Si Se Puede or Librarians Can Do That
On December 13, 2013 (yes, Friday the 13th), I had a very wonderful interview with the President and Vice President of a local company. During the interview, I argued that a trained librarian was the perfect solution for their company information needs. They needed someone who could redesign their information systems, which include re-organizing their file systems, designing and implementing database solutions, and re-organizing their website. They also needed someone who could train employees to maintain this system. In other words, they need someone who could manage relatively large projects that would grow their company.
I argued that a trained librarian could do that and more. In school, I was trained to actually diagram and build databases. In Visio, I visually represented relationships among various data, using the business rules that informed those relationships. For instance, if I were to design a database about clients and workshops, I would sketch the relationship between the two entities. Can each client attend many workshops. Does each workshop have many clients? If so I would create diagrams that would reflect those relations. After that, I would use Access or any other database software to build an electronic database (I say "electronic" because a database is technically a collection of related records. Access, and Oracle are software packages that manage databases. They are not databases per se.). I briefly explained that during the interview.
I also explained how we librarians are passionate about serving others by organizing and providing access to information. I really focused on our being passionate about our profession. We do not simply go to jobs. We engage our passion for excellent service within our community. I even explained my passion for changing people's relationship with information. They liked that response because they wanted someone with a passion for serving their clients' needs. They didn't want someone who simply wanted a job.
In short, the President and Vice President seemed highly impressed by what librarians can do, outside of libraries. I demonstrated that when CEOs need information solutions that will help grow their companies, they SHOULD immediately think of trained librarians.
We are INFORMATION professionals, right?
I argued that a trained librarian could do that and more. In school, I was trained to actually diagram and build databases. In Visio, I visually represented relationships among various data, using the business rules that informed those relationships. For instance, if I were to design a database about clients and workshops, I would sketch the relationship between the two entities. Can each client attend many workshops. Does each workshop have many clients? If so I would create diagrams that would reflect those relations. After that, I would use Access or any other database software to build an electronic database (I say "electronic" because a database is technically a collection of related records. Access, and Oracle are software packages that manage databases. They are not databases per se.). I briefly explained that during the interview.
I also explained how we librarians are passionate about serving others by organizing and providing access to information. I really focused on our being passionate about our profession. We do not simply go to jobs. We engage our passion for excellent service within our community. I even explained my passion for changing people's relationship with information. They liked that response because they wanted someone with a passion for serving their clients' needs. They didn't want someone who simply wanted a job.
In short, the President and Vice President seemed highly impressed by what librarians can do, outside of libraries. I demonstrated that when CEOs need information solutions that will help grow their companies, they SHOULD immediately think of trained librarians.
We are INFORMATION professionals, right?
I think you nailed the description of what trained librarians are capable of doing! Good Job and good luck.
ReplyDelete