DLF Jobs Digests
In 2016, as a newly appointed Program Associate for the Digital Library Federation, one of my tasks was to run the program’s bustling Jobs Board. It was pretty straightforward; approve the posts that were submitted and send out a summary of new jobs each week to the DLF-Announce listserv. Within the first couple weeks, I was like, ‘there has got to be more to it than this.’ There wasn’t — and I laugh about this now — but I decided to add some intrigue, and start writing short introductions to my emails each week. Over the next couple years, I would compose a few lines about whatever was on my mind. It ended up being something people remember me for (for better or worse) at conferences even today, when they see my name.
As an intrepid 24-year old at their first job, usual listserv etiquette and email culture were not something I was hampered by. And good thing, too. I’ve gathered some of my favorite weekly intros from the DLF-Announce archives. I hope you get a chuckle out of reading them back, like I did.
images from my first few months with DLF in 2016
Wed, 10 Jul 2019
You know the moment after you put a contact lens in wrong (or with a speck of dust on the inside, or after you’ve touched chili peppers) and it feels like you’ve just shot a pebble into your own eye? The whole world kind of slows down while you stand there, knees buckling from the pain, clutching your face and squinting accusingly at the dummy in the mirror until you manage to extract it. And suddenly, everything’s fine again.
That’s exactly what it feels like to go back to work after a long weekend away. Don’t you think?
Wed, 3 Jul 2019
The thing to know about me is I don’t care about any sports. Ever. The kid in left field watching cloud formations during P.E.? That was me. The girl who went to watch her boyfriend race at the velodrome and got extremely excited to find an anthill (they were big ants, okay?) she could observe near the track when she got tired of watching people go in circles: also me. Which makes it really astonishing, even to myself, that I’ve been completely enthralled by a documentary series on Netflix about F1 racing called Drive to Survive.
The whole spectacle is so far removed from reality that it’s somehow outrageous and delightful all at once. “I’m almost 30,” a driver says mournfully, to explain why his career is nearing an end. “Unfortunately, we’re one of the lowest-funded teams, with just £134 million,” says another. I find myself screeching through every episode.
You won’t find anything going 200 mph here, unfortunately. Just some new job positions—which may be more your speed:
Mon, 24 Jun 2019
It’s been well over a decade since its release, but there are a surprising number of topics that still remind me of the classic American film National Treasure, no matter how many times they’re mentioned. Daylight savings time, for instance. (“Daylight savings wasn’t established until World War I. If it’s 3 p.m. now that means that in 1776 it would be 2 p.m.!”) Artic exploration. (“The secret lies with Charlotte.”) Even the National Archives, which I hear about all the time, always conjures up Nicholas Cage in my mind. (“I’m gonna steal it.”)
It’s extremely inconvenient that the film has imprinted so strongly on my subconscious. On the other hand, there are worse ways to spend five minutes of your work day than googling National Treasure quotes and laughing to yourself.
In case you’ve got more productive things in mind, here are the positions that were posted to the Jobs Board in the past week:
Wed, 29 May 2019
This morning while I was on the bus, I got to see some wildlife—because there were 20 high school boys onboard with me. Despite the early hour, they were wide awake and very active. It was a rare chance to observe them up close.
One kid actually swung from an overhead pole to get a laugh out of his friends. Another was eating breakfast. An entire row of them had busied themselves with scrolling through Instagram. In what was maybe the most remarkable of all their behaviors, one kid scrolled past numerous posts: a Fortnite video, a picture of friends, and then stopped at an image that simply said “Double tap if you love your mom”—and guess what he did? He double tapped. A victory for moms everywhere. Or, maybe for the conditioning behind social media?
Yikes, I’ve stumbled into some actual science here. And now, I will back away slowly by offering you these posts from the Jobs Board:
Mon, 22 Apr 2019
Do you ever get the urge to print out and save your online exchanges? I’m not even talking about really momentous stuff like an @ from Beyonce—though obviously that’s something you would want on your gravestone. Sometimes I just really treasure a 3am DM from someone who saw a thing and thought of me, or a mundane text message that signs off with “Love, Dad”.
Somewhere on my hard drive I actually do have a folder of screenshots; things like the notification that I was accepted to an important program, or a breakup that happened mostly via Facebook Messenger (college, eyyy). But will I have them in 50 years to look back on, the way my parents have letters and cards that they tossed into shoeboxes? Why do I have so many digital shoeboxes? Hard drives and thumb drives and message logs on ten different apps. It feels a little like a lost cause to try to keep all those memories together.
