Reports from the Field: Sarah Lucas (’16) on The Library Life

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Sarah Lucas. I graduated from OWU in 2016 with a double major in History and Ancient Studies and a minor in Classics. I currently work as a Circulation Team Leader at Worthington Libraries.

How did you become interested in librarianship?

My mother was a public librarian for 25 years, so I grew up with it. I began volunteering in the library once I was old enough and then, in high school, the local library seemed like a natural choice for my first job. I started as a page, which is essentially a shelver. I sorted items, organized carts, fetched the bookdrop, shelved materials, tidied up the stacks, and pulled requests. Occasionally, I helped with programs and other creative stuff, like making bulletin boards and decorations. Then I moved on to working at Beeghly Library in college.

Have you always known you wanted to be a librarian or was it a gradual realization? 

I didn’t realize I wanted to pursue this as a career until my first year at Beeghly. I was doing reference work and helped another student find a number of resources for his project. He walked away super happy and I realized that I’d found something that I could do for the rest of my life.

What do you do in your current position and what’s your average day like? 

As a Circulation Team Leader, I help supervise and run a department of about thirty people. I open and close the department and sometimes the whole building, oversee workflow and make sure books get shelved, requests get pulled, delivery gets processed, etc. I also cover desk hours for my staff if needed, which means I also help patrons with their accounts and just general customer service duties.

There’s not really an average day. Some days I’m on desk for my whole shift, others I’m running around doing whatever is needed. Sometimes that’s dealing with angry patrons, others it’s helping with hiring, and occasionally it’s dealing with things like clogged toilets. Last week, someone put three framed images of Jesus through our book drop with no explanation, so there’s that. There’s always something new or weird going on.

What’s most satisfying about working in a library?

Helping people! Whether locating resources on a tough topic to signing people up for library cards or even just assisting patrons by sorting out their account issues, it’s very rewarding to help people leave happy and with what they need. I also love that I’m always learning and encountering new things.

What’s most challenging about working in a library?

Sometimes the hours aren’t great because we’re open long hours and on weekends, but I do like the variety of working days and evenings. And people aren’t always great either. However, for every one negative interaction, there are hundreds of positive interactions with patrons who are appreciative and grateful for the library and its services.

Do you have a favorite story or anecdote from on the job?

Oh man, this question is tough because it’s hard to choose! I have two. First, I distinctly remember my branch manager dealing with a woodchuck that had expired of natural causes in our parking lot. Second, during the eclipse in August of 2017, we got slammed with people because news outlets reported that all libraries had eclipse glasses available, which wasn’t true across the board. We only had only 100 glasses and ended up with over 400 people showing up. That was a hectic day but it was nice to see the community come together to see such a cool event.

What do you think is the most common misconception about library work? 

Not everyone who works in a library is a librarian. Also, I think that a lot of people don’t realize that a lot of library staff have graduate degrees. You generally need a Masters in Information or Library Science to be a librarian, but it’s pretty common for customer service staff, shelvers, and other staff to have multiple degrees as well.

What knowledge or skills that you cultivated at OWU have you found most helpful on the job?

Getting the opportunity to work at Beeghly as a student was wonderful. I first worked in reference and then circulation and the archives during the school year. During the summer I worked in pretty much every department. The staff there are wonderful and really gave me a chance to expand my skill set, which was a huge help when I began job hunting. Additionally, my professors encouraged my love of learning and allowed me to apply my passion for libraries to my classes. For example, my Ancient Studies capstone analyzed the history and transformation of libraries in Ancient Rome.

Any future plans or aspirations in library science?

I plan on continuing in the field and am actually applying to grad school right now to pursue my Masters in Library Science. While an undergraduate degree and work experience is important, acquiring an MLS enables me to pursue additional opportunities. Wish me luck!

Any advice for current students who may be interested in pursuing library work? 

Get library experience before you apply for jobs or graduate programs. Try volunteering with the library, working at the college library or local library, etc. Getting experience before you start applying makes a world of difference on an application. Customer service experience is also a huge help.

*** Disclaimer: Sarah’s views are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of her employer. ***