Andrea Mullen …Success Story

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All Jobs for INALJ can be found here: http://inalj.com/?p=1441 Updated daily
Naomi House’s interview with success story Andrea.

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Naomi:  How did you find your current job?
Andrea:  You could say jobs in my case! I found my internship with the National American History Library at the Smithsonian through INALJ. I also have an internship at the Arlington Public Library, which I found by going to the library directly and asking them to volunteer. After a short time, they put me on as an intern at the Reference Desk. And to cap things off, I am a Part-time House Theater Manager at the Folger Shakespeare Library, which I discovered through several friends who worked there and were able to get me an interview. My life is busy, but I enjoy it. I’m still hoping for one permanent full-time job, which I am on the lookout for.

Naomi:  Favorite library you have been to?
Andrea:  I love, love, love the Morgan Library in New York City.  Just the type of library that makes me feel like Belle in Beauty & the Beast.

Naomi:  Favorite book?
Andrea:  Anne of Green Gables has been my favorite since I was a child. Anne Shirley is a kindred spirit. The Harry Potter series is another favorite and one that I find myself rereading and rereading. Another favorite is After Dark by Haruki Murakami. It is easy to get lost in his novels.

Naomi:  Favorite thing about libraries/ library technology?
Andrea:  For me, libraries are about the community and bringing people together. This is what I find the most special about them. I love that a resident from Washington, D.C. can be traveling abroad yet still be able to use the e-books and magazines and databases from their local public library. Technology and electronic services serve the community and I love that libraries have embraced that.

Naomi:  Any websites or feeds or blogs we should be following?
Andrea:  As I’m an anglophile, I enjoy following the British Library and Folger Shakespeare Library on twitter. I quite enjoy http://librarianwardrobe.com to show that librarians can dress well. We have moved beyond the buns and cardigans..(she says while wearing a bun and cardigan)!

Naomi:  Best piece of job hunting advice?
Andrea:  A piece of advice I try to follow myself- stay positive. Do not just sit around the house all day thinking about how you don’t have a job or the job you want. Have a certain amount of time you spend job searching and then leave it alone and remember to maintain your relationships, physical health, and spiritual health as well.

Andrea Mullen has her B.A. in Theater from Catholic University and her MLIS from Pratt Institute. She is currently a History & Culture Reference Intern at the National Museum of American History Library at the Smithsonian as well as a Reference Intern at the Arlington Public Library. Andrea enjoys working and serving the public in a Reference or Information Services capacity. Also, Andrea is passionate about the theater and performing arts and hopes to one day work in a Performing Arts library. Originally from South Carolina, Andrea is an avid traveler who hopes to visit her brother again in China in the next year. (Hi Geoffrey!)