I started working at Watzek my second year of college. Since then, I’ve learned so much about how the library works and all of the different moving parts that allow it to function. Not only is Watzek a great calming environment for studying, it’s also a great resource for research, finding textbooks, and browsing for your next read. Here are a few of my favorite parts of working at Watzek!
Helping Patrons
This is definitely the best part of working at Watzek. When patrons come into the library, some have questions about finding books, navigating the building, using the printers and scanners, etc. When I first started my job I often had to ask the other student worker for advice answering questions. Now, I feel much more prepared to handle different questions and requests.
Last week, a patron called on the phone and asked if I could find a book for them and send them a scan of a specific page. This isn’t something we usually do, but it was a slow day, and with the limitations of the COVID-19 restrictions in place, I decided to do what I could to help! I looked up the book on the library website, wrote down the call number, and went up to the stacks to find the book. I found the right pages and used our copy machine to scan them directly to the patron’s email. They were really happy I could help, and I was glad to have something rewarding to do!
Course Reserves, Summit, and ILL
I didn’t know before I started working at the library that Watzek has most, if not all, of the textbooks for each LC course on reserve. We keep these behind the desk and let patrons check them out for three hours. This is a great option if you’d rather check out the book to do your assignments instead of buying or renting a book!
In addition to the stacks, where you can find books for class or for fun, we also have access to books at other libraries through Summit. If there’s a book that you can’t find, you can often order it through Summit and have it delivered to Watzek. My second semester of work I learned how to process Summit orders. Now, when shipments come in from other libraries, I scan in the books, write the patron’s name on the label, and organize them on the hold shelf where patrons can then pick them up! If there are books you still can’t find on Summit, you can also order them using Inter Library Loan (ILL).
Driving the Golf Cart
One of my other tasks at the library is delivering books to LC’s Graduate Campus. After pulling books from the stacks that patrons have requested (and sorting those on the hold shelf at Watzek), I get to drive the golf cart across campus to deliver books to the grad campus. It’s a fun ride, although a little bit bumpy, since the golf cart is a bit old and the doors are held closed with velcro. The cart was being fixed for several weeks this semester, and I missed driving it in the meantime!
Spending Time with my Friends and Supervisors
When I work at the desk at Watzek, there’s usually one other student worker and a staff supervisor there at the same time. On busy days we have to keep up with students coming in and out, but on slower days there’s time for homework, chatting, and taking Buzzfeed quizzes. I’ve met some wonderful people working at the library, and I always look forward to working a desk shift with my friends!
Come visit at the library (with your mask on)! Feel free to email me with any questions, calebweinhardt@lclark.edu