The label of librarian has long belonged to bookkeepers, but Bill Marino spends his time doing anything but keeping track of books.
Marino, Halle Library's online learning librarian, can give directions on how to fly a plane or teach a course on ancient Greek linguistics. During his 15 years as a librarian, he said he’s developed a deeper understanding of what that career path truly means.
The public perception
On an average day, Marino can be found providing online tutorials, instructing teachers and managing the Ask a Librarian chat service.
“To the public, anyone who works in the library is a librarian,” Marino said.
Marino said he used to feel similarly, referring to his own thought processes before exploring the career himself.
However, there are student assistants, office workers and many other people who might be in the physical building but aren’t directly associated with the library, Marino said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that the average librarian organizes materials, plans programs, teaches classes, helps others with research and prepares budgets.
Versatility and cross-references
“Because I have so many varied interests, I get to work with all of them,” Marino said, explaining his reasoning for pursuing the career.
The Halle Library website digital profile for Marino states that he is currently serving as subject librarian for 11 different subjects. This includes aviation, interior design, world languages, geography and technology management.
"I would love to continue to create my own brand of academic librarianship by fully merging all of my interests in the future," Marino said.
Librarian specialties include academic, administrative services, public, school, corporate, law, medical, technical and user services, the U.S. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook states.
Three pillars
The three pillars required for all faculty at Eastern Michigan University are teaching, research and scholarship, and service.
Marino said the teaching aspect includes both students and professors.
He also said he explores research by continually expanding his knowledge of all his librarian subjects and serving on university committees, as well as national organizations.
Evolution of subjects
“When I first started, we were at the entry level of YouTube videos and massive open online courses were huge,” Marino said. “Now we are charged with getting ahead of AI, learning the ramifications of it, how to use it as a tool, its quality, and learning how not to become dependent on it.”
So many technologies, like massive open online courses, are projected to be the future and never go any further, Marino said. For this reason, Marino approaches technology cautiously, evaluating if it's worth the investment before eagerly embracing it.
Marino's strategy for keeping up with this change is continually looking at who’s published information about these new technologies and looking at who is using it on campus in interesting ways.
Ultimate information navigators
Librarians are responsible for navigating the world of information literacy and telling people what information they deem as relevant and useful, Marino said.
“We look at what defines good information and what defines bad information,” Marino said.
A statement on the importance of librarians by the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois said librarians play a crucial role in making carefully curated collections available to patrons.
“Without librarians making these connections, students and faculty would be left without navigators," the consortium reported.
Multiple paths to librarianship
Librarianship wasn’t always Marino's goal. He studied the classics of ancient languages at the University of Colorado, desiring to be a professor.
After finding out the path of librarianship offered greater opportunity and allowed him to still work in a university atmosphere, Marino began his pursuit with a fellowship. He now has a master's degree in library and information science from the University of Illinois.
“Before going back to academics, I worked as an aircraft mechanic, so I definitely don’t come to academia through the straight and narrow path,” Marino said.
