July 5th: Inside Look on Outreach with Ms. Karen B

 

The realm of libraries is more complex than most realize. The field is made up of many sub fields that all work together to fulfill the library mission and meet the needs of the community. A library sub field that plays a key role in this mission is outreach and the staff/librarians who work in outreach. Library outreach is all about as one outreach librarian described “going where people are and meeting them at their need level.” Outreach is meant to not only provide people with resources and inform them of resources that a library offers, but to just going out to people and checking on them as well. It is a part of the library that is all about compassion, information, and service.

I had the opportunity to interview the Outreach Librarian at Lake Travis Community Library and my supervisor Ms. Karen Ballinger. This interview provided me the opportunity to discover some of the challenges to outreach from an inside perspective as well as some of the joys too. I asked Ms. Karen B a series of six questions and took notes on her answers. The questions are as follows:

1. What was/is the hardest thing about your job as an outreach librarian?
2. Is there a group or population that is harder to support?
3. Do you find that the populations you are reaching out to are more or less receptive?
4. How would you describe doing outreach with youth?
5. What has been the most fulfilling part of our job?
6. What is one piece of advice you would give to anyone considering being an outreach librarian or working in library outreach?

When Ms. Karen B, described the hardest part about outreach I was surprised when she said communication. It is hard to communicate with the rest of library staff for support you need and don’t need regarding outreach. She explained how some of her coworkers don’t usually understand the how, what, and why. Furthermore, the communication is harder as the outreach person is not there in library, so they have to work harder to make efforts seen and known. Continuing on the track of difficult parts of outreach, Ms. Karen B was disheartened as she told me that it was the lower income populations like those who live in RV parks and use food pantries were the hardest group to serve. She explained that this in part because they are a consistently moving group and their phone numbers change a lot too making it hard to keep in touch with and find them- which is disheartening because you want them to have resources. However, when discussing what populations- if any- are less receptive to service she said it depends how the day is usually, but assisted living is usually hardest. This is because while many read in past, they don’t read now due to lack of desire from bad eyesight or hearing. But she mentioned that the Assisted Living director reminded her that it is more of visit for everybody. Food pantry members again can be less receptive to checking out as they are always on go and lower income areas too as parents don’t usually go with their kids.  She explained that there was only so much you can make people do or read more or use resources.

Since, my concentration is on youth librarianship I asked Ms. Karen B about how it is like doing outreach for youth. I was a bit shocked when she told me that outreach for youth is easier than adults as they are more interested in books and materials than adults. Additionally, adults are more willing to take kids than themselves. Then there are a lot more willing partners and community stops to go to for kids like schools, bus stops, carnivals, camps, and going to where the kids are. Similarly, she revealed that the most fulfilling part of outreach for her has been watching all the kids grow that you see at many of the stops. Ms. Karen B has been doing outreach for several years, so she has seen the kids come and become older. One story she shared was seeing the once toddlers become older to where they can get their own lollipops and crafts and moving up in the book world from board books to beginning readers. She said it is fun to see and hear about the kids' lives.

Lastly, I ended the interview by asking Ms. Karen B to offer one piece of advice for anyone going into outreach. This is what she offered: 

“You have to change your mindset from a library centric mode to what people need mode and have radical empathy as you are going into their space, and they aren’t coming into your space. Do not be judgmental and handle each situation with care and compassion.”

Throughout the interview, Ms. Karen B offered a lot of insight and wisdom relating to the library sub field of outreach. Personally, I believe that a big part of being a youth library involves outreach. Therefore, I was grateful to learn of populations that may need extra care and more research to help reach them- like the lower income as those communities have lot youth that deserve resources and care too. I felt like the interview gave me a more detailed perspective and understanding of how to meet youth and adults- working with kids you will still need to work with adults- where they are and serve them in the best capacity possible. I am so appreciative of Ms. Karen B’s time and all I got to learn from her during this interview.


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