A Day in the Life is a series featuring individuals working in the library and information field presented by the Indiana University Department of Information and Library Science. Current students and alumni will find profiles of professionals involved in all aspects of librarianship. If you are an alumni and would like to be featured in A Day in the Life, please email ilsmain@indiana.edu or Katie Martin at martkael@indiana.edu.
“When people think of librarians, they obviously think of working the circulation desk, but my job takes place mostly in the confines of my office, unless I’m out doing publicity for the library. My responsibilities often seem to have very little time dealing with books, and more time spent making sure the facility is working properly…It’s different every day, but I do love it.”
Educational Background: Bachelor of Arts in English Language & Literature with a German minor from Smith College; Master of Library Science from Indiana University
Previous Experience: Summer library clerk during college; reference assistant and instruction assistant during graduate school; Instructional Services Librarian at the University of Southern Indiana; Virtual Reference Librarian for the Air Force; Director at North Manchester Public Library; Director of Library Services at Boonville-Warrick County Public Library
Brooke’s summer internship at the Boonville-Warrick Public Library between her sophomore and junior year of college paved the way for a future in libraries. Brooke was not exactly sure how to utilize her English Literature degree and decided to pursue a master’s in Library Science.
Upon graduation from IU, Brooke worked as the Instructional Services Librarian at the University of Southern Indiana. Then, she took a position with the Air Force in Virginia as the Virtual Reference Librarian. In this role, Brooke worked with three other librarians to cover reference and resource purchases for all of Air Force Combat Command all over the world. She left this job to become Director at North Manchester Public Library in North Manchester, Indiana and then moved to her current position as the Director of Library Services at Boonville-Warrick County Public Library, her hometown library, in August of 2015.
Brooke recognizes the importance of the theoretical information she learned in graduate school and credits her knowledge of classics and children’s books to her literature background. Even with all of her schooling, Brooke stresses the significance of working in a library setting before becoming a professional librarian. Because she spent her summers as a library clerk, she understood what it is like to deal with the public and how a library operates from day-to-day. She says, “I’m happy I know what my clerks are going through when they are bombarded with summer reading kids. I know what it’s like to get a vague question and work through the reference interview with a patron because of my time as a reference assistant at Wells Library.”
Even with all of Brooke’s theoretical and practical preparation, she had to learn many new skills on the job. As library director, Brooke is responsible for building upkeep, maintenance projects, budget preparation, and technology plans. Every day is different and brings its own challenges. Typical projects can include: updating long-range plan for the State Library, weeding non-fiction books, organizing storage collection, updating job descriptions, taking bids to reseal the parking lot, and overseeing the building and purchase of a new bookmobile. She jokes “my graduate program did not prepare me to pick the colors of our newly-upholstered chairs in the reading nooks.”
For Brooke, the most challenging aspect of her work is dealing with problem patrons or staff. If someone acts out, then it is her responsibility to decide how to deal with the situation.
The most satisfying part of her role as director is supporting her staff and helping them achieve their goals. Brooke enjoys seeing patrons who love the library services leave happy with the book or information they needed. She also likes spending time in the children’s department because it was her first introduction to libraries.
Brooke believes librarianship is a wonderful career path. She says, “Many librarians will stay in public, private, or academic, and I’ve worked in all of them. But I’ve gotten so many great experiences, and I love my job.”
Brooke’s advice for current students: Use this time to work in some library setting part-time, whether it’s volunteering at your local library branch, working as a reference assistant at a university library, or shadowing a librarian. You’re learning a lot of theoretical things about being a librarian, but I feel I did well as a librarian because of my background working in actual library environments before and during my graduate program.