Naomi: How did you find your current job? Jess: I found it on the Simmons College GSLIS JobLine. I had been searching very seriously for several months, and unsuccessfully applying to a lot of public libraries before I decided to branch out and apply for a special library job.
Naomi: Favorite library you have been to? Jess: The Lyons Public Library, my hometown library in Upstate New York. Years later, it still feels like home.
Naomi: Favorite book? Jess: Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood.
Naomi: Favorite thing about libraries/ library technology? Jess: The culture of collaboration among librarians. When I started this job, I knew nothing about transportation libraries, resources, etc., but I have since found several wonderful groups of librarians whose news and advice has made my life a whole lot easier.
Naomi: Any websites or feeds or blogs we should be following? Jess: The only blog I follow is the Lipstick Librarian, and always find her posts entertaining.
Naomi: Best piece of job hunting advice? Jess: Even if you think you want to work in a specific kind of library, it’s a good idea to broaden your search. Particularly in an area where public and academic library jobs are scarce, I found that I had more luck getting a job in an organization that was looking for people with skills including library science (but not dedicated to hiring a librarian). I know that people writing job ads are not always really sure what they want, so don’t be afraid to tell them that you are what they want, even when they haven’t specifically said so in the ad.
Jess currently runs the Resource Center and Resource Library for National RTAP, a Federal Transit Administration-contracted program dedicated to providing training and technical assistance to support rural and Tribal transit. In January, she graduated from Simmons College with an MLS concentrating in archives management. She had a brief stint in a small historical society before working a menial job to pay the bills, then finding her current position. Prior to becoming a librarian, she graduated from Smith College with a biology degree, served two fulfilling terms as an AmeriCorps member, and worked for several non-profits.