I was lucky enough to serve as Ship\u2019s Librarian aboard the training ship T.S. Empire State<\/i> VI <\/i>during one of two 45-day cruise terms in summer 2014 and found the experience to be very rewarding. \u00a0In<\/strong>\u00a0the ship\u2019s environment, the library functions as both a community space and study room.<\/strong> It was wonderful to get to know the students and to help them with their assignments and research. The questions they ask are often quite challenging and draw upon a wide range of reference resources related to marine science, engineering and navigation. I thoroughly enjoyed the exciting atmosphere at sea, as well as the enthusiasm among those studying to become professional mariners (who, for the record, include women as well as men).<\/p>\n![\"TS_EmpireState_photo3\"](\"https:\/\/inalj.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/TS_EmpireState_photo3.jpg\")
<\/a>If you’ve ever felt like putting your MLS degree to good use towards an unusual opportunity, now may be your chance. State University of New York’s Maritime College<\/b> <\/a>is now accepting applicants for the position of Ship’s Librarian, a unique chance to be the sole librarian aboard a training ship for students entering the maritime trades. What makes this experience unlike other Semester-at-Sea programs is its trade-based focus: students study maritime engineering, navigation and seamanship and are on track to earn their license as merchant marines. (Please don\u2019t let the khaki colored uniforms fool you, however, they are really just like regular college students who play board games, watch as many movies as possible, and read lots of novels in their down time.)<\/p>\n
![\"TS_EmpireState_photo2\"](\"https:\/\/inalj.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/TS_EmpireState_photo2-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>answer reference questions that draw upon a wealth of print resources and government documents available on the library\u2019s intranet. While there is no true internet aboard the ship<\/strong>, email is available through a subscription service that allows for daily communication with the shore library at SUNY Maritime, which is there to assist you should you require any additional input to answer students\u2019 questions. In addition to providing reference services, much of the librarian\u2019s role is focused on offering readers\u2019 advisory that challenges students in their appreciation of both fiction and non-fiction titles. In the evenings, I would also play movies in the adjacent student lounge, which the students would pick out themselves via a democratic selection process. Day by day I believe that the library ran quite smoothly, with the cadets, faculty and crew always ready to lend a hand and provide useful suggestions and feedback regarding the ship\u2019s library services.<\/p>\n