Sample interview questions: Can you describe a situation where you had to assist a researcher in locating research materials that are only available through physical repositories or archives?
Sample answer:
In my role as a Research Librarian, I frequently assist researchers in locating materials that are only available through physical repositories or archives. One memorable case involved a researcher studying the history of a local textile mill.
The researcher had exhausted all online resources and turned to me for help. I began by searching our library’s catalog and discovered that we had several books on the mill’s history, but they contained limited information. I then contacted the city archives, which had a collection of primary source materials related to the mill.
I visited the archives and spent several hours reviewing their holdings. I identified a number of documents that were relevant to the researcher’s study, including employee rosters, financial statements, and correspondence with government officials. I also discovered a series of photographs that documented the mill’s construction and operation.
I made copies of all the relevant materials and provided them to the researcher. They were thrilled with the new information and thanked me profusely. The researcher’s subsequent publication on the mill’s history acknowledged my assistance and praised the library’s resources.
This experience highlighted the importance of collaboration between researchers … Read full answer
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