To me, giving back to the profession and the community is an essential part of librarianship. Professional participation fosters supportive and vibrant connections, sparks discourse and ideas, and perhaps above all sustains our enthusiasm for what we do! That’s why I write, join professional organizations, and seek out developmental and leadership opportunities. I also feel that service to the community at large, which is a powerful tool for advocacy, is a natural extension of my dedication to the patrons who walk in the library doors. In both cases, I’m thrilled and lucky to have the opportunity to give back.
That’s why I consider leadership and service to be inseparable. I don’t think of leadership as a way of taking control as much as it is a way of giving back. Therefore, when I have leadership opportunities, formal and long-term or informal and everyday, I see myself mostly as a facilitator and a member of a team. I’m no more important than any other member; I simply have a different job. I’m there to help each individual do what she does best, while maintaining a strong vision for the whole.
This page will focus on the tangible and formal aspects of my professional participation, but those can’t convey what it’s like to work with me on a daily basis, with the many small moments of teamwork, leadership, and decision-making that are going on all the time. That’s why I wanted to take a moment here to talk about my leadership style and philosophy. Basically, I’m flexible and supportive, a devoted team member with a lot of vision and enthusiasm. I hope I’ll have the chance to work with you, whether it’s at your library, at a conference or on a committee, through a publication, or through some exciting new venture we’ve yet to think up!
Librarian-in-Charge, Milwaukee Public Library Forest Home Branch
June 2011 – present
Competencies demonstrated:
- Demonstrates an aptitude for leadership
- Develops and maintains effective relationships with others to achieve common goals
- Works effectively in teams with strong team-building skills and attitudes
- Selects and applies the most appropriate and effective communication means to meet situational needs
- Applies effective techniques to address difficult situations with users
- Applies customer service skills to enhance the level of user satisfaction
- Treats everyone with honesty, respect and fairness to build an environment of trust
- Contributes to a collaborative, committed and collegial work environment
- Acknowledges own strengths and contributions, and recognizes the complementary strengths
and contributions of others
It’s always an interesting situation when the person officially “in charge” is the one who knows the least about the day-to-day policies of the library. I recently transferred to this branch, which is full of wonderful, experienced staff who also happen to be mostly paraprofessionals. Though they know the ins and outs of the building, the local policies and norms, the regular patrons, and the neighborhood far better than I do right now, in the branch manager’s absence (about half the time, since he runs two branches) they look to me to make final decisions. I’m treading carefully, trying to balance being authoritative but not trampling on the greater knowledge base of my team. And I’m a little surprised to find that I love it!
This is a situation where thinking of myself as a team facilitator really bears practical fruit. I’m very comfortable turning to one of my more experienced coworkers and asking questions. They know I value their opinions and knowledge, and I listen to what they have to say. Because I’m not nervous or ashamed to learn from them, they’re comfortable sharing with me without feeling like I lack authority. It’s been (and will continue to be!) a fun process of learning my new home and getting to know the people I work with. I realized I honed this skill while teaching GMAT test prep courses a few years ago. I was decades younger than many of my students, and I had to learn how to gain their trust and respect before they could learn what I had to teach – test-taking skills that complemented their life experiences. In both cases, I remind myself that there’s no point in pretending these gaps in age or experience aren’t there. In any situation, every team member will have unique strengths and experiences. By embracing them and agreeing to learn from each other, we can create the healthiest work environment and, most importantly, give the best possible service to our patrons.
Team Leadership and Internal Committee Participation, Milwaukee Public Library
July 2010 – present
Competencies demonstrated:
- Develops and maintains effective relationships with others to achieve common goals
- Contributes to a problem-solving environment and works toward mutually acceptable solutions,
regardless of position or level - Works effectively in teams with strong team-building skills and attitudes
- Manages own and others’ time effectively to deliver work on time
- Demonstrates faith in the library’s vision, works to achieve it and inspires others to do the same
- Uses resources efficiently, prioritizes workflows and manages effectively within budget limits
- Recommends and takes reasonable risks to test implementations of change
- Maintains a positive attitude in the face of challenges and unanticipated changes
I pursue leadership and collaborative opportunities whenever I can! Follow the links to read about these experiences in more detail. As the Lead Administrator for our Teen Facebook Page, I oversee 10 librarians at a variety of branches as we develop new ways to meet teens where they are, engage them, and develop policy. I coordinate the Teen Advisory Board with two other librarians. I have served on the displays committee, children’s programming committee, and 9/11 10th Anniversary Committee, among others. I love the energy of working with my fabulous colleagues to innovate, develop, and finally implement impactful programs and services!
