I have often said jokingly (though I do not think it is actually a joke) that every new job has a 6-month to one-year learning curve. The longer I am in a job, the more I realize how much I did not know when I started. All our previous experience can help us get the job, but to actually perform the responsibilities required of a new job within an established organization takes time to learn. And for those just starting out in special librarianship, the learning curve can feel overwhelming—but there are steps you can take to make it more manageable.
What Should a New Special Librarian Do First?
If you are new to special librarianship or even just taking a new position in the field, I recommend starting by learning the organization. Take time to understand the organization chart, and familiarize yourself with the organization’s mission, vision, culture, and major priorities. That information will help you understand where the library fits and how to organize your time.
This includes taking the time to meet people and understand how the organization functions. I have often learned that while I can study things on paper, until I talk to people, I do not have a full grasp of how an organization’s mission and vision are operationalized.
Additionally, it can be helpful to take time to learn organization-specific terminology, acronyms, workflows, and specific subject areas used by staff. This information will help you contribute to conversations and save you time later on by avoiding the need to look up information.
While it may take time to meet all the people in an organization that you will work with, if you can prioritize learning the organization in the first 30 days, that will help you build a foundation for your direct work in the library.
Why Does Learning the Organization Matter?
Learning about the organization will also help you understand the information environment and begin to form a picture of how the library works and fits. This will be important information as you get settled into your role.
By prioritizing learning about the organization, you can hopefully avoid a common pitfall: thinking a special librarian’s job is primarily about managing collections. Instead, by taking time to learn the organization, you will begin to learn valuable information about how the organization manages knowledge by creating it, using it, sharing it, and sometimes losing it.
While you will not learn everything you need to know in the first 30 days, it will provide a solid foundation for you to continue learning as you grow in your career. Your first 30 days are not separate from the organization’s knowledge life cycle; instead, I encourage you to think of this as your first participation in it.
Possible Action Steps for the First 30 Days
Here are possible ways to learn about the organization. As appropriate:
- Request 15-20 minute introduction meetings with key stakeholders
- Ask your supervisor for the organization chart and strategic plan
- Keep running notes (a glossary of acronyms, a stakeholder list, questions to circle back on)
- Meet with library staff and ask them about their work and how it fits within the organization
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