"What I Want in a Librarian": One New Faculty Member's Perspective

Abstract

As a fledgling faculty member at Earlham, I will vouch for the same spirit of proactivity on the part of librarians today. Couched in friendliness, this spirit has led me to make personal connections with most of the out-front profes sionals, easing my way in an envi ronment where my learning curve is already taxed. It also reminds me that if I sometimes try the li brarians7 patience, at least we have built the rapport necessary to help me get over my humilia tion and frustration when I fumble around with research tools, forget what and when re sources are available, and come in with vague questions and lofty ideas that max out the library's system of logic and even its raison d'etre. Proactivity is therefore the first trait I want in a librarian at my home institution. But, of course, as a do-it-yourself faculty member who has had to master at least one other research environ ment to complete a degree and to get a job, I also appreciate when that proactivity is tempered with an acute sense of when to back off. In other words, there are mo ments when I seem to be asking you-the-librarian to know my needs, desires, and schedule even before I do and to produce the ap propriate resources. There are others when I want you to be transparent, and heaven forbid if you expect me to make eye con tact as I head toward the terminals or shelves.

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