ALA 2011 Lunch and Learn
August 2011
Competencies demonstrated:
- Shares knowledge gained through professional discussions, conferences, formal courses and informal channels with colleagues
- Contributes to a collaborative, committed and collegial work environment
- Finds opportunities to help others to develop new ideas and achieve their full potential
- Gives or receives coaching or mentoring from team members as appropriate
After attending ALA, several MPL librarians planned a lunch and learn session so others could share our opportunity. We each gave a ten minute talk on a single topic that was important to our conference experience and posted a handout with related links to the intranet. Afterwards, we took questions for fifteen minutes. Because I received an intellectual freedom scholarship (see Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship, below), I presented on intellectual freedom. Staff other than librarians were welcome to attend, so I gave an overview of the topic as well as a short description of emerging issues discussed at the conference.
Click the image above to download the .PPS presentation.
Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship 2011
June 2011
Competencies demonstrated:
- Understands and promotes intellectual freedom and freedom of information
- Pursues a commitment to personal growth and lifelong learning
- Seeks exposure to new ideas
- Recognizes the value of professional networking and actively participates in professional associations
The Freedom to Read Foundation offers this annual scholarship to a young professional with an interest in intellectual freedom. (Learn more here.) As part of this scholarship, I will engage with a variety of intellectual freedom advocates from across the country. I hope this award is just a first step in a career-long journey to offer the best, most ethical service to all patrons. Balancing competing concerns and interests, especially in the face of rapidly-evolving technology, is one of the most difficult and important roles librarians play as stewards of a democratic institution. I strive to preserve and enhance the principles of intellectual freedom in my actions and my professional writing.
Publications
Barbakoff, A & Barbakoff, B. (Forthcoming) Building on Green: Sustainable Thinking Goes Beyond Green to Unite Library Space and Community. In M. Antonelli & M. McCullough (Eds.), Greening Libraries. Library Juice Press.
Barbakoff, A. (July 2011) Thanks, Amazon. Public Libraries.
Barbakoff, A. (July 2011) Cooking Short Take Reviews: Making Macarons. Library Journal. http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/ljinprint/currentissue/891006-403/cooking_short_take_reviews_july.html.csp
Barbakoff, A. (March 2011) Filter this! In the Library with the Lead Pipe. http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2011/filter-this/
Barbakoff, A. (March 2011) I’m Not Your Scapegoat: A unionized librarian refuses to play the dues-paying villain. American Libraries. http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/columns/my-mind/i-m-not-your-scapegoat
Barbakoff, A. (Dec 2010) Libraries Build Autonomy: A Philosophical Perspective on the Social Role of Libraries and Librarians. Library Philosophy and Practice. http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~mbolin/barbakoff.htm
iServe, Chair
Academic Year 2009-2010
Competencies demonstrated:
- Demonstrates an aptitude for leadership
- Maintains a positive attitude and sets an example for others to follow
- Takes initiative, seeks new opportunities and challenges, and applies creative and innovative thinking
- Works effectively in teams with strong team-building skills and attitudes
iServe is the the volunteer and community service organization for students of the University of Washington’s Information School. As chair for the 2009-2010 academic year, I had many opportunities to build partnerships though service. After an unusually harsh winter, I organized a food drive which collected more than 200 lbs of food for the local food bank. Caring for our homeless community during the winter became a tradition for iServe, and the following winter we sponsored a blanket drive for a nearby youth homeless shelter.
The success of the blanket drive prompted a knitting group to contact me about organizing next year’s winter drive for winter garments. We are now working together to connect various campus knitting societies for next winter. iServe is working hard to ensure that the partnerships we form are robust and pleasant for all, in anticipation that the collaborations we pioneer this year will become permanent relationships. Since this is an ongoing responsibility, check back for updates on exciting new collaborations and service programs!
Professional Memberships, Committee Positions, and other Leadership Opportunities
Dates variable
Competencies demonstrated:
- Pursues a commitment to personal growth and lifelong learning
- Seeks opportunities to apply new knowledge and to share best practices, research and experiences with colleagues
- Practices ongoing self improvement in response to feedback
- Seeks exposure to new ideas, both within and beyond the library field, and stretches beyond one’s comfort zone
- Intern, ALA Committee on Diversity
- Committee Member, Wisconsin Library Association Committee on Organization
- Member of ALA, PLA, WLA (Wisconsin Library Association), Beta Phi Mu Honor Society
Conferences and Workshops
ALA online course Business Reference 101
PLA 2010
ALA 2011
Upcoming: Speaker on a New Librarians panel at WLA
