#16 Moonlighting Librarian!

Who you are: Sonya Detwiler

What you do: I work full time as an International Customer Service Bibliographer for a global book vendor serving academic libraries. I also work part-time at the town library as a Reference Librarian.

Where you do it: YBP Library Services (full time)/ Hopkinton Town Library (part-time). Both are in Contoocook, NH.

LTC: What's one thing you wish more people knew about libraries and what they do?

Sonya: I wish more people knew how much librarians love their jobs. What a noble and rewarding feeling to be able to use my interview and research skills to find that piece of information that helps a customer solve a problem or become enlightened. Hearing thank you's all day is the best!

LTC: What's your favorite picture book?

Sonya: Hope for the flowers by Trina Paulus

LTC: Most rewarding thing that's happened recently?

Sonya: A painter came into the library recently searching for a colored photo of the terrain around Jerusalem to use as a guide for her abstract painting of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After 30 minutes thumbing through pictorial world atlases, travel and bible books, a light bulb went off in my head...."hmmm, I wonder if the National Geographic has done an issue on Jerusalem-they have great photos". Bingo! I found this beautiful picture of the trees and hills lying on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The patron was so grateful-she said it was just what she needed.

LTC: What's an interesting/innovative service that your institution offers?

Sonya: YBP offers a dynamic ordering/selecting database called Gobi to its libraries which helps their acquisitions and series departments become more efficient with their workflows. Ebook ordering and Open URL are its newest features. YBP also offers live online workshops which are becoming a real hit with our customers!
HTL offers an art gallery for local artists to display their work. Recently, the library had a reception where the artist spoke about her work while attendees discussed over hors-d'oeuvres and punch--100 people attended!


LTC: If you were stranded on a desert island what book(s) would you really want with you?

Sonya: Is there a book titled, "How to survive on a desert island?" That'd be a good one to have. Otherwise, leave me with a pile of biographies. I always enjoy reading about how other people survive(d) the human experience.

LTC: When did you know that you wanted to become a librarian/information professional?

Sonya: When I was a guidance counselor, I was constantly recommending books to my students to read. I also taught a vocational class that included a computer-based skills and interest assessment tool that provided best career matches. My first match was a counselor, my second match was a librarian. I felt the second match was more fitting; not to mention, I had 4 years prior experience as a research technician in undergrad which I enjoyed very much. So back to graduate school I went.

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My dad suggested that I post a map jpeg with pins for all the places LTC Librarians are from. I think the country would be nicely dotted! If we ever get some down time, my trusty imaging assistant and I will try to whip it up! :D

--Amy