MEET OUR CONVENER MINDY ROBINSON-PAQUETTE

The Making of a Librarian

(cue grandiose music in background; no, make that rock & roll...).

Mindy

How did I develop into the Librarian/Information Guru/Go-To person that I am today? The same as many of you: Lots of subject interests (okay, fascination), but one strong drive to capture information and find creative ways to share it. Doesn't quite fit the stereotypical "keeper of the books" image, right? I'm the type of person who says, 'here, let me show you how to find this or use that resource.' I love those "Aha!" moments, when you can see that the customer "gets it" - and that you've created another loyal customer.

The drive to organize information and materials hit me early. By third grade (8 years old) I was a Library Aide, covering my elementary school Library while the Librarian took her lunch break - did the shelving, showed people how to use the card catalog, etc. I found it more fun than recess! Created a list of what was in each kitchen cupboard to help my mother plan for grocery shopping. (No, I was not a fussily neat child - didn't like making my bed and preferred hiking in the woods with my pet burro and goat). By the time I got to college, I had 10 years experience as a Library and Media Aide in school!

A fascination with the history and evolution of languages led to a BA in Linguistics, then on to Library School and my MLIS (back when the computer course meant typing stacks of batch cards and hard wiring a mother board with a soldering iron). I was determined to NOT be the type of "professional librarian" I had experienced in public and university settings - the "you are disturbing me" look and being told "find it yourself." Luckily, I'd had some very nurturing role models, especially that elementary school Librarian, who told me I was "a born Librarian."

I've been a public, hospital, academic medical center/faculty and now pharmaceutical R&D Librarian over more than 30 years, and find that, despite the learning curve at each new job, the same set of skills and personality traits are pertinent. A strong sense of curiosity and enthusiasm about sharing what I've learned has always been an asset. It's also fun to aim at shattering the stereotype - I was shushed for whistling and singing (quietly, of course!) in the medical school Library where I worked, sang in an on-campus rock band and had my own AM radio music and call-in talk show in my undergraduate days. The ability to keep the flow of information going both ways still works in the current setting of training via webcasts - can't see my audience, but try to keep them entertained while they learn, using an upbeat attitude and high level of enthusiasm. The feedback e-mails frequently include comments such as "can tell you're passionate about what you do."

That really sums it up in a word: PASSION. If you love what you do, the enthusiasm is contagious, and your customers are more likely to return.

Updated 14 May 2008