Job Interview

At 1 pm today, I had an interview for a permanent position at a local library.
I'm currently a substitute - sort of like an on-call doctor, except I don't work with needles and I don't have to explain blood tests. Sometimes I do have to break bad news to patrons, such as, "I'm sorry, there's no easy way for me to say this...but your fines are going to prevent you from checking out materials at this time," or the equally painful statement, "We don't take credit or debit cards." My job isn't always easy, but it has its rewarding moments. Like seeing a person's eyes light up when I pull out an available copy of "Twilight" from behind the counter. Or seeing a patron react with glee when I say, "Yes, we do have the third season of 'Weeds.'" Alternatively, I also find joy in the answers people provide on written library card applications. In regards to the question, "How did you find about the library's services?" there are a variety of responses: "common knowledge," "I like to read," "my sister has one," and "heard it was free."
Those are just some of the reasons I enjoy being a librarian, and why I'd like a full-time job in my library system. Benefits are nice, too.

During the interview, I was asked a lot of situational questions. My mind, however, was on something else. Here are a few highlights of my conversation with the managing librarian and branch supervisor.

Supervisor: Tell me about a time when you had to rely on others to complete a project.
Me: March 28, 1992. East Regional Finals. With 2.1 seconds left, we were tied at 98. I had to get the ball into the hands of one of my teammates at the other end of the court. I lobbed it over the defenders and Christian caught the ball. He dribbled the ball, turned around and heaved it up towards the basket. Nothing but net, and all the sudden, I was on the ground hugging Bobby Hurley. We went on to the Final Four and a National Championship. I went on to make Sprite commercials.

Supervisor: What are some of the efforts you make to develop your professional skills? Give me three specific examples.
Me: The first key is defense around the perimeter - contesting the three for the full forty minutes. Need to put pressure on their offense to make extra passes and don't give their shooters any open looks. Their guards are dangerous, and we need to contain them as much as possible. Second, we need to hit the boards on both ends. Rebounding defensively and offensively will create scoring opportunities. The final key is poise. There is a lot of bad blood between these teams, and we need to stay composed and focused. That means staying out of foul trouble and sticking with our game plan.

Managing Librarian: If a parent expressed frustration that his or her eight year-old child has unrestricted access to library materials (such as checking out R-rated movies), how would you explain/defend the library's policy?
Me: