Interview by Prof. Ian Beilin
The Ursula C. Schwerin Library is pleased to introduce its newest faculty member, Cailean Cooney.
What is your academic and library background?
I received my Master of Library and Information Science from Pratt Institute in 2009 with a concentration in metadata/cataloging and management of special collections. I began my career in academic libraries at New York University (NYU) cataloging books in the main collection, Fales Library and Special Collections, and the Stephen Chan Library of Fine Arts of the Institute of Fine Arts. I also worked in NYU’s global processing unit where I was responsible for training and managing college student workers, performing acquisitions functions, and cataloging e-books, CDs, DVDs, and print books for the Abu Dhabi campus.
What made you want to become a librarian? Was there any event or person that influenced you?
As an undergraduate, I did a semester-long internship at the New York Historical Society. There, I organized and re-housed the photographic archives of the McKim, Mead and White architectural firm. I knew instantly that I had found a home in this environment. As my undergraduate studies progressed, I held internships at other museums. Each project required the application of metadata standards in order to promote access to various special collections. By the time I finished college, I was keen on pursuing a Masters in the field.
What will you be doing at City Tech Library?
This summer, I’m splitting my time between Technical Services and Circulation. Both work with CUNY’s Integrated Library System, Aleph. I have a lot of experience working in Aleph’s cataloging and acquisitions modules, though I’m a newcomer to the circulation module. For those who are not familiar with an integrated library systems, Aleph is not only the back end of our library’s online catalog, it’s a powerful tool for recording metadata about library resources from the point at which they are ordered, received, cataloged, and labeled by technical services, to the time they are filed in the stacks or requested by a patron. I’m working with Prof. Nancy Gonzalez and members of the circulation department to learn the ins and outs of City Tech’s circulation policies and procedures to prepare for the Spring semester, when I will be stepping in as the Coordinator of Circulation Service while Prof. Gonzalez takes sabbatical.
I am also coordinating a project with library faculty to identify and de-accession outdated and underutilized materials in order to create more student work space on the Library’s fourth floor.
What were your first impressions of life at City Tech? Were there any surprises?
I’m really pleased by the collegial and collaborative nature of the library faculty and am looking forward to meeting faculty members in other departments. I was surprised to learn just how labyrinthine the City Tech campus is. Did you know that the Atrium building has no third floor?
What are your goals for the next few years as a librarian?
I will be pursuing my second Masters, in Liberal Studies, at the Graduate Center. I start this fall in the digital humanities track. Among many things, I’m interested in the impact of digital platforms on cultural knowledge, specifically relating to the disproportionate amount of digital environments that promote cultural associations as opposed to cultural differences. I’d like to inquire how the structure of cultural platforms influences the terms of cultural production.
Do you have a favorite subject of study or a favorite author (or both)?
I was drawn to librarianship because I’m always interested in learning something new. While conversing with other librarians, it occurs to me that a great many of us are generalists, and I’d have to class myself as one, too. But I’ve always loved the history of art and architecture. People’s passions often come alive when they are able to create memories around their interests. I love to travel and experiencing the art and architecture of another place is a big part of what makes travel so exhilarating to me.
What book (or other source) would you recommend to others from City Tech Library’s collection, and why?
I’m really enthusiastic about our subject guides! They are succinct, easily navigable web pages designed to direct students to a broad scope of resources among different disciplines. Often, it can be difficult to find a springboard when tasked with research because there is so much information to sift through. I find the subject guides especially practical because they steer the student toward developing a research plan, and provide a welcome jumping off point.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to be surrounded by as much green as possible in my free time. I frequent the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on a weekly basis and have most recently taken advantage of the CUNY summer schedule to make trips to New England during the extended weekends. As much as I love being in the great outdoors, I am also a huge visual consumer of New York’s cityscape; I try to look up and around me constantly. It’s the best way for me to relax!
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