Peggy Carey is the HSLI Member of the Quarter for September! She works in Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery/Circulation Assistance at National University of Health Sciences.
How did you go from working in retail to becoming a librarian, and have you noticed similarities between the two fields?
Having left retail employment, I did a lot of job searching at the public library, when it occurred to me that I was curious as to how the library was organized. The similarities have become more obvious these days, with topical displays and bookstore-style arrangements, but customer service has always been foundational. Attention to detail (cataloging) and catching the newest technological wave also are obvious. The major difference that motivated me is that shoppers’ versus patrons’ intent varies–libraries are for learning!
What is the most challenging interlibrary loan request you have received?
Hmmm. After 23 years doing ILL, I’m sure there were difficulties in the beginning. Foreign-language article requests have become so much easier, with all the translation tools and AI. One of our faculty members, a frequent publisher of research, had requested a listing of six citations in various languages early on. I worked on those like a dog with a bone. I’ve not “lost” more than six books, but do remember having to pay for one that was never received when requested. It was tough to own up to the responsibility that “a borrowed item from the time it leaves the supplying library to when it is safely returned” is the responsibility of the requesting library.
What advice would you have for people who are considering earning an MLIS degree online while working at the same time, as you did?
Be encouraged by having daily experience that adds to the value of your coursework. A Moodle forum is a great sounding board for different perspectives of your assignments and your everyday routine. Long days, late hours, and early-morning final submissions are to be expected. The opportunity to learn with others in all different geographic locations and walks of life is so worthwhile.
How do you think HSLI members have benefited from the journal club and “Coffee & Conversation” meetings you have helped organize?
Personally, I ‘m more acquainted with members now and think that providing a sense of camaraderie statewide is crucial to the organization. Having been through the unprecedented COVID-19 experience, it behooves us to know more about health, resources, and the details of library procedures and policies. As professional librarians do, if someone doesn’t know the answer, referring to another potential resource seems to open up new avenues.
Since you mentioned hiking as a hobby, do you have any favorite destinations or trails you would recommend to other HSLI members?
Midwesterner that I am, I love hiking mountains. Six years ago during October, however, a one-day excursion to Lake Geneva, WI, with hiking buddies was memorable: It was a beautiful autumn hike on the first half of the Shore Path. It wasn’t until three years later that we returned to finish the other side of the lake–and I’d gladly do it again.