Your position:
I am the Head of Reader Services and Resource Sharing responsible for all things typically considered Access Services: circulation, reserves, resource sharing, stacks maintenance and oversight of the Libraries' annex [At Binghamton University Library]. I am also the the librarian for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.
Educational Background:
BS Human Development (Binghamton University), MLS (University of Buffalo), Currently pursuing Ph.D. in Community Research and Action (Binghamton University)
What is most interesting about your position?
It's so dynamic -- it's something different every day. I'm allowed to be a creative problem solver and I get to work with an incredible team of people who help to innovate and bring new initiatives to life.
What has been your biggest professional challenge?
As my career has advanced so to have the size and scope of the challenges. It's hard to say, relatively speaking.
What was your background before becoming a librarian?
I was a general manager in a number of retail environments, all of which provided me with the fundamentals of leadership and management and also which prepared me well for work in public services.
What would you be doing if you weren't a librarian?
I'd likely pursue a career in Social Work, maybe Public Administration.
What is the most interesting issue in librarianship today?
For me, social justice.
What are you most proud of?
Helping to organize the Social Justice Summit -- a partnership between Binghamton University and SCRLC. I think we reached librarians of all types, and helped to brainstorm strategies for tackling big issues.
What other organizations are you involved with?
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), Sharing and Transforming Access to Resource Sharing (RUSA-STARS), Broome County Public Library (Board of Trustees), Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
What advice would you give to a new librarian?
Diversify. Learn as much as you can about all the operations of your library and how they can work together to serve the organization as a whole.
What software/web tools do you use regularly?
Aleph, Ares, ILLiad, I spend a lot of time learning Alma -- we're in the process of migrating.
Favorite social media platform:
I'm old -- Facebook :)
Favorite blog or website:
I can't choose just one, but I tend to follow a lot of news sites.
What do you do to relax?
Who has time to relax? When I have time I enjoy cooking, live music, and binging on Netflix :)
What is the most daring thing you've ever done?
I followed the Grateful Dead up and down the east coast, living alone in my car one summer -- a long strange trip.
What would you like to learn?
Professionally: bigger, better strategies for engagement and community building. Personally, maybe to learn how to play the guitar or re-learn piano.
Is there anything about you that others would be surprised to know?
Probably not, I don't love surprises!
Thanks Nancy!
