Librarian in Adult Services.   A  few of my responsibilities include, scheduling staff, reviewing time cards, collection development, outreach to schools, collaboration with community groups, program creation and implementation, staying current, and  my favorite part, serving my staff and patrons.   

What are the best and worst parts about working with young people?

The best part about working with young people is they love to have fun.  When they’re having fun, I have fun too. 

The worst part about working with young people can be the parents that accompany them.  While most parents are engaged, friendly, and cooperative, some parents can be absolute “fun suckers” — complaining about everything, never participating with their children, or are pushy and forthright.  

Some parents enjoy using the library as a babysitting service while they chat away on their smartphones and use the computer for hours through naptime and meals.  This drives me crazy!

Where do you see yourself making the biggest difference?

Nothing is more heartbreaking than meeting children who dislike or “hate” reading.   I often wonder where we went wrong, what made this happen?  As a librarian, I can make the biggest difference by providing abundant and varied choices in reading materials that are most popular and interesting for children.  

I provide programming that will connect children with books and the library.   I have the freedom, knowledge and ability to find that perfect book that will spark a child’s love for reading and learning and turn reluctant readers into readers for life.  

ADVICE

How do you respond when someone asks you, “Isn’t everything online?”

I answer, “There’s a sea of information online, the good, the bad and the unreliable!”  I am always surprised to find out how many children, teens, adults, educators, and professionals have no idea what reliable research tools the library provides.  This ongoing problem is the reason why I go out to the schools each month to teach research skills and library website navigation.

What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve been given?

An incredible former Supervising Librarian at the Livermore Public Library said to me one day, “I never go home until I’ve helped or inspired at least one person each day.”  I strive to live up to her example. 

FOR FUN

What fictional character would you most like to be for a day?

Jennifer “Cam” Jansen from the Cam Jansen Super Sleuth series.   Having a photographic memory would be nice at my age.  Solving crimes would also be fun for just one a day.

How/where do you hope to spend your retirement?

I’m looking forward to spending my retirement on our Catalina 38 sailboat, visiting far away places.


E-mail Sandy at 

slfouts@livermore.lib.ca.us

Kim Krueger

I started as a teen public library page, and then worked a few years in Circulation. After college I worked at the Ryerson Library at the Art Institute of Chicago in various capacities, including book conservation and archives.  When my kids were older, I earned my MSLIS through the UIUC LEEP program. During my graduate studies, I made the switch from the academic art library to youth services at a public library. Shortly after getting my degree, I was hired for my present position as the Head of Youth Services at the Brookfield Public Library in Brookfield, IL.

ABOUT YOUR JOB

Tell us about your current position?

As a department head, I manage 3 FTE employees and am responsible for programming and collection development for children from birth through high school. Our small but very busy library serves a suburban population of about 19,000.

For this job, managing youth services programming, staff, and the budget are my greatest responsibilities. It's difficult to meet the needs and wants of a widely varied population. Also, our library is very small, and finding space to work and do programs so we’re not on top of each other is a challenge.

I could not function without my full-time young adult librarian. She manages the young adult programs and collection and is an invaluable sounding board.

How do you manage your time?

I plan programming 2 months ahead based on our newsletter publication schedule. Most of our programs are pretty set and rotate throughout the year. I try to take care of administrative duties well in advance, because something unexpected inevitably comes up. I order materials weekly and as needed, and also do 4 to 5 information desk shifts per week, as well as 2 storytimes and an after-school program.

How do you stay current?

I subscribe to listservs, read blogs, and read the usual professional journals. Entertainment Weekly is one of my best sources for pop culture information. I talk with my colleagues and attend local meetings and national conferences whenever possible. I listen to my clients—children and their parents—and try to meet their needs. Middle school-aged boys know everything about the latest games.

Where do you see yourself making the biggest difference?

I’d like to think I am the friendly librarian who encourages kids of all ages to read whatever they want and to find new books and other media to enjoy.  I want to make the library a place they want to be. I enjoy and value children and love to hear their opinions. They are so much fun to talk to.  I take their wants and needs very seriously and try to make our youth space welcoming.

I measure success when I get a hug from one of my clients! Also, when parents tell me they love our programming and can’t believe that it’s free to the community.

ADVICE

What’s the best (or worst) part about working with young people? 

The best: kids are honest. There are no hidden agendas, and I really appreciate that 

The worst: kids are honest! They have little or no filter, and that can be challenging, especially in a small space that is shared with all age groups.

Kim Krueger

What's a battle you wish you hadn't fought?

I don’t know if it’s a battle or not, but worrying about how many kids are on one computer at the same time is dumb. Who cares?  Kids do things in packs; it’s their nature. Library policies and procedures need to accept reality.

What's worth fighting for?

 A free and open collection filled with materials that children enjoy, and programs that appeal to kids and families – hence, a decent youth services budget.  Kids grow up, and their library experiences in youth will influence whether or not they support their local library when they become tax-paying adults.  My goal is to give them positive experiences that they will remember fondly.

How do you decide what's important?

