This account was written for the MidAtlantic News Research Conference on July 18-19, 1997.
Daisy Maxwell
Librarian
Fayetteville Observer-Times
July 15, 1997
____________
I have no idea what a typical day is. Each day is different and a real
challenge. Since I have a small staff, I have to do whatever is
necessary to complete the mission.
My day starts at 6 a.m. when I begin reading the paper. I have to read
the paper at home because I do not have time to read it at work. In
addition, I want to be familiar with our news coverage before reporting to work.
I report to work at 9:00 a.m. Three part-time library assistants work
with me -- Elina who works 25 hours a week has been working in the library
for several years. Laine started about two weeks ago and Sharon works from
5-9 p.m.. By 9 a.m. Elina, has prepared the paper to be enhanced and is
enhancing images using the photo archiver. Laine, who works 32 hours a week, is
enhancing the paper.
First, I read and respond to in-house messages. Next I read the daily B
Board which is a critique of the paper and other information posted by the
editor and/or managing editor.
I check my e-mail and respond to several requests for information. One
person wants an obituary. Another person wants a recipe. Another reader wants
information about Calvin Koonce, a former baseball player. I e-mail each
person information regarding our research policy. I read the military
briefs furnished by Army Times and the summary of Supreme Court decisions sent
to my e-mail address.
An editor requests recent population figures for the counties we serve.
Since I recently downloaded the figures from the Internet, I am able to
furnish the information on the spot.
I work with Laine, the new employee, who is learning to enhance.
In between answering the telephone and assisting reporters, I scan the
microfilm to locate interesting local news I can use to write my weekly
column, ''From The Archives`` a digest of major local news covering 10,
25,35 and 50 years ago.
One of the feature writers needs information about Phish, a band. Since
there is little information available in our database, I search Lexis-Nexis
and download several articles.
I check the enhancing of the new employee, add keywords to the stories
she has enhanced and prepare them for indexing.
A business reporter wants articles on ``Just In Time``, a business
inventory concept. There are no hits when I search our database. I search
Lexis-Nexis Requester, locate several articles and print them. It is great having
access to Lexis-Nexis. The reporters think I am `THE GREATEST` to be able to
provide information in a flash. We subscribe to Lexis-Nexis Requester, a
modified version of Nexis. We pay a flat rate of $169 per month and have
unlimited use. It is an ideal reference source for small libraries on a limited
budget.
It is 11:50 and I leave to attend the monthly meeting of the
Myrover-Reese Fellowship Home, a substance abuse halfway house. I am a member of the
board of directors and we have a luncheon meeting once a month. I return to
the office around 1:15. There are several messages to handle.
I enhance the B section (state and local news) while answering telephone
requests. One patron wants to know the date her baby's birth was listed
in the paper. A caller from Oregon wants a list of births published in the
paper for babies born August 15, 1954. She is attempting to locate her birth
mother. A customer service representative from the Circulation
Department wants to know the date the list of graduates of Methodist College was
published.
I instruct a new reporter on using the electronic library system.
A reporter at the Robeson Extra bureau needs the name of a religious
leader, mentioned in an earlier story, who opposed mixed drink sales in
Lumberton. I search the database and give him the name while he waited.
An editor informs me that Hugh Shelton, a former commander of Fort Bragg
is being considered for the position of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and he needs a detailed biography of Shelton, a description of his
duties as chairman, and an organizational chart of the Defense Department.
I pull the biography from the clip file and transfer the latest
biographical information from the database to his basket. I obtain the
organizational chart, duties, and additional information from the U.S. GOVERNMENT
MANUAL.
I discuss the night duties with Sharon. Check the stories indexed the
previous day, deindexed and corrected three stories.
It is 6:30. I clean my desk. Check my calendar for any special meeting
or deadlines for the next day and leave the office.
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