Granny, the Retirement Community Librarian

My Granny, before her library gig, hanging with my late Gramps.

1. Can you tell us about your current position?
I am a volunteer librarian in a retirement community.  I do mostly circulation  and check books in and out.  I also help get new books ready to go up on the shelves . We try to have somebody on the desk a few hours every day, but the library is open 24/7. 
2. How did you get into librarianship?
I was asked to help when they noticed I read a lot.  I gradually took over the job of the circulation lady when she could no longer do the work. 
3. What work training and education did you have to prepare you for this career? 
I have no training in library work and while I trained as a teacher I mostly worked with kindergarten and preschool children who didn’t use a library. 
4. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of the field?
What is done in our library is pretty cut and dried, just keep things going and try not to lose books.  Like everyone else, I do not like shelving, but it has to be done.  I enjoy talking to the other people about what they read. 
5. What is your advice for readers interested in librarianship?
I sort of fell into this job, didn’t plan to do it so didn’t do anything in preparation.  Of course you have to like books and reading.  Good to brush up on the alphabet, too.  There is much about library work that I know nothing about so I really can’t give any advice.
Granny’s interests, like her granddaughter’s, include ginger candy, books set in Australia, and jazz vocal standards. In the past, she has traveled widely. In addition to her library work, she is an accomplished knitter.

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