The job

Many of you have asked for a review of my new job and while I keep thinking of things to say, my laziness overpowers me and it's always later...later...later.

Later is now.

How's my new job? It's....good. I'm in week three and my first complete week. The first week I took off two days to drive to Colorado Springs for the funeral. They second week we were closed on Monday for President's Day (and I had the stomach flu). So this is the first week that I've felt like I could dig in and really learn. I spent most of last week on the circulation and info desks, two places I feel pretty comfortable. Info desk is like branch work, with a lot of forwarding questions to the upper floors.

It was last night that I had a little freak out because this week I started learning government documents, genealogy, the Nebraska history room and business. And it's this week that I started feeling like a total idiot. I actually work the desk for the first time today and I am dreading not knowing how to answer people's questions.

Sample questions from yesterday:
--What year did the first Ford Model A roll off the assembly line at the Omaha Ford plant?
--What did United States National bank change it's name to when it was bought out in the 1970s?

Yeah, you can't do a Google search for either of these. The first one requires a microfilm search. Microfilm! I didn't even know that people used microfilm anymore but this library has an entire room full of machines and a separate genealogy room.

In other words, it's a totally new experience for me. But that said, the people are incredibly nice. When I had the flu last week, one of the children's librarians gave me a get well card. And one of my office mates gave me an old Colombia Sportswear jackets because I don't have a warm enough coat. So generous and nice.

The building itself is a bit of a shock for me. I didn't realize how much money Multnomah County Library has. I have a desk but not my own computer. The reference desks were built before computers so the monitors are set way to the right and the keyboards directly in front. It's very bad ergonomically. The chairs are old. I mean, I used to sit on a $800 ergonomic chair! Everything is just not as new and snazzy. It's not a bad thing, but an adjustment.

I found a local science fiction/fantasy group that is throwing a convention in summer. I'm writing a "Live Long and Prosper" proposal for the library to connect with the community. That's the thing about this job. Besides working the reference desks, I don't have a lot of direction. I will be leading a project to integrate biographies that are not cataloged as biographies (sports, music, etc) and switch them to the B Dewey number. Other than that, I feel like I need to find my own projects. We'll see how that goes.

Ok, now stop asking me how my new job is! :-)