This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions

Naomi House’s interview with success story Joseph.

Naomi:  How did you find your current job?
Joseph:  Upon relocating to Virginia, I utilized INALJ, Indeed, Simply Hired and the Virginia Government Jobs websites. I actually found my current position as Maritime Specialist through the Virginia Gov.jobs website.

Naomi:  Favorite library you have been to?
Joseph:  I have been to many beautiful libraries, but two that come to mind immediately are the Library of Virginia in Richmond, Va, and the Library Company of Philadelphia, Pa. Both have wonderful special collections, as well as the friendliest, most helpful staff one could hope to meet.

Naomi:  Favorite book?
Joseph:  There are so many books that have changed my life, but if I had to choose one, it would be Light in August by William Faulkner.

Naomi:  Favorite thing about libraries/ library technology?
Joseph:  My favorite thing about libraries is simply the availability of the greatest books in the world at my fingertips. To me, that is real power-the ability to access the best literature the world has to offer in one location. I am extremely happy that e-books are taking off within libraries as well. I, like many bibliophiles that I know, were reluctant to embrace ebook technology, but once I experienced the ease of bringing 200 books anywhere I go, all in a thin tablet, I have been hooked on the technology. I still love a good old fashioned paper book however…ebooks do not have that new book smell that I love.

Naomi:  Any websites or feeds or blogs we should be following?
Joseph:  I try to read as many blogs, and websites as I can, but lately, I have been very interested in the subject of Digital Humanities. I am currently reading all that I can on this subject, most notably the Journal of Digital Humanities. I cannot say that I am an expert on the subject, but I find this field extremely interesting.
http://journalofdigitalhumanities.org/

Naomi:  Best piece of job hunting advice?
Joseph:  Do not give up! That is paramount. Also, learn from your mistakes. Early on in my job hunt, I had some false starts, especially with my interviews. Those mistakes helped me to tweak my interviewing skills, and before long, I was giving the best interviews of my life. In short, don’t be afraid to fail, and when you fail, learn from your mistakes.  In short, there is so much information out there from experienced professionals, information that is there for the taking. I suggest soaking up as much as possible, and then applying it to your own search. My current position is only part-time, but it is a city job, which gives me a foot in the door for future full-time positions. That said, do not turn down a part-time job, or a job that was not what you really wanted, because they usually lead to bigger and better things.

My name is Joseph L. Annaruma, and I am originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., I served for 6 years in the US Navy and have been a professional musician for over 25 years, and I am currently scoring soundtracks with my group ISOLATED COCKPIT. For the last twenty years, I have lived in New Orleans and Philadelphia, recently relocating to Norfolk, Va.  I received a BA in History from Temple University, and an MLIS with a concentration in Archival Studies from Drexel University. While studying, I worked as a Reference Librarian assistant for Philadelphia University, and reference desk manager, as well as archives assistant for the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. I am currently a Maritime Specialist for the Nauticus Maritime Museum in Norfolk, Va, primarily as a docent aboard the USS Wisconsin (BB64) museum ship, a position that I have just started as of June 1.

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