9:00 am - 2:00 pm
5 hours
I arrived at the Burke County Public Library at 9 am, when the doors were opened to the public, and met first with the Director, Jim Wilson. We went over expectations of the internship, discussed the possibilities of my schedule, and completed paperwork. We continued, further, to discuss many aspects of the public library: the budget, the library's square footage, the structure of the library's governing boards, selection policy, the transfer of the library from private to state governed, confidentiality and censorship, e-books vs. print, the importance of programming, funding cuts, and even the tendency for boys to lose interest in reading when they are in middle school. I am so thankful that Mr. Wilson took the time from his busy day to slow down and really engage in such a thoughtful discussion with me. I came away from this meeting with a better understanding and appreciation of his job, the tough decisions that must be made, the challenges and frustrations of budget and space limitations, and the need for public libraries to thoughtfully and practically evolve in order to meet the future head-on.
After meeting for a little over an hour, he took me on a brief tour of the non-public areas of the facility--offices, supply rooms, etc. and began to introduce me to the staff. Then, he left me in the capable hands of the front desk staff for an introduction to the functions and duties of the circulation/information desk. I spent the rest of the day there, learning how to manage check-in & check-out procedures, book holds, inter-library loan, library cards, computer use, etc. Claudia showed me where to shelve fiction as well as sub-categories of mysteries, large-print, audio-cds, audio-tapes, and new acquisitions. I was also able to discuss some of the adult programming with Cassie, the Adult Programming Coordinator who was just hired last September. Jeannie helped me to navigate the automated circulation system, Horizon, as well as the cash register for fines. I helped patrons when I could, mostly with checking in and checking out books. I don't think I even sat down at all while I was working at the front desk, so I was relieved to get off my feet when I got home. Overall, I feel so good about the day, despite my aching feet. I learned a lot, got my feet wet, and I am looking forward to returning on Friday.
