Spotlight on: Rachel Blair Vogt
August 13th, 2010 chanrahanAugust 13th by Chelsea Hanrahan
This month’s Spotlight! is on Rachel Blair Vogt. Rachel has almost completed her first year as a Public Services Librarian at the University of New Hampshire-Manchester.
How did you get interested in librarianship?
I have been working in libraries since I was 16 years old. I started as a library aide in high school, and then one of my jobs in college was at the university library. After my college graduation, I took a job as a library assistant and spent time thinking about what I wanted to do with my Sociology degree, (since being a professional student for the rest of my life was not a feasible plan). I always loved helping people, especially helping them navigate their academic responsibilities. Being a librarian blended my love of learning, information, technology, and working with people.
Talk about the job hunt-how hard was it for you to find a job right out of library school?
I only applied to a few jobs during the months before I graduated. I ended up graduating from my MLIS degree one week and accepting my position at UNH Manchester Library the next week. It was surreal. My strategy was to focus on quality vs. quantity when applying for jobs. I did a lot of background research on the institutions I applied for and made sure to cover every part of the job description and corresponding experience in my cover letter. I emphasized my enthusiasm. I learned in my last internship/job at UConn Libraries how important it is to highlight your professional development experience.
What was your first year like on the job? How does being a librarian differ from what you thought?
I am still in the midst of my first year and I am learning so much as a Public Services Librarian. I have realized how important time management and organization are. There is a constant balance between getting day-to-day responsibilities done and focusing on the future of the library and its services. I also have realized how much a library, to remain competitive, must act like a business in many ways.
Tell us about your job experience…what do you do in a typical day?
I work in a small academic library so everyday can be different. This summer I spent time developing our Chat/Text- a -Librarian pilot program with my colleagues, organizing our first art exhibit for the fall semester, and working on a strategic plan with our Information Literacy Instruction team.
As a young librarian, I find that it’s sometimes difficult for people to believe you are, in fact, an “actual librarian”. Have you experienced this in your job?
I certainly have. A number of times I have had to tell our patrons that I am a librarian and can help them with their issue. In some ways it is frustrating because I feel like they think I am a student. On the other side, it is a great reason to advocate for name tags to be worn at all times because if I am uncomfortable, they must be as well. Making roles clear is a great marketing tool, especially when you are out on the floor proactively looking for students in need.
Any advice for people going to library school, or thinking about being librarians?
I recommend that library students or people interested in the profession do as much interning/volunteering as they can. I did two internships during my Masters program, each an hour from home and each other. It was all worth it because I really feel that they helped me get a job right away. While at these internships, I made connections in the library world and made sure to take every opportunity presented to me. If you are having trouble finding a job and are working in another area while applying to jobs, I suggest still doing some sort of volunteering in order to stay connected to the library world. It shows dedication.
When you’re off the clock-what are you doing?
I spend a good deal of my off time being outside; hiking or swimming with my husband and our dog. I am a foodie and love farmers markets, trying new food, gardening and cooking. This fall, I am taking an Intro to Drawing course at the local art college which will hopefully get me back into drawing after a long hiatus.
diligence in filling out the survey, all 168 of you. We learned much from the many positive comments, and even more from the constructive ones that told us how to improve next year’s conference. This past year the committee was challenged to expand the conference’s reach by offering access to portions of the day via webcasting. The committee always struggles with offering a location that is convenient to the greatest number of people, yet this often means we leave out our northern neighbors. Offering presentations via webcast was a technical challenge and was no small task. A group of librarians in Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts accepted the challenge and succeeded in streaming two breakout sessions and the keynote to locations in Burlington, VT and Brunswick, ME. The remote location organizers also planned their own programming during downtimes. We reached another 40 people in the north in addition to the 325 who attended in Worcester. We hope to webcast again next year. I have been encouraged by other Chapter Presidents across the US to submit a poster or virtual session proposal for ACRL 2011 in Philadelphia on our outreach efforts. Work is underway by our webcasting organizers to submit a proposal by November 1st. I will keep you posted if our efforts are recognized nationally.
