The "Experience LC" program: a personal narrative

Information Outlook, Oct, 1998 by Marie Deuerlein

After inaugurating a new corporate (solo) librarian position for the past year, I felt a strong need to recharge my professional development batteries. In 1998, I attended both the Special Libraries Association (SLA) conference in Indianapolis, IN, and the American Library Association (ALA) conference in Washington, DC, and found each to be stimulating, exhausting, and rewarding.

Conference Prep Through the Web

I used both conference web sites extensively to prepare for the trips. Since ALA would be held in Washington, DC, there was a link to the Library of Congress web site <http://lcweb.loc.org/>. I soon discovered a special one-day program called "Experience LC". This promised a "day on the job" experience in my choice of several functional areas: the main reading room, the area collections, technical services, or the Office of the Chief of Staff. The only requirement involved filling out a web form stating why that particular section of the library was of special interest. About fifty applicants would be selected.

I had "experienced LC" in one way years ago. Past worklives have included reference/business information specialist in a very large academic business library; running a career services library within a student affairs department at another large academic institution; and doing OCLC input, technical services processing, and pre-professional collection development in a third academic library system. I had sold out-of-print and semi-antiquarian books; acted as administrative/research assistant to managing director of a private firm; created several catalogs of private libraries for estate-planning bequests and tax purposes; and researched folk-dance and -music for a small folk-dance nonprofit organization. Ten years ago, the latter brought me' to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for several days' research. At that time, I attended a behind-the-scenes "bus-man's tour" of LC's Technical Services area and enjoyed the gorgeous public exhibits and bookshop. So I had certain impressions of and areas of interest about the Library of Congress already at hand.

My web essay request was to spend the day in the Office of the Chief of Staff for reasons that follow. Since I normally serve on the front line as a business information specialist, I desired a top-down view. I wondered about going into administrative librarianship later in my career. And I was genuinely curious about major initiatives, including the mechanics of providing books to disaster-stricken areas <http://lcweb.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9709/web/acquire.html>, and how unique items of worthwhile, but tiny, historical societies could somehow become part of the National Digital Libraries project <http://lcweb.loc.gov/bicentennial/>. Through participation in this program, I received answers to some of my interests and concerns.

In May, I received a phone call from Charles Stanhope, assistant to the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, inviting me to participate in the "Experience LC" program. He would meet all of the participants for the day (about sixty total, fourteen for that day) for a brief orientation film and then we would go to our respective areas. There would be some international librarians among us. I seemed to be the only corporate librarian participating, at least for that day.

Agenda for the Day

The first activity after climbing The (Capitol) Hill was to view the orientation film shown in the Jefferson Building - a short explanation of the mission of the Library of Congress and its services and operations over the years.

Now to meet our fellow participants. Professionally and geographically, we came from different areas. Two branch public librarians from Alabama and Vancouver, B.C., Canada; one corporate librarian from Massachusetts; one cataloger from a university in Alabama, and one archivist from the Federal Archive of Bosnia/Herzegovina. Two males, three females; two African-Americans, three Caucasians; two planned to write articles on their experiences; all held the M.L.S. or equivalent degree; one was about to finish a doctorate in archives. Our years of work experience ranged from less than two to more than fifteen. Most of us were appalled at the DC heat (97 degrees F.) and humidity (heat index 102), wondering what would be in store for us, slightly awed and silently thrilled to be at LC that day.

A quick walk from the Jefferson Building brought us to the sixth floor or the Madison Building, where Charles Stanhope introduced us to Special Assistants Virginia Sorkin, Lucy Suddreth, Fern Underdue, and Karen Wood. Our group immediately plunged into a maelstrom of daily activities.

We were expected to participate as fully as possible in the various sessions, and what interesting sessions they proved to be! Everything - from conflict resolution to strategic planning to viewing some rarities in the Geography and Map Division to debating the future of the information professional to facilitative leadership training to meeting a high-up official in the LC echelon - was offered to us. We were, after all, to experience a typical day on the job. No events which required special protocol were scheduled for that day, but the wife of a European prime minister had visited the previous week.