1. How long have you lived in New York?
- All of my life.
2. Where did you go to high school? What kind of student were you in high school? What were your favorite classes/least favorites? What sports and extracurricular activities did you do?
- I went to high school in Valley Stream, in Nassau County, Long Island. High school was so boring for me. My parents were high school teachers, my father was gym teacher, and I would sleep in math. My favorite classes were History, English, and Music. My least favorite classes were Science and Math. Activities…nothing.
3. Did you go to college? Graduate school? If so, where? For how long? What degree(s) did you earn? Are you interested in going back to school? If so, what do you plan to study?
- I went to University of Massachusetts at Amherst to get a BA in English with a minor in Classical Civilizations. Then I went to UCLA – MA in Folklore and Mythology. After that I went to Pratt Institute and got Masters in Library and Information Sciences. I was very good student at college.
4. How did you choose your current occupation?
- I decided to choose what I liked and found out that I like problem solving. I also liked to help people find information. I have a general education, I know little bit about everything. I like doing research and training people about using computers, which was easy to me.
5. What steps did you take to get this job? How did you learn about it? How many interviews did you have? Was the hiring process difficult, not difficult? If a person were looking for a job at your company, what advice would you offer?
- I found it through Internet and advertising online. I sent my resume to a man who was a head of electric services. But the lady who works there, throw out my resume. Then they called me saying they want to set up an interview, and they need my resume. They asked me to fax it. So I had to reprint my resume, and find the place where I could fax it. Faxing a paper was expensive. After faxing it, I had to call that lady to know whether she got my resume. An advice I would give is to be flexible, because they think they only have to do one thing. Actually they have to know to deal with anything and everything.
6. How long have you worked here? Have you worked in different capacities at this job? What jobs at this company have you done in addition to the one you do now?
- I have worked here for one year and as a librarian for 13 years. Before coming to this library I have worked in Mapleton for 2.5 years as a librarian. After my supervisor hired someone, and let him work above me, I left. When I came here I worked as a library associate.
7. What is your job title and what are the three tasks or responsibilities you do most often? Did you work as a library circulation supervisor right away?
- My job title is neighborhood library supervisor. My responsibilities are to open the library, make sure it runs regularly every single day, coordinate program, make sure people are finding stuff, and many more.
8. Who is your direct supervisor and what is her/his job title? How much do you interact with her/him on a weekly basis? How many people do you supervise?
- My direct supervisor is Jason Douglas and his job title is Regional Librarian for the North Region of Brooklyn. We interact with him once every two weeks. I supervise 8 people.
9. What are two examples of challenges you face working here?
- Number one is collections were really, really old. When people came they would say there was nothing to take out and I agree with them. The second one is we did not have enough staffs, but now we do.
10. What is the best part of your job? What is something you would like to change about your job?
- The building is small and everybody works together. If the staff is happy, public is happy. I would import more library policy. People change, library change with people.
11. Did you work somewhere else before this job? Where? For how long? How was that job similar or different?
- I worked in New World Café for 5 years. After that I worked in a restaurant, then book store. I was undergraduate then. In the book store, I shelved books, which sometimes I still do.
12. What advice would you give to teenage interns (such as myself) getting ready for college?
- Have an experience as much as possible. Try to get an internship in college.
