Guest Librarian In the Stacks: Naomi House

The Same 5 Questions We Ask Everyone

1. What’s the best thing about being a Librarian?

First I am a former librarian, I consider myself library-adjacent through INALJ.com (library jobs) & T160K.org (crowdfunding for African Librarian hero, Dr Abdul Kadar Haidara and his rescued Timbuktu manuscripts).  I like being able to make job hunting a bit easier for LIS job hunters and helping connect Librarian hero Dr. Haidara with much needed funding for his preservation and cataloging work, which continues and T160K.org crowdfunds for.

2. What role(s) you see Libraries taking in the future?

The same ones they always have, serving their communities and helping them access information.  I feel this answer is lacking so I follow many LIS / library professionals on Twitter and when in doubt read their thoughts on the subject.  @libraryleadpipe is a great place to start.

3. What’s your Librarian Superpower?  

I have been reading on women's leadership / business blogs that this is the ONE question you should know if you have vision.  I however, lack this concept of vision, lol.  My first thought is a superpower to make enough money to take care of myself and my family, but that is more of a wish and less superpower (can't think of an Avenger with this one yet...).  Then when I do think of comic-based superpowers they mostly seem like things I would not want like flying because, yikes, heights!  Or things I should not have do to impulse control (anything with fire because I might sneeze and cause a fire).  So what Librarian Superpower would I want (which was your question after all): GOOD GRAMMAR.  I lack any spelling and grammar skills.  I would still continue to not care about other's grammar/spelling but it'd be nice to actually not wonder anymore if I was making mistakes in this respect.

4. In what ways has your job become Digital?

With INALJ it has always lived online, first as a daily email pdf, then as jobs on the site INALJ.com and now as pdfs on INALJ.com.

T160K.org is a web-based crowdfunding platform I co-founded raising funds for African patrimony projects such as the rescued Timbuktu manuscripts cataloging project in Mali, starting a Center for the preservation of Africa's photographic heritage in Benin, the world famous Fendika Music Club who is trying to buy the land the club is on in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, dance scholarships in African dance that can lead to employment in the field in Burkina Faso, and preserving Mali's languages through translating music documentaries by the wonderful Instruments 4 Africa!

T160K.org has had its first crowdfunding success with the social justice circus in Ethiopia, Circus Debre Berhan, thanks to all of our donors (all whom donated on the web, so digitally!)

5. What are your Top 5 favorite books?

This list will change with mood, time of day, day of the week, week to week... you get the picture.

1. Possession by A.S, Byatt

2. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

4. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote was an early fav

5. High-Rise by J.G. Ballard