If we’re talking about programs, I’d say what’s important is having fun programs that kids want to attend. You’ve got to give them what they want, or they won’t come.  Having food always helps. If we’re talking about collections, my opinion is the same. I do try to provide well-written books for them, but they want their superheroes, princesses and video games too, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

What's something you wish you had known when you were starting out in the profession?

 I think graduate school should offer a course in coping with compassion fatigue and burnout. So much of public librarianship is listening. It’s not just about giving people the materials or information they want. It’s a combination of counseling/consoling/cajoling/commiserating—it can be really exhausting. Public service employees really need strong boundaries.

How do you respond when someone asks you, "You need a degree for that?"

Fortunately this hasn’t happened to me, but I’d offer to let them sit at the public service desk for 4 hours, then do a storytime, run an after-school program, and attend a department head meeting and see what they had to say after that.  I’ve certainly learned a great deal through experience, but the degree provided the foundation for my work.

How do you respond when someone asks you, "Isn't everything online?"

Again, I haven’t experienced this directly, but I might say something like: “How long will it take you to sift through Google’s 785,000 possible answers to your question? How will you know which answer is reliable?”  I have seen people’s eyes pop when I tell them the Library pays for databases that offer current, reliable information. They love that!

FOR FUN

How do you defy the librarian stereotypes?

Actually, when I was a kid, my favorite librarian wore glasses on a chain and a bun with a pencil stuck in it. I loved her!  I guess I don’t worry much about it. I laugh a lot and I’m not much of a “shush-er”. I may well be a stereotype myself—I do wear comfortable shoes!

What fictional character would you most like to be for a day?

I always admired Jane Eyre. 

Where do you hope to spend your retirement?

I will be in Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. I could see volunteering to work with children, either at a library or elsewhere, or making digital and print art—or both!

Paper or digital?

My preference is paper.  No doubt my years of book conservation have biased me, but for me, nothing will replace the experience of turning the pages of a book. The art of a picture book is not the same when viewed on a screen; the change of media changes the experience. That being said, I do value digital materials for their versatility, and I absolutely love playing with Photoshop.

E-mail Kim at kkrueger@brookfieldlibrary.info

Kim Anderson

My current job? 

I’m happy to hold one of the best jobs in education—that of school librarian.  I spent my first seven years as a middle school classroom teacher (reading, language arts, algebra, social studies,  and science), but I didn’t find my true calling until I become a librarian eight years ago.  

My first library gig was in an elementary school but it wasn’t long before I realized my middle school heart could not be broken and I found my way back “home” to Jefferson Middle School (Champaign, IL).   I’ve completed my MLS and CAS at GSLIS (the best educational and professional experiences of my career) and earned National Board Certification in Library Media. 

  

How do you stay current (in technology, literature, instruction, pop culture, etc)?

This is the hardest and most exciting part of my job.  Staying current on all things tween can only happen one way.   Work.  I read constantly, I subscribe to tons of blogs—both book and professional, and I talk regularly with my nieces, nephews and the students at Jefferson.   I even scan through the different teen magazines to attempt to stay current (trust me—this only takes a second because they all pretty much look the same). 

How do I measure success?

It’s always nice when a teacher tells me I’m doing well, but my real test is feedback from students.  Sometimes I ask the students directly and we have discussions about the library as a group or they complete short polls or surveys.  

My favorite measure of success is the spontaneous one.  My heart sings when I see a student jumping up and down because the sequel to a book they’ve been waiting for is in.  Or when someone races up to tell me how much they loved the book I recommended and could I please, please help them find something else "just like it."  And of course, it makes my day when I get an email or visit from a graduate that says they miss having me as their librarian.  That’s a success. 

What’s the worst part of my job?

Lost books.  It makes me crazy.

Advice?

Have some passive reader’s advisory tools available for student to look through (lists, read alikes, displays, etc).  This is great for students who aren’t as excited about interacting with you as you are about interacting with them. 

I pulled out my most popular genres into special collections.  This makes it so much easier for kids to find the horror, mysteries and sports books.  It also frees me to help students that really haven’t figured out what they want.

You probably won’t have a budget that will allow you to purchase everything you want.  It was liberating when I stopped trying to purchase every book immediately and started waiting for paperback on some.  I also do a better job of purchasing more of what I know kids will read and fewer of titles I think they should read.  

How do I defy the librarian stereotypes?

I never, “Ssshhhh.”   I love fashion, have tattoos and have happily sported a range of haircolors (pink, red, copper, blue, teal, purple…).  And I try very hard to be helpful and friendly.  Smile. Smile. Smile!  I remember when I was just starting out and someone jokingly asked, “Well, how long before you become a b*@$%?”  It struck a chord.  I never want students or teachers to feel anything but welcome when they come into this space.  Now, don’t mistake my perky nature for being a pushover because I’ll also fight tooth and nail for things the library needs.

What fictional character would you most like to be for a day?

Ugh..this changes regularly but right now I’ll say Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.  She’s amazing! 

You can have any superpower, what would it be?

Flight.

Paper or digital?

Paper.  Except when I’m traveling then it’s Kindle city sweetheart. 

Where can you find Kim?

Website:   http://jmslibrary.wix.com/jms-virtual-library

Blog:  http://furandspots.blogspot.com/ 
Twitter:  1KnowZChic