Luckily, we don’t have the same trouble with the jobs we receive. All submissions from the last week, below:
Tue, 22 Jan 2019
Have you seen “Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse”? I watched it almost a month ago, but still think about it all the time.
Some days, I marvel at the incredible visual style (or more accurately, spend a few minutes exclaiming, “how the heck?!?” while flipping through the art book for the film). In other moments, I do a quiet fist pump about the portrayal of a biracial family onscreen. Mostly, though, I just play this song over and over and over.
Isn’t it nice to find something you like that much? In that spirit, some exciting new positions submitted to DLF Jobs:
Mon, 7 Jan 2019
I spent my holidays in Rome this year, and boy, is that city full of experiences that make you glad to be alive. Like the breathtaking moment just after you leave the Sistine Chapel, when you can finally feel a hint of fresh air on your face after the crush of the crowd inside. Or the absolute thrill of approaching the Colosseum..because you dodged 6 speeding scooters and 4 immense tour groups and made it across the street in one piece.
Despite all the logistical challenges, it really was a beautiful place to start the year. I hope 2019 got off to a good start for you, too. Here are the jobs we’ve posted from the past two weeks:
Mon, 17 Dec 2018
The other day I was browsing Spotify and came upon a playlist title that left me totally aghast: “All out 10s”. As in, the 2010s. As in, ‘they’re drawing to a close, here’s a retrospective.’
I’m not good at math—or letting things go, apparently—so I’ve had trouble processing that it’s nearing a decade since 2010. But listening to the songs made it easier to visualize. June 2011: when I couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing Mumford & Sons (cue insanely fast banjos). October – November 2012: when my college roommate broke up with her boyfriend and listened to Adele on repeat for literal months. July 2015: when my younger cousin requested something called “Cake by the Ocean” on repeat and I realized I was officially out of the pop music game. I guess all those years really happened; they just happened so fast.
Last week was the same, but here are some DLF Jobs we received, as evidence:
Tue, 4 Sep 2018
This summer I’ve been making a point to visit all the historic sites in the city where I live—and those of you who know anything about Alexandria VA will know that there are a lot of historic sites there. Having grown up in a city that was only incorporated into California in 1962, it’s been fun to visit places with more history behind them.
Even better than playing tourist, though, has been realizing all the ways the historic importance has just started to blend into everyday life. While walking home from work, it’s become normal to step around enthusiastic locals in full colonial dress as they lead gaggles of middle-schoolers down the street. On my way to get groceries, I pass Robert E. Lee’s boyhood home, and make sure to hit up the Poké-stop there. And en route to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, I take a shortcut through the Christ Church cemetery. “In memory of the Honorary Pall-Bearers of General George Washington” reads a plaque on the wall. I stop short, and pull out my phone. I’ve almost missed another Poké-stop.
In the spirit of exploration, take a look at this week’s submissions to the DLF Jobs Board:
Tue, 14 Aug 2018
I wonder how much of my life has been spent stuck in various kinds of traffic here in DC. It’s a depressing amount of time, whatever it is. There’s roundabout traffic. And the backup when someone stands on the left side of an escalator. Motorcade shutdowns, and bottlenecks when tour groups or beer crawlers take up entire street corners.
Lately, a few scooter companies have been experimenting here. As a pedestrian, it’s pretty terrifying to have them zoom past you on the sidewalk. But also as a pedestrian? I. would. love. to strap on a helmet, secure my commuter bag on my shoulder, and sail into the sunset/roll past all the hang-ups. I live too far away for it to work in reality, but I can always daydream about it. (And boy, do I have time.)
If you’re stuck somewhere too, take a look at the jobs that have come across our Board in the last week:
Fri, 20 Jul 2018
For my dad’s 70th birthday banquet earlier this year, I ordered 20 pieces of driftwood which, along with brown netting and lovely bouquets of greenery, made gorgeous table centerpieces for an evening my mom and I themed “fishing—but classy fishing”.
After the three-hour dinner was over, though, we were left with, well, 20 pieces of driftwood, which I have been slowly transporting across the country (in my carry-on luggage) each time I’ve visited my family. I’ve put it on every bookshelf and windowsill in my apartment, and in the plant terrarium. My apartment’s theme, I realized this morning, is becoming ‘classy fishing’. And I’m willing to embrace it.
