Katelyn Lamprey - Senior

Student Library Assistant

Uconn Avery Point Library

What made you apply for your position?

I absolutely adore books–reading, writing, and sharing the stories I love. I have always loved libraries and I thought it would be super fun to work in a library.

How have you been able to balance your schoolwork and work responsibilities? Please provide details of any challenges or hurdles you have encountered.

As a first-generation student responsible for their own tuition, it has been a challenge. Nonetheless, time management has also been integral to my success. Not only have I wanted to have jobs in between my course load, but it has been absolutely necessary for my successful completion of a degree. Specifically, while also planning ahead for the semester and setting a schedule, I try to remain in the moment and give attention to the task at hand. Meaning, while I surely plan ahead for classes, while I am working in the library, my main goal is to be going through life as a student library assistant. In that moment, my job is library (as Ken might word it), and I am there to help serve my classmates and faculty in any way that I can. In more specific details of challenges, I live with two chronic illnesses that can sometimes make life difficult for me. The most present is chronic asthma, and when triggered, can leave me out of school and in the hospital for a few weeks at a time. While trying to focus on my health, certain ways I’ve been able to contribute to my jobs is by providing a list of the tasks I usually do/projects I planned to do, seeing if I can help out remotely in any way, and communicating with my managers and coworkers about my progress. Though university has come with lieu of challenges, as my friend always says: c’est la vie. It’s important to acknowledge the good and the bad, and to realize they work in tandem.

What are your personal keys to success and what aspects of your job do you find the most fulfilling or enjoyable?

I find the “keys to success” to be an interesting way to put it. While I value the ways that I and others have been successful in our fields, I do not believe that there are keys or shortcuts to success. Rather, I believe each individual contributes to life in their own way. Personally, I love working at the library because it brings me joy. Truly, what fulfills me is being able to have conversations with classmates and/or faculty and providing a safe space for students on campus. In terms of job duties, I love it, one of my happy places is upstairs in the general collection, scanning books, or shelving them.

Describe your typical day at work?

My day at work can vary. While I usually work at the front desk, I’ve also been spending a lot of my time working on the Grab-and-Go; a collection that my close friend and coworker, Elena Smith started. Essentially, the Grab-and-Go is a collection of donated, popular fiction titles that students, staff, and faculty can take home without having to check out. I can be found adding titles, sorting genres, and creating displays for the type of books we have. Other than that, I often scan and shelve books, and help to work the ILL office to ensure students and faculty are getting access to the titles they need.

What skills have you acquired or developed in your on-campus job that can contribute to your career readiness or professional development?

I’ve learned a lot of interesting software that I find useful. I’ve worked closely with alma and ILL, and I’ve dabbled with Excel. I’ve also learned so much about creating book collections and helping to circulate and spotlight titles. Lastly, working in the library has made me a more creative person. I’m constantly met with inspiration to create a new display, donate a new book, or to create a new design at our campus’ Grab-and-Go.