Library Ireland Week 8-13 March 2010: @ Your Library

What is your Name? Eva Hornung

Where are you From? Fellbach, which is near Stuttgart in Germany. Famous for its vineyards  forests and, uh, cars.

Where do you Work? In the CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit, an educational research    centre which hosts a range of national programmes and projects in the post-primary and further education sector. Many of them deal with disadvantaged communities, people with special needs or non-traditional learners. Some colleagues are engaged in projects on a European or international level. We also provide in-service courses for post-primary teachers and publish school materials.

Did you always want to be a librarian and if not what did you do before?

No, originally I wanted to become a pirate, but my parents advised against it. The career prospects weren’t really that good with people usually ending up in chains in prison. Then it was archaeology, but Indiana Jones could be blamed for this. I actually was one of those kids who would read a book a day, so my friend introduced me to our local public library. And the rest, as they say, is history. My mum found some old books with labels on the spine the other day, which I had made my brother borrow. How sad. 

What is you average day like?

When you work as a solo librarian, no two days are the same. A typical day usually entails fixing the photocopier or someone’s printer, helping people with their research, a lot of talking, editing of new materials, working on our website, discovering new resources, perhaps some First Aid. Oh, and being involved with making cappuccinos for the coffee break. Unfortunately it also often includes dealing with accounts and cataloguing, two chores I try to avoid and can only endure with the radio on full blast. 

How many people do you work with?

I’m the only one in the library, but do have about 60 colleagues working on different projects and programmes. Some of them are based outside Dublin. The library is open to everyone in the CDVEC and beyond, so there is a good mix of people coming in looking for teaching materials or with queries related to their own research. Good craic.

What do you enjoy most about the job?

Being the person who brings people and information together. Because of the nature of my workplace, I hope that in some tiny way I can make a difference to the lives of people who did not have a positive experience of learning and education, but nevertheless give it another go. Also, the look on my customer’s faces when, with a smug, knowing smile, I miraculously produce that piece of information they had been looking for. I love my job.

How do you unwind after a hard day?

Oh, there are no hard days, because, obviously, being a librarian is sheer bliss! On the rare occasion when I have had a bad day (cataloguing!), I’d go for a swim or to the pictures or meet my friends over a lovely glass of red wine and give out.