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12 How to Thrive as a Library Professional Thinking critically about where you are now, how you got there, and how you see yourself as a professional prepares you for looking to the future. BOOTS ON THE GROUND: WHAT THE WORK LOOKS LIKE Though your first thought of librarianship may be of people sitting behind a desk waiting to answer a question or check out a book, this image barely begins to represent the vast array of work within libraries. —Pressley (2009, p. 8) Now that you’ve reflected on where you are and who you are, and what’s most important to you as a professional or a developing professional, we’ll take a look at a range of possibilities for a career in librarianship. Public Librarian Joy is a branch manager in a public library. Her institution is part of a county library system that provides information, resources, and services to the community. Public libraries are usually positioned not only as a source of materials for learning and pleasure but also as a hub for the com- munity, providing access to vital resources and services such as internet access and printing, information about social services in the community, and meeting space for local organizations. The library provides targeted Exercise: Self-Reflection In a journal, take some time to answer the following questions. There are no right or wrong ways to interpret these questions. Let your mind wander. 1. How do you see yourself as a person? 2. What do you know about yourself as a “professional” or “professional- to-be”? 3. How would you characterize your “work ethic”? 4. How much, and when, and how do you like to work alone? How much, and when, and how do you like to work with others? 5. In an ideal world, how would your work life integrate with your larger life? 6. Put yourself in others’ shoes. How do others see your talents, skills, interests, personality, and interpersonal dynamics?