Libarians: what do they do?

When people hear the word librarian a definite image comes to mind, and it's usually something along the lines of a bookish lady with glasses.

But what, exactly, does a librarian do? (Besides shush people. And write blogs.)

- Buy stuff. Each and every book, video, magazine and research database in the Mid-Manhattan Art Collection was hand-picked by one of us. We usually call it "materials selection" or "collection development." You might know it by its more esoteric name, "shopping."
- Throw stuff away. The library is like your apartment. There is never enough room for everything, so we have to make decisions about what books to keep and what books to throw away. Sometimes it's obvious what we need to get rid of (a book that is covered in grandma's spaghetti sauce) and sometimes it's a little bit harder (a book that no one has checked out for a year, but is the only thing on its topic). Sometimes people get stressed out when they find out that this happens, but don't worry. The Research Libraries most likely will have what you're looking for, and if not, there are other ways to get that book in your hands.
- Help you. We don't just buy the books, throw 'em out there, and expect you to know where everything is. We are at the "reference desk" or "information desk" to help you find the right information source for your needs. We do simple things like look up a book for you to see if it's available, or more involved things like name the modern artist who painted the American flag and help you find materials on the art movement he was associated with. We love to convert people to be more like librarians, so we can show you how to search the library catalog, the Internet and specialized databases like a pro.
-Other random stuff. We also take part in the many other services that the library offers. You might see us showing groups of students around, teaching free computer classes, hosting fun and educational programs and putting up art.

What does it take to be a librarian?

I'm glad you asked. We have master's degrees in information and library science and we're certified by the State of New York. A lot of us also have other advanced degrees.

But I know someone who works at the information desk and he doesn't have a master's degree.

Like any organization, we use a combination of professional and para-professional staff. So sometimes reference desks are staffed by "Information Assistants" or "Technical Assistants." It's just like being treated by a nurse or physician's assistant at the hospital or working with a para-legal at a law firm.

Why do you look at me funny when I want to check out a book at the information desk?

Sorry, we don't mean to do that. It's just that we don't do that and we don't know how to do that. Anything related to your account is handled by our wonderful Circulation Department. So if you want to check out, renew or return a book, you will need to go to the Circulation (or Check-Out) Desk. They can also answer your questions about your account, library borrowing policies or fines.
If you were working with Dunder Mifflin, the fictional company featured in the television series The Office, you would talk to Dwight or Jim about what kind of paper to buy, but then you would talk to Angela or Oscar about your invoice. It's the same here: you talk to the librarians are your informational needs and to the circulation staff about your account. Most of what librarians do is independent of your account. We don't care if you have $200 in fines. We will still answer your questions.

Do all librarians work with the public?

No. Some librarians specialize in cataloging. All that information you see in the online catalog was entered and checked by a cataloging librarian. Our colleagues make sure that every item in the building is coded so that you can find what you're looking for quickly and easily. You don't have to know the title of any books on nude photography because the cataloging librarians will make sure that most of them are grouped together on the shelf. Catalogers know the Dewey Decimal System, Library of Congress classification and Library of Congress subject headings by heart. It's really quite scary.