Fri, 13 Jul 2018
I love free stuff. The art publication catalogs I’ve started receiving in the mail post-ARLIS, whose pretty images I sometimes save to tape up. Old books and furniture left on the curb in the Capitol Hill neighborhood on Saturdays for anyone passing to take. Ice cream (two big scoops!) at an event I attended this week. Yoga classes in the park.
The beauty of free stuff is, I think, more than just the fact that you don’t have to fork over money in exchange. It’s that where you might normally agonize over a purchase—Do I really need this wall art/nightstand/treat/class? Is it worth the cost?— when you get something for free, you’re able to just accept it. What a gift.
Anyways, on to the reason I’m stopping by: This week’s DLF Jobs:
Thu, 17 May 2018
Do you ever leave messages for your future self to find? To-do lists excluded, I mean.
Slack provides a Direct Message channel where you can DM yourself—and of course, that gave ‘past Becca’ ideas. A few days ago, I opened a rarely-used instance to find that I’d posted a message there months ago. “Hi, hello!” I had said, with a little waving hand emoji. According to the date, it was put there back in October. What a cheerful and thoughtful thing of past-me to do! I cackled when I saw it, pretty sure that I’d also cackled when I wrote it. It was a bit like receiving unexpected mail from a friend: sweet, and a little bit endearing. We should do more of that kind of thing, don’t you think? Hide little encouragements around for ourselves and our friends.
On that note, best of luck if you’re searching for a job. Here are the ones that came across my desk this week:
Wed, 2 May 2018
Whenever I spend time with my siblings, a switch flips and we’re back to being kids again. Does that happen to you, as well? The other day my younger brother and I walked into a Walmart together on an errand. Struck by how big the store was, I exclaimed, “Wow! They should provide walkie-talkies for groups coming in here.” He was quick to point out that people can simply use their phones to call one another. What a drag.
A few minutes later, after parting ways on separate missions, I was unable to find him again. So I did the first thing that came to mind: pulled out my phone, dialed his number, and whispered, “Kssssht. Testing, testing. This is Quon One. Come in Quon Two! What’s your location? Over.” I waited, giggling silently, unsure if he was going to play along. And then, a low response. “Ksssshht. This is Quon Two.”
It’s good to know that some things never change. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something new, here are the positions we’ve received in the past week.
Mon, 9 Apr 2018
Have you ever been put in the care of a child while video chatting? It’s a simultaneously hilarious and terrifying experience.
This weekend, I got a taste of it when my brother placed his phone in the hands of my seven-year-old cousin—who proceeded to give me an MTV-style tour of my own childhood home, where he’s been staying for spring break. He shot into the kitchen. “Here’s the kitchen,” he said as he whipped me around the room. “We made cookies! And bread! And I ate a lot of tomatoes.” he put me on the counter and proceeded to demonstrate by putting two cherry tomatoes into his mouth at the same time while laughing hysterically. He picked me up and trotted around the house, then out the back door to the garden with my parents’ dog on his heels. “We’ve been planting seeds!” he yelled excitedly as I watched sand stream past. And that’s when the wifi gave out.
I wish I could re-enact his enthusiasm about his rock collection for you, but here’s a collection I’m much more qualified to speak to: this week’s submissions to the DLF Jobs Board.
Mon, 2 Apr 2018
Do you ever get nostalgic for video stores? Last night as I was drifting off to sleep, they popped into my mind out of nowhere. I could almost smell the particular mix of carpeting and plastic that would hit when you walked into a Blockbuster. Maybe the memory was that strong. Or maybe a neighbor was doing renovations. Who knows.
Every week when I was little, I would crouch in the kids’ section and pore over my options: Spice World. Matilda. A Goofy Movie. Free Willy. Any of approximately a million Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen movies. It was an important decision, because I only got one VHS on each trip. I wish I chose everything I watch now as carefully.
On the subject of big decisions, here are some newly-posted positions for your perusal:
Mon, 12 Mar 2018
Over the weekend, I cleaned out my personal Google Drive, and read through some of my writing assignments from college for the first time in four years. You wouldn’t think the essays would stand the test of time (and a graduate school education), but I was delighted and impressed with my younger self’s work.
Some truly spectacular excerpts include the statement, “Admiral Lord Nelson went out with (both a literal and figurative) bang when he was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805” and a final paper that began “It’s amazing how, after studying something for ten weeks, a person can still feel overwhelmed by how much they don’t understand about it.” There may also have been another missive on the Hellenistic era that started with “It is a truth universally acknowledged…” and included a reference to Captain Underpants.
