Emerging Technologies

Interviewing the Children & Youth Services Librarian of Rockdale Branch Library on emerging technologies

I interviewed the Children and Youth Services Librarian at Rockdale Branch Library about emerging technologies and how this can be useful to children who visit the Library.

Q1. What is your name?

Heike Ohrmann

Q2. What do you do?

Children and Youth Services Specialist

Q3. What made you choose librarianship as a career?

I've always been interested in literature, language and life-long education.

Q5. When did you realise you want to be Children and Youth Services Librarian?

I had different roles in libraries and other sectors throughout my career. When I took up the position of Children and Youth Services Librarian, I was re-focussing on some interests that I had developed earlier in my working life, in particular children literature and literacy.

Q4. What does it take to be successful as a Librarian?

It takes an ability to interact with people of all ages, an insatiable sense of curiosity, an ability to look at a problem from many different angles, and perseverance so as to determine what the patron is really asking you and then to find an answer for him or her. Especially when working at the Reference desk, my job is like a treasure hunter.

Q6. What do you see as the role of Children and Youth Services Librarian? To promote literacy, engage children in fun activities that support their development as readers and learners, offer parents opportunities to develop their children's literacy, offer parenting support, offer and promote activities for children/families that promote community cohesion.

Q7. Something about emerging technologies, give examples of emerging technologies for Libraries and how you use them to serve children and the youth.

Emerging technologies will change programs and services offered to children and young adults. The interactive nature of websites, apps and databases is appealing to children and young adults as it is to adults and can be used to enhance programs. Here are some of the examples how programs and services are being reshaped: include digital storytelling into early literacy programs, use state-of-the art technology to run programs (iPods, display screens) include web casts and web activities in the programming of the national summer reading club program, offer online tutoring service, use social media and interactive web forms for youth programs.

Reflection

I learnt, working as Children and Youth Services Librarian is not just performing story time but to promote literacy with the use of emerging technologies through interactive website, apps and database which is appealing to children and young adults. It was the first time I heard of digital storytelling into early literacy programs. The children's Librarian was really prepared for the interview. She did not think I was interviewing her for an assignment purpose but answer the questions as if she was being interviewed for a job. She is aware of emerging technologies appropriate for children and young adults. The only problem encountered in organising this interview was the Children and Youth Services Librarian was not readily available since she works as a part time staff. Hence it was difficult in scheduling an appointment with her.