Narratives of Academic Librarians: Chapter 3: Commitment and Identity

Chapter 3: Commitment and Identity

Chapter 3 is commitment and identity. Chapter 3 is the most important to me and my continuous career because after you get to know what is going on in campus, you get to learn about what you like, what your skills are, how you can fit yourself into that place that you want to be. You start to develop your strengths and your identity and what you want to be known as.

It was around this time that I realized that I was good at technology. I like new things, emerging things especially during this time when it was web 2.0.

That was so much in and a lot of the older faculty librarians were like, “What is this? I do not know how to do this. I do not know how to do that.”

And I say, “This is what it does, this is where it goes.”

And they are like, “Oh, how do I solve this problem? How do I come up with new ways of teaching? How do I use this technology?”

It was easy for me because I love all these different things. It was good to share that and to show that.

That is when I started talking to my dean and said, “You know, I love being a reference librarian. I love being an instructional librarian, but I would love to explore this more in terms of how technology can work into the library.”

 As an instructional librarian who is actually working at the reference desk, I love working at the reference desk and being able to have that one-on-one connection with students. I would love to create tutorials and modules that I can put into a blackboard, that I can put into canvas, that I can give to faculty so that students can look at it first before we talk about it.

That is the stage when you develop your identity. You realize that you can do so much with skills that you have and how you can fit into the university and change your job and change, to a point, where you enjoy it. It is not just a job anymore, but something that you enjoy.

I titled “commitment and identity” for chapter three because that is when I realized that my enjoyment of my job can go hand a hand to make my life richer and better. 

I love coming to work every day now. It is not just the students anymore. It is more I want to try something new. That is the time when I started working a lot with the learning objects, with the modules, looking into the LMS (learning management system) and reaching out to faculty.

 I would say, “You know the library is more than just you come into the library. We can come out to you. We can offer 24/7 chat. We can offer virtual reference.” 

We have been doing that, but nobody was able to communicate that out to the faculty and to students. That was during that time and I think it was a good time for me to make that move and make that adjustment.

My dean said, “yes, this is something you want to do. Go for it. Let's look at your responsibilities, and how we can make that happen. It's all because of the interest and commitment that you want to do something with your strengths and your knowledge. You saw a need and you want to fill it.”