Kristen Smith is the Information Services Librarian at Loras and has been dedicated to this position for almost twenty-five years as she is approaching her twenty-five year recognition. She loves her job working in a college environment.
Q: What does your role as Information Services Librarian entail?
When people are having issues finding what they need, I help them find what they’re looking for—whether it is an article, paper, stats or book. One of the responsibilities that I have is trying to anticipate the Loras community needs and trying to keep up with the Loras curriculum, coordinate databases that we buy for information, and I need to do this in a way that is the best fit for the budget. Basically, trying to pick the right resources is a big part of my job.
Q: What was your field of study in school?
I attended Illinois Wesleyan where I got my Bachelor of Arts in History and then I went to the University of Illinois to get my Masters in Library Science. I was leaning in the direction of working at a college since I loved Wesleyan so much and had a great time there.
Q: What does your typical day look like?
It varies a lot. I spend part of my day making myself available to people in reference area. I am also on my computer a lot answering students’ questions they ask through email. We also have a chat system in which students can ask questions through that. I work on database selection, government documents and supervise the student that works in Documents.
Q: What is the best thing about your job?
Even though there are common things that are going on, my day can take a lot of turns. For example, the MOI courses require a lot of work in September and October and so I am in the classroom a lot being kept busy with that. Always having something different keeps you from getting in a rut since you’re not doing the same thing all the time. I really enjoy that.
Q: What do you find most challenging about your job?
It’s a challenge to keep up, but I love it. It’s not challenge in a negative way but a positive one. Things are changing so quickly with resources and technology becoming available. It requires you to constantly be available to what is going on. I constantly have to be reading and keeping up with what’s out there and what might be useful to Loras students.
What advice do you have for students, faculty and staff? Is there anything you want them to know?
One thing I would say is never hesitate to contact the librarian if you have any library-related issues or problems or if there are things you can’t find. I wonder if some students faculty have frustrations in using tools and things available and I want them to make contact with us to let us help them work through difficulties.
Is there anything you want students to know about you personally?
I’m always interested in hearing what people are doing and what they are interested in, so feel free to come and talk to me.
Q: What made you come to Loras?
Wesleyan pointed me toward an academic career and when I visited Loras I felt comfortable in terms of people that were here. Also, the environment was similar in size with Wesleyan and it had a similar environment—one that I thought would be a good fit.
Q: What is your hometown?
I lived with my family in Lincoln, Nebraska until about 14 and then moved to Illinois, in a suburb near Chicago.
Q: If you weren’t the Information Services Librarian at Loras what do you think you would be doing?
I’ve never felt like there was another career I wish I had done. If I weren’t at Loras, though, I would imagine I would have a similar job somewhere else—I wouldn’t be too far away from what I’m doing now.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
I like to cook and bake. I also love stories of any kind—whether it is reading a book, listening to audio books which I love, watching movies, or hearing a story word-of-mouth. I just love a good story—anything that is interesting and entertaining.
