Librarian/Information Operative
Rolls-Royce
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
I currently am the solo librarian for Rolls-Royce. Although I am based in Indianapolis and have a physical library with books and a gas turbine engine parts petting zoo, I serve a global community. Sixteen years ago, I served Indianapolis only. There was nothing electronic, no website, no customer service, no research…not much of anything except a library that looked like something from the 1960s.
I have an undergraduate degree in environmental science. I worked in the hazmat field for 10+ years. I thoroughly enjoyed the work; however, after a while I felt something was missing in my work and was not happy with a position I had taken at a new firm. It was then I decided at the age of 50, to make a career change, by quitting my job, selling my home, and pursuing my MLS.
In my MLs program I directed my studies toward medical librarianship; but when I was working as a contractor for Rolls-Royce cataloging their library, I was offered the position of librarian since the librarian was moving on to a different career within the company. The position I had accepted was only supposed to last one year; however, I took what was to be a soon shuttered library and rendered it an essential part of the business. I employed all the wonderful resources and tools I acquired from SLA and wonderful colleagues and my knowledge from the corporate world to develop my ROI, marketing, teaching to keep the library alive. Rolls-Royce recently reduced its real estate footprint since we are now hybrid. This necessitated a move of the library from its current space to its new location. The library was a part of the planning process and its fate was never in doubt.
Disclosure information not submitted.
Saturday, July 30, 2022
8:00 AM EDT
Sunday, July 31, 2022
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM EDT
