My first job after graduating with my Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science was that of a Reference Librarian. Most people don’t realize the skill and training that reference librarians have. All the librarians I know love to learn and to help others find what they need. Shifts at the Reference Desk gave our brains a workout. Over the span of a few hours questions would range from patrons wanting to know
- What the yen was worth last Wednesday
- who was in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- a list of everyone related to the Queen of England
- whether the Wizard of Oz was fiction or nonfiction
- What animal Naugahyde comes from
- If we had any Shakespeare books written in English
Patrons often would bring things like rocks, tree branches and insects in and ask for our help in identifying them. All this searching came in handy – I could answer most questions while watching Jeopardy and almost always won games of Trivial Pursuit.
Reference librarians need to be at the top of their game when helping people look for books such as:
Washing Elephants
The Lion With the Wardrobe
Less Miserables
The Hiding Place by Carrington Boone
How Teela Killed a Mocking bird
Nighttime with the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Sir Gawain and the Green Mile.
Bury the Head that Wounded Me
The Red Bag of Courage
The job of Reference Librarians has changed in this age of Google but they are still the heart and soul of libraries and are there to help everyone!
For some humorous true stories about libraries visit I Work at a Public Library
Have you ever asked a Reference Librarian for help?
Hi Claire – I don’t think I have … but it’s only recently that I’ve started asking questions – it is now full steam ahead … I think I’d have like to be a librarian … probably because I know enough to do it … perhaps I’ll do an overview course at some stage – for the learning process! Cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/s-for-sheep.html
Hi Hilary. I actually think most library programs are online. I like going to a class and meeting people so I’m glad I got my degree back in the day.
the titles that people come up with are so funny and dead-on.
I’ve only asked a question once to an librarian but mostly I was pointed to the area with the cards in little drawers but they are useful if you really need them. so google is faster but I think an answer from a real person is better.
have a lovely day.
Hi issa, I don’t think librarians use card catalogs any more. Google is fast but librarians are very clever in their searches so I think it helps to use both google and librarians.
Eek! I love the list of questions here– and the titles are solid gold!!! And reference librarians have been of help to me at various times, though I’ve never, so far as I can remember, brought any of my rocks (I do have a rock collection; I started it when I was a kid, and I still occasionally add to it now) to one. I did once venture into the office of a geologist at my college to get a rock identified, though.
Hi Melanie – lots of great things happening at the library. Librarians need a good sense of humor.