By Reference Librarian Anne R.I’ve been a librarian for a long time, and I’ve found that a big misconception people have about my job is that it’s boring. What, they wonder, could be interesting about working in a place filled with nothing but old books?
The truth is that every day, things happen at the library that make me happy to be here. I decided to put together a list of recent examples:
Excited readers
One day I was leaving the building with a group of coworkers, passing the circulation desk on the way. We saw a child standing near his mother, happily clutching a stack of books to his chest. His face had that excited look as if he was sure something wonderful was about to happen. I know that look—it meant he couldn’t wait to get home to start reading, to find out what magical journey he would go on next. One of my colleagues said what I was thinking: “That’s why we’re in this business—kids like that.”
The library is full of treasures for kids like that. Browsing the shelves is one way to help them find the magic, but another is to check our website for book recommendations, sorted by grade level. Find these by visiting cadl.org and clicking on Web Kids in the left-side menu.
Busy students
Starting this time of year, libraries fill up with students—using computers, poring over textbooks, browsing through the reference collection. Here at the Downtown Lansing Library, volunteers from Michigan State University offer free tutoring to students in grades K-12 in all subjects. They are here every Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday from Sept. 26-Nov. 30, 5:00-7:00 p.m. More resources, including research tools you can only access with a library card, are available by clicking on Homework Help in the left-side menu at cad.org.
Trips down memory lane
Whether you’ve lived in Lansing all your life or are new here and want to learn more about our city’s history, you’ll find more information that you can imagine in the pages of our local newspaper. We offer the Lansing State Journal (under its various name changes) on microfilm all the way back to 1855. The library is also your go-to source for revisiting your own school days. Our collection of yearbooks from the Lansing schools covers the early 1900s to the 1990s. You can even scan or photocopy pages.
Success stories
It’s very common for people to stop by the reference desk and say things like: “I got a job because of your computer classes,” or “I got a higher score on my test because I used Learning Express,” or “Your resume books helped me write a great resume.”
Comments like these are music to a librarian’s ears! We love to help you find the information and develop the skills you need every day. So stop by the library soon—maybe my next success story will be about you!
The Capital Area District Library Reference Department is located at 401 S. Capitol Avenue in Lansing, MI. Contact them at 517-367-6346 or by e-mail at reference@cadl.org.
This was printed in the September 11, 2011 – September 24, 2011 Edition.
