Biggest Challenges Faced By An Outreach Librarian At State Library
Clarisa's biggest challenge as a newly hired Outreach Librarian at the State Library is "learning the mission for the state library" and aligning personal goals with it, unlike prior roles where this was more straightforward. This involves navigating unfamiliar territory, relying on coworkers' expertise regarding North Carolina's context to develop programs and events, a process that is proving both helpful and insightful.
Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Goals, Teamwork, Communication, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Clarisa Arguello
Outreach Librarian
State Library
Florida International University, 2008
University of Miami, 2014, Master of Arts in International Administration (MAIA)/ Florida State University, 2016, Master of Science in Library and Information
Education
Government & Public Sector
Communication and Marketing
HSI Grad, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Understanding the mission of a new organization and aligning personal goals with it can be challenging but is surmountable with time and collaboration.
2. Building a strong network of coworkers is crucial for success, especially when starting a new position in an unfamiliar environment.
3. Effectively planning and implementing programs requires research, collaboration, and understanding of the local context (e.g., North Carolina).
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
It could be because I just started, but when I first began, it was hard for me to get the ball rolling. I had worked at the public library for seven years, and there I knew what my role was. I knew what my goal was, really.
I had an agenda, if you will, and I made sure it coincided with the mission for the library. What has been a challenge for me in this role is learning the mission for the state library. With time, that's what I've been picking up.
Now, I'm putting my goals into that, being able to pass on that mission through my goals. I've been working on programming and events up until the next six months and further. I want to make sure that I have things set up so that every month I've got something I'm working on, but also working on in the future.
Sometimes, thinking about a program I want to do is a little difficult because I don't know what's been done before. I don't know as much about North Carolina. So I rely on my coworkers a lot, and they are so wonderful and helpful.
There are people on my team who are my go-tos. We can talk and throw ideas out, and it's really helpful. Those are some of the biggest challenges in my current role.
Advizer Personal Links
linkedin.com/in/clarisa-arguello