What I do, by Category:ReferenceLike everyone else on the reference staff, I answer questions that come from patrons in the library, over the phone, by letter, by email, and whatever other formats the computer can cook up. I have found seven words that best describe reference work for me: Helping, Teaching, Learning, Maintaining, Retrieving, Finding, Suggesting.TechnologyI am a member of the library's technology committee. I learn a great deal from other members of the staff as well as independently. I learned PowerPoint on my own. I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to outwit the computer and trick it into doing what I want it to do. I sometimes think the computer is humoring me.Collection Maintenance AreasMy collection maintenance areas have recently changed. I now work with mysteries and am backup on American and World History. I am responsible for Genealogy and Family History in the Dewey Decimal area of 829 . I readily admit that I am much better at adding books than I am at weeding anything. And I must say that mysteries tie in nicely with genealogy. Genealogy is all about sleuthing and solving mysteries.Teaching Currently--I currently teach various classes in genealogy at the Newton Free Library.Teaching in the Past--I have periodically redesigned the Applying for a Job Online class. I taught this class through October 2012.--I updated the Computer Basics and Learning the Internet Classes and taught them on occasion.Blogs--I maintain the Curious Genealogist Blog that I created for the Newton Free Library.LibGuides--I created and am responsible for the Genealogy LibGuide.PhotographyI do most of my own photography for the blogs and LibGuides. I know what I want. It's quicker to take my own photos than to find photos that are not under copyright.

My responsibilities included:--Answering reader, staff, and telephone reference questions--Helping readers find the materials necessary to meed the needs of more extensive research projects--Maintaining reading room staffing and security--Answering correspondence and xerox requests--Sustaining a friendly, productive relationship with Society patrons, members, and trustees--Organizing and updating various serials records--Maintaining records on reader usage and on such business matters as xerox orders and orders on some of the Society's various publications

My responsibilities included:--introducing readers to the resources of the collection--suggesting useful materials--retrieving items--helping patrons with everything from brief questions to ongoing research project--typing letters--answering the telephone