Interview Post: Ginger Williams

Biographical

Name?
Ginger H. Williams (there’s another Ginger Williams librarian, so the H is kinda important I guess.)

Current job?
Instruction & Reference Librarian at Reed Library, Fort Lewis College.

How long have you been in the field?
As a librarian, 6 years. But I started my first staff job in a library 12 years ago.

How Do You Work?

What is your office/workspace like?
It’s in the front hallway of the library building. I get a window that opens and looks out on the mountains! The ceiling is about 15’ high! I just rotated my desk 90 degrees to keep things fresh. If I really need to focus, sometimes I’ll close the blinds, close my door, and turn on some Philip Glass. I also have a small cadre of dead or dying plants. Also I am a nester, so there are plenty of personal items. If I’m being honest, there are usually a smattering of dirty coffee mugs around, too. Once I get a critical mass I wash them all in a batch.

How do you organize your days?
Parts of my day are typically blocked off with required duties (meetings, reference desk, chat reference, instruction). I plan the rest of my time based on looming deadlines, level of importance, what I can complete given the amount of time I have, and what needs to be done individually vs. collaboratively.

What do you spend most of your time doing?
Generally, I have a pretty good balance of short-term and long-term projects going. I can use small chunks of time to get something done that came up in a meeting, prepare interview questions for a search committee, read an article about instruction that comes across my radar, etc. Then when I have a few hours where I get down to long-term projects, and right now that’s planning and recording a series of tutorials for a flipped-classroom information literacy instruction model.

What is a typical day like for you?
When I first get to work, usually before 8am, I prefer to start my day by reading emails, checking in on the librarian universe online, pondering the mysteries of the universe, and drinking coffee. That’s what I’m actively doing (time permitting), and passively I’m thinking about what my priorities for that day will be. I look at my schedule, look at my to-do list, and think about what can fit when. I spend a lot of time with the public and a lot of time in meetings with my colleagues.
What are you reading right now?
I just started Yes, And by Kelly Leonard. Stand-up has always really intrigued me. This particular book was recommended in a recent webinar (“Movin’ On Up” from the Carterette Series). I also enjoy a good quick read, and I just read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman on my way to/from Los Angeles for a U2 concert. Coming from a small town I always have to take connecting flights, so it’s important to have some escapist reading handy!
What's the best professional advice you've ever received?
To ban the phrase “that’s not my job” from my lexicon. It’s 100% the wrong attitude to have, first of all. If something needs doing, maybe I’m not the person who’s “supposed” to do it, but if I can I will. That’s what being an adult and a good team member means. Second, trying new things is how you get experience. If it’s the kind of thing that’s going to become a new job duty, think about if you have time to give it a try and consider what you can gain from that experience. I’ve done so many interesting things and learned so much by trying things that weren’t really my job to do.

What have you found yourself doing at work that you never expected?
Assessment is something I didn’t see coming before I became a librarian, but I’m totally committed to it. I’ve taken assessment classes; done the ACRL Immersion Program and I’ve really developed an appreciation for why we need to do it and why we should WANT to do it, too. Buy in for assessment can be challenging, but I try to help colleagues see what our users can gain from us performing the assessment and making improvements.

Inside the Library Studio

What is your favorite word?

Love*

What is your least favorite word?

Deceased*

*I don’t really have [most/least] favorite things, but these are concepts that I like/don’t like.

What profession other than your own would you love to attempt?

I could have been a professional violist. I do make money playing viola, though, so maybe I am? (I had a recording session the night I wrote the first draft of this, actually!) I’d be interested in trying that full-time if I could go back and talk to 19-year old Ginger about her practicing regimen . Otherwise: chef, district attorney, meteorologist, psychiatrist, or ballerina.

What profession would you never want to attempt?

Cake decorating; I’m a walking Pinterest-fail in that arena. And I couldn’t handle anything that deals with blood and guts.

Everything Else

What superpower do you wish you had?

I’m an extremely empathetic person, and because of that, I wish I had the ability to share confidence and love with people when I know they need it. I feel their fear and anxiety and a superpower would come in really handy for helping them.

What are you most proud of in your career?

My confidence and adaptability.

If you're willing to share, tell about a mistake you made on the job.

We all make mistakes. Looking back, I think mine are usually when I let my emotions get to me. One time my library was voting on whether or not to recommend hiring a certain candidate. I had such a bad feeling about them after a very, very strange interview that I made a show of lowering my hand (because hand raising showed support). I was younger then, and I can say now that I was acting like a complete idiot, and it embarrasses me. Since then I’ve certainly learned that there are more constructive ways to express my thoughts and feelings.

When you aren't at work, what are you likely doing?

I’m fortunate to live somewhere with astounding natural beauty, so I try to be outdoors whenever I’m able. As a mother of small children, that often means playing at a park. I’m an active violist, too, and enjoy playing chamber music, doing recording sessions, and playing with our local symphony.

Who else would you like to see answer these questions?

Michelle Millet, Carla Hayden, Ryan Otto, and Michelle Demeter @ FSU.

Ginger Williams is on Twitter as @gingerhwilliams. This is the third time she's written for Letters to a Young Librarian. The first was "You Don’t Have to Do All the Things to be an Awesome Librarian. Really." and after that she wrote "You Don’t Have to Do All the Things to be an Awesome Librarian. Really. The Sequel."