Changing my focus through my new role
as First Year Experience Librarian

Why I became a librarian

After I received my BA in history from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, I attended a dinner party where I asked a friend why she became a librarian. Her response caused me to think about why she so passionately sought a career as a librarian. Once I realized that I, too, had the same passion, I moved quickly and 30 days later, I found myself in a classroom at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where I obtained my MLS.

When I completed my degree, it was 1989 and a recession was in full swing. In 1990, I relocated to Miami and became the first Interlibrary Loan Librarian at Florida International University (FIU). South Florida and FIU are like the Ellis Island of the 21st century. Roughly 60 percent of Miami-Dade County’s residents were not born in the U.S., which makes it a culturally vibrant, fascinating environment. In 2000, a new position was created and offered to me as Head of the Access Services Department, but I retained many of the interlibrary loan responsibilities.

Why I became a First Year Experience Librarian

When my dad passed away in 2010, it prompted me to reflect on his life and reevaluate my own. During this time, I outlined several milestones that I wanted to achieve personally and professionally. This led me to the notion of creating the First Year Experience. This program seemed like the perfect way to use my professional skills, my personality traits (I'm extremely extroverted) and this new-found vision of how I wanted to spend the next chapter of my life.

Thanks to an open-minded boss and Dean, I was able to launch the First Year Experience initiatives and services here at FIU in early 2011, and I love everything about it. I love teaching the introductory library orientation portion of the freshmen experience classes, which covers an introduction to our library services and facility, and the skills students need to successfully search databases. The freshman experience seminar has 120 sections on the main campus and 30 sections of the additional campus during the Fall Semester.

As part of this introductory session, I emphasize to the students that I am their personal librarian for the first year. I give them my business card so they can contact me directly. My office is located in an open part of the library where students can easily pop in and ask for help. I guarantee that if I can’t help them with what they need, the next librarian I send them to is the subject matter expert and will own their question until they get the answer or information they need.

It may seem pretty basic, but it’s important to remember that for young adults, especially ones whose traits range from somewhat shy to total introverts, it can be extremely intimidating to approach a librarian for help. So part of my course is teaching the social aspect of learning and research—reminding students that the reason we are here is to help them. We are going to ask them if they are finding everything they need when we bump into them in the stacks. I emphasize that students should never apologize to a librarian for asking for their help. From the time the students finish the course, they begin to ask me questions and send me e-mails.

Douglas Hasty
E-mail: douglas.hasty@fiu.edu