Librarians ‘wear many caps’

On INALJ.com, Rebecca Tischler has contributed a great essay highlighting five things that people don’t realize that librarians do.

Setting aside the most visible activities by librarians and support staff — readers’ advisory, book check-out and shelving returns — and even setting aside our work behind-the-scenes to get materials ready for use, library employees can be teachers, advertisers, event planners and researchers. And more often than not, when patrons need to troubleshoot their technology, there’s someone at the library who can help.

I especially like Tischler’s comment that librarians “wear many caps.”

From my own experience in libraries as volunteer and paraprofessional, library staff do so much more than can easily be summarized.

Outside the library, I work additional part-time jobs and attend online classes.

But in my situation, “wear many caps” takes on literal meaning too. I am known for wearing hats to such a degree that they’re an integral part of my “brand.”