Now you know: I was incorrigible long before I started these Jobs Board roundups. Speaking of—here are last week’s positions:
Mon, 12 Feb 2018
Two things are making me happy today. The first is big news: DLF welcomed our new Program Assistant, Aliya Reich, to the office. Hooray! It’s going to be so great to have her on board.
The second is slightly smaller news, but no less joyful: someone left a container of pretzel sticks in the kitchen (actually, they’re so big they’re called ‘pretzel rods’) which basically means I’ve been tramping back and forth from my desk all day trying to act stealthy while clutching large quantities of snacks. Think Lara Croft, but with pretzels instead of weapons.
I know. So much cooler.
Tue, 30 Jan 2018
One of my favorite things in life is growing plants, propagating them, and giving the babies away to friends. It’s so satisfying, to nurture lil plantlets and then send them off to brighten the homes of your favorite people, you know? I also love receiving plants this way, and am still hanging on to succulents I received years ago—some from friends in college, some from Instagram giveaways, some by grabbing leaves off plants in public places around SoCal. (..is there a statute of limitations on that kind of thing?)
It’s a practice that reminds me of the way mentorship works in the GLAM community. So many people have been my ‘parent plants’, and, I’m sure, yours too. In that spirit of growth; the positions that were submitted to the Jobs Board last week:
Mon, 22 Jan 2018
When you live in DC, the whole ‘seat of the country’s government’ thing is in your face all. the. time. On the metro in the morning, for instance, everyone has their heads buried the Post Express. When your family comes to visit you, it’s pretty much guaranteed you’re going to have to take their picture in front of at least a dozen statues.
And on days when there’s, say, a government shutdown? You become even more saturated in all of it. My cashier at the grocery store struck up a conversation about federal funding yesterday, and everyone I know texted everyone else to ask if they, too, were off from work. What’s it even like outside this big corporate-casual bubble? I don’t remember.
Anyways, here are the jobs submitted to us last week; good luck to those of you on the hunt!
Mon, 4 Dec 2017
I’ve been thinking a lot about Kevin Costner lately. I’m not much of a fan—or erm, a fan at all, actually. But I can probably quote entire sections of ‘Field of Dreams’ and ‘Dances with Wolves’, because my dad definitely is. Did you know there’s a version of ‘Dances’ out there that’s 236 minutes long? I bet that’s the one we always watched. Or maybe the TV version just felt that long to a little kid, with commercial breaks.
I’d love to hear the random things you know too much about, thanks to your family. Has it ever helped you at work? While you ponder, the jobs that were submitted to our Board last week:
Thu, 2 Mar 2017
Do any of you keep plants at your desk at work? I ask because I recently adopted two cats, and while they’re adorable, it seems they’ve made it their solemn mission to take down anything green and crunchy in my house. As a result, I’m slowly migrating all of my houseplants to the office—and I’m actually a little mad I didn’t think to bring some in before. It’s so pleasant! My greatest wish is to obscure so much of the outside world that anyone who comes to find me will be peeking into a jungle. Totally up to building codes, right?
Anyways, they’ve been keeping me company as I compiled this extra-long list of jobs today. Take a look.
Mon, 19 Dec 2016
Let’s talk about representations of information professionals–both positive and negative–in pop culture. I get such a kick out them. Like that two-minute sequence in a ninety-minute action film where the plot is on hold because some obscure bit of information is locked away in a dusty basement collection? Chances are, that was my favorite part of the movie.
I’ve also encountered a lot of them in video games, which is delightful. Obviously, when the opportunity arose, I joined the Mage’s Guild in Elder Scrolls just so I could gallop around the countryside collecting tomes for the libraries of Tamriel. And I wanted about three more hours of the storyline involving the wise Archivist spirit in Dragon Age: Inquisition. If you’re ever playing and you come across a cool character, I’d love it if you shared screenshots of them with me on Twitter. I’ll be posting a couple of my favorites later today.
Now that we’ve talked all about fictional jobs, here are some real-life ones you can apply for:
Tue, 13 Dec 2016
It occurred to me while I was watching Star Trek TNG over Thanksgiving break that the Digital Library Federation could, as an alternative to ‘DLF’, be called ‘the Federation’ for short.
In the intervening weeks, I’ve had to stop myself from rewriting the show’s intro to involve GLAMs (“Linked open data: the final frontier.”) and starting every tweet with “Officer’s log: stardate…”
Anyways, all that’s just to say you should be relieved the Digest hasn’t been co-opted by Starfleet-esque branding, because that almost happened. This week’s jobs: