NMRT Notes

By: Jenni Diaz Garcia, Library Outreach Specialist, Iowa State University

Earlier this year, I wrote an article called “Casting a Line, Screaming Into the Void: Lessons from One Librarian’s MLIS Job Search Experience” about “Rachel,” a pseudonym for a fellow MLIS graduate navigating the exhausting road to her first library job. When writing her story, I wondered: But what happens next? What does it look like a year after finally landing the job, casting the line, catching the fish?

I don’t know about Rachel, but here’s my answer- one year into my first job after library school, still, like Rachel, yelling into the void occasionally, but mostly yelling, “Go to the library!” at students (lovingly, I promise).

From TikTok to Tabling: Finding My Footing

When I first considered librarianship, I was a clueless English major who realized that working in publishing or editing would make me scream forever (and not in the fun, finals-week-primal-scream sort of way). My real thrill came from clicking buttons in library databases and watching JSTOR PDFs roll in. So when a random TikTok asked me, “Why not librarianship?” I sat back and thought to myself, “Well… why not?”

I found my first full-time job before graduation (sorry!) that perfectly suited my needs. Library Outreach Specialist. Not quite a librarian title, but hey, we all need to start somewhere, right?

Still, even with all that experience under my belt, I didn’t feel settled right away in my new job. For weeks, I smiled through the fear of feeling constantly a few paces behind. Around the two-month mark, something shifted. I finally had enough context to stop feeling lost and enough confidence to start asking the important questions: Where is this position going? Can it evolve into something else? What does growth look like here, for me? Feeling steady didn’t mean I had all the answers, but it meant I had space to start shaping them.

Top Things I Learned One Year Into My Specialist Job

1. Ask the Big Questions

In a brand-new role without a roadmap, the real challenge wasn’t following rules and regulations. The real challenge came when my supervisor asked me, point blank, “Well… what do you want to do?” and I blinked, trying not to cry. Or when experienced librarians would say, “I want to use your expertise,” and all I could think was… what expertise? I did have it. I just had to believe it. I had outreach experience, teaching experience, social media, programming, and student engagement. I knew how to make people feel welcome in a space. I had the student perspective, the first-gen perspective, and the “I found this career through TikTok” perspective. I just had to learn to say it out loud, even if my voice shook a little at first. Initially terrifying, this sort of agency became empowering once I learned to articulate my expertise clearly, even when my voice shook.

2. Weekly Check-Ins Are Essential
   One of the best things that helped me grow? Weekly check-ins with my supervisor. It gave me structure and reflection time, but more importantly, it gave me someone in my corner. Someone who could help me advocate for myself and reinforce that yes, I did bring something valuable to the table (even if it wasn’t a traditional librarian title yet!). Make space for conversations that aren’t just about deliverables. Ask about direction, development, capacity, and well-being. Remember, you’re not a machine. You’re a person trying to build something long-lasting.

And if you don’t have weekly check-ins, I highly recommend checking out NMRT’s mentorship opportunities. They’re designed to help early-career librarians find those same moments of reflection, support, and direction.

3. Embed Yourself in Campus Culture
   Something I didn’t fully understand until I started this role: you can’t do library outreach well without understanding the campus culture around you. So I joined committees. I talked to people in other campus departments. I got involved with student programming. I started showing up where the students are, not just where the library is. And what does this mean? Well, sometimes that meant making Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes at 11 PM for sleep-deprived students as part of a Student Affairs finals program. Other times, it was volunteering for the campus-run food pantry. Either way, there is so much to learn about what students need, how they talk, what they’re worried about, and how the library can be part of their everyday lives.
   
   
4. Ask Weird Questions…Be Curious
   Something that’s helped me more than any workshop or webinar? Being deeply, unapologetically curious. Why isn’t popcorn allowed in the library? What’s up with the secret room above the rotunda? Why do we use this form for that process? Asking these questions (some practical, some straight-up ridiculous) opened doors, sparked conversations, and helped me understand the culture and quirks of my institution. Curiosity is a strength. Use it. And don’t be afraid to laugh at the answers along the way.
   
   
5. Personalize Your Office Space
   Your workspace matters. I didn’t realize how much until I started making mine feel like me. I put up art. I made space for a rotating “Book of the Week” display. I added statues and sculptures and a fake moss wall and called my office space The Labyrinth. It turned my office from a generic workspace into a welcoming, conversation-starting hub. Small things like that can make a huge difference in how you feel walking in each day (just ask my tea cart sitting in the corner).
   
   
6. Keep Learning, Keep Listening
   Just because I finished my degree doesn’t mean I’m done learning. I try to attend my coworkers’ talks, ask questions about their departments, and look for ways to better speak about their work during outreach. If I don’t understand something, I ask. If I want to be part of something, I say so, especially if it’s in an area I care about but don’t know a lot about. One of the best lessons I’ve learned this year? Show people you care about growing. Titles matter way less than just showing up.

Feeling stuck or unsure of how to grow? You can also check out ALA Connect’s NMRT Community to find posts about new ways to get involved and stay connected.

To Those Still Casting Lines
This job lets me do what I love: welcome students, table at events, shout about the library from rooftops (or at least from behind a resource table with a bowl of candy and a crate of swag). I talk to students who are just as bewildered as I once was. I help faculty and staff build bridges between their goals and library resources. There is a chronic ache in my knees from kneeling to tape signage, and I have begged for departments to invite me to their open houses. In other words, while I love this job, this year hasn’t been without its growing pains.

If you’re still job hunting, second-guessing at your first job, or feeling lost, I see you. I was you. My job didn’t look exactly how I imagined, yet it became everything I didn’t know I needed. I’ve grown, made mistakes, and asked, “What am I doing?” at least once a week (usually when wrestling Adobe InDesign). However, I’ve also built a foundation, created something from scratch, and found joy in the strange, specific work of academic outreach. I’ve learned that expertise doesn’t always look like a degree or a title.

So no, I don’t have everything figured out. But who does? A year in, I’ve learned to ask better questions, take bolder chances, and sit with the discomfort of not knowing everything yet. That’s part of the fun. It’s 2025, and we’ve got work to do.