Feature #76: Jamie D. Smith-Williams, Librarian/Adjunct Professor

Name: Jamie D. Smith-Williams

Current Job Position Title: College Librarian/Adjunct Professor

Company Name: 

Erie Community College/ State University of New York at Buffalo, Department of Library Information Sciences

Contact Information:

smithjd@ecc.edu OR jdsmith@buffalo.edu

Special skills:

Finding answers to questions, communicating with and discerning what particular patrons, community, and organizational needs, answering questions people don't even know to ask...

Describe your job story:

I worked for 13 years in public libraries, developing programs that met the needs of the community but the library was moving away from the fundamental I felt were most important. To maintain my sanity I needed to move on and find other ways to help people that rewarded me personally and professionally. I found that by working at the community college level and teaching.

What did you want to be when you were a child/ teenager? 

A pediatrician, however once I interned with a physician I realized a lot of the job required foregoing a personal life for a professional on... That was a compromise I was not willing to make.

 Are doing your dream job? 

Some days... My dreams keep evolving... so I need to keep evolving, also!

What do you like MOST about what you do? What do you like the LEAST?

I love the moment when people GET IT... when things start to make sense! I love that moment! The fact that what I do is often dismissed, and taken for granted. A lot of people have absolutely no idea of the skills that it requires to do what we do...

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

I want a Doctorate degree, I feel that it will put me in a position to help more people... How and where is yet to be determined... I am ok with that as long as I am moving FORWARD!

Are you happy with where you are in life?

Yes and No... I believe I am exactly where I am supposed to be to prepare me for my next step... However, I am ready to continue on my journey!

What more do you want to do with your life?

I want people to be INFORMED, I want to teach people how to search, acquire and evaluate information... Information is knowledge and knowledge is power so I guess I want to empower people! 

What drives/motivates you?

The fact that people need libraries and librarians and they don't even realize it

What else do you do?

I work with children, my own and others! I work with my community and I try to help as many people as I can!

What is your advice to those who are seeking employment and have no hope?

PRAY... for opportunity, for clarity, for guidance... Perhaps the job you are looking for is not the one that is meant for you.