[Publib] Why Librarianship?

[Nann Blaine Hilyard]

I've tried to resist joining this thread, but you've pulled me in!   
 
The short answer is:  I'm a librarian because I like books, I like
people, and I like connecting them.   
 
The long anwer is:   I grew up surrounded by books.  The suburb where I
grew up had excellent school libraries (with MLS staff) and a superb
public library (and still does).  The house we moved into in 1962 was
chosen because it was close to the village center:  the train depot, the
shopping center, our church, and The Library.  In 1969 the library moved
from two blocks southeast of our street to two blocks southwest of our
street.  When I was 16 I started working at NPL as a bookshelver (at the
old building for a while, then at the new building).  
 
I went to the University of Missouri to major in journalism.  (Words,
books, paper, research...first cousin to librarianship.)    My dorm
roommate was a library science major (MU then offered a BA in library
science, with the warning that students needed to get an MLS).  I had a
small crisis after first semester and decided to change my major to
library science.    By the time I finished my BA (three years and a
summer) I was president of the college panhellenic council and my office
didn't end until that December.  I found out that I could transfer only
6 MLS credits to another university.  So I stayed at MU and got my MLS
in August, 1974.  (Though the program was not as academically
distinguished as others, my parents were only going to support me
through four years of college and I really wanted to complete the panhel
term.)   I was a graduate assistant to Helmut Lehmann-Haupt, the rare
books prof, and I had a Saturday job in the undergrad library.
 
I spent the next school year as a traveling consultant for my
fraternity.  In February I was sent to Texas A&M to start a chapter
there.  I had begun to look for library jobs -- I'd been going to
college campuses and I just knew I wanted to do rare books and academic
reference.   I did, however, pay a call on Hazel Richardson, head
librarian at the Bryan, TX, Public Library.  She intimidated me, but I
evidently impressed her because when the library board of the Nancy
Carol Roberts Memorial Library in Brenham, TX, needed a new librarian
for their new building they called Mrs. Richardson who told them that
she had just met a nice young woman who was looking for a professional
job.   I had never thought about working in a public library in a small
Texas city, let alone directing it, but I was ready to start my career.

 
They hired me.  I started May 1.  That was 31 years ago this week, and
here I am!
 
 
Nann
@the library in Zion, Illinois
 
 
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