Document Type

Conference Presentation

Embargo Period

10-17-2023

Publication Date

10-6-2021

Department

Academic Affairs Faculty

Abstract

Objective: This poster aims to outline one librarian's experience obtaining their first professional role as a health sciences librarian during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Graduating in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020 provided unique challenges in the process of applying and beginning my first position as a health sciences librarian. I was applying for jobs out of state while living in Fort Lauderdale, FL as a new graduate from library school.

Results: I was hired for my first professional role as a Research and Education Informationist at the Medical University of South Carolina in October 2020 and began my position fully remote. The hiring process included a virtual interview, learning to build a rapport through Zoom, completing the onboarding process remotely, and attending an online orientation. The greatest challenges to overcome were building relationships with my team and learning about the university while living over 600 miles away. Team building in this virtual space included one-on-one meetings for introductions, virtual "water-cooler" sessions to facilitate conversation, and utilizing Microsoft Teams chat as a tool to keep lines of communication open. Learning about the university involved trial and error by shadowing chat shifts, reading through the library's website, and being open to asking my team questions as they appeared.

Conclusions: Being hired as a librarian in a fully remote setting during the COVID-19 pandemic helped me strengthen my communication skills as I built relationships with my team solely through Microsoft Teams and e-mail communication. This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone by learning to collaborate with people I have never met in person before and increased my ability to adapt to rapidly changing situations.

Description

Poster presented at the SC/MLA Annual Meeting, Virtual, September 2021.

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