Profile: Diana Cook Branch Librarian Southeast Regional

Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, vol. 6, no. 1 (2011)

Profile: Diana Cook Branch Librarian Southeast Regional Library How long have you been working in libraries? I worked as a desk assistant at STM college library in Saskatoon in the early 80's, became the branch librarian at Carievale, Saskatchewan in 1988. I was there until we moved in the fall of 1996 and then became the library assistant at Milestone, where we now live. I have been the branch librarian at Milestone since June of 2004. I have also been employed simultaneously at the Regina Public Library as a library assistant since fall of 1998, so the answer is roughly 25 yrs. What was your first job? My first paid work was working for my mother, helping her clean the office where my father worked. My first official job was working for a hotel in Regina when I was a university student. Describe your first library job. My first library job, which directly led to my employment in rural libraries, was as a desk assistant in Saint Thomas More Library. I checked materials in and out, did photocopying, and other clerical duties. Ever since junior high, I had wanted to work in libraries, so I thought this was the best student job ever. If you weren't a librarian/library worker, what would you be and why? I can't imagine doing anything else, although I have been a customs officer, university tour guide and playschool teacher. I always thought it might be fun to


2

work as a tour guide or writing greeting cards if I had to do something else. The tour guide idea is an extension of the tours I have done at the university years ago, or in libraries more recently. I enjoy talking to people and telling them about things, so it would probably suit me. It was the thing I enjoyed the most when I was working at Canada Customs. I also like to write. I am a big reader, so I always enjoy sharing thoughts about books with people too. So maybe a book reviewer or editor would be good job... What do you like best about your current job? Working with people and books has always been the most fun I could have. I have met authors and illustrators in my job, as well as people travelling from all over the world who stop to use our public access computers in our little town. When a little boy gets turned onto books, or an elderly lady beams with gratitude because I have brought her some new books, who could ask for more job satisfaction? When you love reading, you want to share that with others. Libraries are still "free", so what could be better than showing people what great things they can take home and enjoy, no money down, no payments to make? It has always been about the people and about the books. Describe your favorite conference experience. My favorite experience was a trip to Minneapolis a few years ago to "Puppet Rampage" which consists of several days of puppet shows and workshops lasting from 8 a.m. to after midnight. It was exhausting but a tremendous learning experience that I will never forget. My next favorite would be Kaleidoscope in Calgary, which is a children's literature conference. What do you do for fun? I read (of course!), use the internet, sew, knit, watch tv. I love live theatre and music and go often into Regina for performances. Name one person you admire, and explain why you admire them. I admire my mother, who passed away at a young age, but managed to raise me to adulthood and taught me to be tolerant and understanding of all people. I was raised without any prejudice and I have endeavoured to raise my children in the same way. She didn't have a long time, but she showed me many of the wonders of life and gave me the skills I needed. And of course, she read to me always! When I was waiting for the school bus in the morning, she would read from whatever book she was currently reading whether it was Chaucer or Samuel Pepys. She raised in me awareness of history and drama and the wide world and set the stage for the person I have become.


3

If you could say one thing to someone who is interested in a career in libraries, what would it be? Volunteer if you can, or get a temporary or part time job in a library and try it out. Find out everything you can. When my son was in gr. 9, he wanted to know how he could be a reference librarian, such as they have at RPL, so I gave him the email address of a person who did that job so they could discuss it. Then when he was a university student in Saskatoon, I told him to try STM library which he did. They were sorry to lose him when he came back to U of R, but he continued to work with the Provincial Library and the university library in Regina on a part time or temporary full time basis until leaving Regina last fall. Now in his 20's, he is in his first semester of his master's degree at SLAIS at UBC in Vancouver. He has already tried several different kinds of libraries and has an idea of what interests him the most. He likes problem solving, as do I, which is a good skill for a librarian... If you were stranded at the airport, what would you want to have with you to read, and why? oh, the choices! I think I would want to have a big fat Maeve Binchy or a sci/fi or fantasy series by someone like Tanya Huff, Mercedes Lackey or Holly Lisle. All the books I like are strong in character development. I like a good mystery or adventure too, but you have to have strong, interesting characters who are like real people so that you take an interest in what becomes of them in their story. Lately, I find myself reading more non-fiction biography-type books. Many people have fascinating stories of their own. If I was going to be stranded a long time, I would want enough books to keep me going. The reason I bought an e-book reader is so I can stop taking a big carryon full of books and magazines when I fly (but I will always have a huge stack of real books, both fiction and non-fiction, at my house...). When I lose myself in a good book, I don't care how long I have to wait...

Documents

Profile: Diana Cook Branch Librarian Southeast Regional