Kee Malesky, National Public Radio

This electronic tour is by Kee Malesky and in the spring 0f 1998, when this interview was made, she was working as a Reference Librarian at National Public Radio (NPR) in Washington, D.C.

NPR has two libraries: a Reference collection and a Tape Library/Archive. The Reference Library has two full-time and one part-time librarians to cover the seven day week. We clip the New York Times and Washington Post daily for an extensive clippings file systems, and we subscribe to more than 100 magazines and journals. Our book collection includes ready-reference materials plus in-depth resources in history, politics, literature, science, etc. We also have a small collection of CD-ROMs, subscribe to several commercial databases, and use the internet and world wide web. The Tape Library has five full-time librarians who catalogue all programs produced or distributed by NPR. They also maintain collections of music recordings, sound effects, and archival recordings or historic events. The two libraries are managed by the Senior Librarian, who reports directly to the Vice President for News & Information.

Questions

  1. Describe the organization/corporate culture and political climate.

    2. NPR is a producer and distributor of news and performance programming to a network of member stations. The company also provides member services to those local outlets. The corporate mission currently focuses on increasing the audience and expanding to new methods of distributing our programs. The Reference Library is part of the News Department, but serves the entire corporate staff. That means setting priorities, and dealing with various kinds of users and deadlines. We also have a Tape Library, which catalogues and archives all our programs, and deals with the corporate staff in rights clearances, entrepreneurial activities, etc., which are an important part of our corporate goals.

  2. Describe the organization, corporate culture, and political environment. How supportive is your management of the library? Does it view the information center as important in achieving the organization's mission? How is the value of the information center measured?. Describe the organization, corporate culture, and political environment. How supportive is your management of the library? Does it view the information center as important in achieving the organization's mission? How is the value of the information center measured?

    3. NPR's Reference Library depends heavily on commercial databases (Lexis/Nexis,Dow Jones, Dialog, etc.). With few exceptions, we do not let reporters do their own database searching, because of the cost involved. The internet is becoming an important resource, but it still has many problems-- reliability, speed, etc.-- that limit its usefulness as a primary reference tool. NPR is building an intranet, in which the library has started to collect groups of links that would be helpful to reporters doing their own research. The company has almost completed its migration to a PC environment, so internet access will soon be available to everyone on the staff.

  3. How do you align your information services with the strategic planning of your organization?

    4. The Reference Library is an important element in the editorial process of collecting and disseminating the news. We also support the rest of the company in meeting its information needs. The Library Manager does have some input into corporate strategic planning, especially as it relates to the use of information and technology. NPR's entrepreneurial activities -- the sale or reuse of program material -- involve the staff of the Tape Library in considering new technology formats and marketing opportunities.

  4. Describe your responsibilities, with emphasis on those areas in which library school did not prepare you.

    5. It is the Librarians' responsibility to meet and anticipate the information needs of the reporters, editors, producers, and other staff members. We answer questions, do fact-checking, provide in-depth research, find experts, and help to plan coverage of anniversaries and prepare material for obituaries. Nothing in library school can prepare you for the hectic pace of news librarianship, but a thorough grounding in technology is now essential. When I got my library degree (1986) the emphasis wasn't yet placed on computers and computer-assisted research, as it is today. A certain amount of self-reliance is necessary for news librarianship -- the ability to keep up with new developments in many areas.

  5. Are you or your organization affected by copyright and intellectual property rights issues?

    6. The Reference Library is not directly affected. The company is concerned about copyright developments, because our archive of previous programs is our most significant asset. The legal department clears the rights for NPR producers to use outside material, and negotiates with other organizations who want to use our programs.

  6. How do you market yourself and the services of your unit to the organization?

    7. We don't really need to advertise for more customers! New staff are required to take a tour and policies. We are in the process of putting together material about the libraries for the NPR intranet. The Reference Library has conducted training sessions and provided guidelines for staff in the field, freelancers, and entry-level reporters.

  7. How much resource sharing do you use? Describe ill and other activities which help you meet the information needs of your users when resources are not locally available.

    8. We frequently use ILL from the local public and academic libraries. Deadlines don't usually permit the luxury of dealing with long-distance borrowing. We also network extensively with other libraries in the area and with members of the SLA News Division, so we can call on them for help in urgent situations. I am also a member of the Stumpers listserv for reference librarians, and frequently turn to them for help.

  8. Do you have experience with outsourcing.

    9. No.

  9. What changes or projects have you or are you implementing? How have you approached management and users about these changes?

    10. After hearing some errors in pronunciation and grammar on the air, we approached the Managing Editor and offered to have the library coordinate information in these areas. We now have an extensive Pronunciation Guide, updated daily, to help on-air staff be correct and consistent. And we keep reference books on style/usage/grammar, and encourage people to call us with those questions as well. In the NPR computer system, we maintain a file of frequently-encountered errors. We were also concerned about having material ready for use in advance production of obituaries, and so we are now coordinating that project as well.

  10. How did you get/keep your job? Any job hunting tips or advice?

    11. I prepared myself in library school for general reference or research work, and I have a strong interest in current events. Being a generalist is probably the best preparation for news librarianship. You need to know at least a little bit about a wide range of topics. When I was still a student in library school I got in touch with the SLA's News Division (then called Newspaper Division) and found much great advice and guidance on news libraries. So now I always advise students to find the right professional organization for them, join it, and become an active member. A great method of working your way into a job is to start out as an intern, or some kind of volunteer. We try to have an intern from one of the local library schools every semester, and have used some of them for part-time work after they graduated. Finding a job is much easier if you're well-connected -- active in local library activities, participating in relevant listservs, etc.

  11. What can realistically be expected from new graduates in terms of specific skills and orientation? How important is previous experience prior to the MLS degree? How important is subject specialization? How can deficiencies be compensated for? For example, do you look for students who had practicums in relevant areas?

    12. These days I assume library school graduates will know a lot about using internet/intranets. I don't know how well prepared they are in terms of subject knowledge. Many special library jobs assume a certain amount of subject specialization for the relevant profession or industry. Having some ability in another language is very useful too. Experience prior to the degree may help you move up more quickly, and it certainly helps you decide what kind of librarianship to pursue. I think practicums/field work projects are very good ideas -- for the library and the student. Nothing can prepare you for library work better than actually being in a library -- seeing what goes on and assisting the librarians in their tasks. In hiring for a news library job, we would look for experience -- professional or classroom -- in a variety of subject areas, familiarity with commercial databases, and some practice in general reference work.

  12. What is the one thing you wished you had learned in library school, or learned before you got the job?

    13. I was in library school more than 10 years ago, and my computer classes weren't really adequate. I would like to know more about how computers function, so I'd be better able to deal with technical staff and could speak their language. Though I did take a class in library management, it would be useful to know more about corporate management and dealing with non-library senior managers.

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