A Day in the Life: Ginny Hauswald

This account was written for the MidAtlantic News Research Conference on July 18-19, 1997.

Ginny Hauswald
Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal
News Library Manager's Day, July 11

My habit is to thoroughly read the paper at home so I don't have too many
surprises when I get to work at 8:30 a.m.

First on the agenda is talking with the marker about any problem stories,
graphics I've noticed. Then I begin checking system messages: voice mail,
e-mail, Atex and Mac network.
 
9:00 a.m.--Selective search of AP Leaf Desk for all images designated for
our temporary archive program.  The temporary archive was started to
relieve to space problems on the Leaf Desk.  When a photo will not be used
for several days or even weeks, we make a copy and store it on an optical
disk that holds folders for each of the assigning news desks such as
metro, state, features, business. The images are marked, copied to disk
and compressed.  Once a week a copy of the contents of each folder is
distributed to the assigning editor to keep him aware of the photos he is
holding and to sign off on photos that may be deleted. Answer phones,
handle research and photo requests.

9:30-10:15--Editor's morning budget meeting.

10:15-10:30--Meet with photo chief to work on business plan for marketing
photo sales.

10:30-11--Check messages, answer mail, pay bills and update my purchasing
databases.

11:20-Noon--Write rough draft of photo marketing plan.  Make list of
additional questions for photo chief. 

Noon-12:20--Meet with features editor about more efficient handling of
mountain of movie and music photos, slides we receive each week.

12:20-12:50--Memos to library staff, photographers, fill copyright
permission request. Work with caller who is unable to locate recent
stories on our web site archive. 

Lunch

2--Check messages. Review new photo and clip file database entries. Check
Extensis web site for update news.  Call Extensis and learn update delayed
additional 2 weeks.  Call systems information manager and request
immediate addition of Fetch on new Mac 
since we are now almost two months behind in searchable archiving.
(Learned at SLA Seattle conference that our archiving system problem is
happening because we have filled it to its limit). Find and send more date
specific information to our promotions director for the weekly page he
produces commemorating the paper's centennial this year.

3:20--Research request for business editor, property tax records search
for reporter.
3:30--Night-side librarian arrives.  Bring him up-to-speed on tomorrow's
stories, photos. Sort transfer and trash appropriately recently inherited
1950s-1985 photo negatives salvaged from a little used storage area.

4:45--Check with business editor after the 4:15 news budget meeting about
additional research 

6:00--It's been a fairly typical Friday, less hectic than most because so
many folks are on vacation.  Head home.


A Day in the Life
SLA News Division Home

Last Updated: 09/16/02
Amy Disch
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