Katherine's Answer

Multi-tasking is an overused term, but it's a vital component of performing my job successfully. My primary responsibility is to select all of the movies and music for the Library, something that requires me to constantly be "on", absorbing information from the environment, from television, Internet and media and using that information to inform my decisions about what to buy, how much and for which locations.

Whenever your job involves spending money, particularly for a taxpayer supported organization, you always have to be aware of how much you're spending and where you are in the budget cycle. Spend too quickly and you run out of money before the end of the year. Don't spend fast enough and you risk losing your funds. You always need to be thinking at least six months ahead. You need to know exactly what special projects you'd like to work on in upcoming budget cycles, so you can begin making the justifications for them, even if it's a year or more away.

Materials are central to the library system, so materials selectors are constantly in demand to serve on special projects and commitees. Creativity, enthusiasm, diplomacy, negotation tactics and the ability to think outside the box while thoroughly understanding the inside of the box are all vital in the world of project management and service teams.