Nadine Moore, a librarian for over 20 years, has dedicated her career to serving the people of Guyana.
As the Deputy Chief Librarian of the National Library and Head of the Human Resource Department, she oversees staff welfare and recruitment and ensures that the library operates smoothly and efficiently.
Her journey from a Junior Library Assistant to a professional librarian is a testament to her passion for research, information organisation, and community service.
Nadine Moore, a librarian for over 20 years
A PASSION FOR SERVICE
Moore’s path to librarianship was not straightforward. After high school, she initially considered a career in agriculture but was persuaded by her mother to explore other opportunities.
The National Library was the first institution to respond to her job applications, leading her to start as a Junior Library Assistant.
Over time, she discovered a passion for research and serving the community, which motivated her to pursue further studies and become a professional librarian.
My whole passion is to really serve people, organise information, and, of course, ensure that the end user is satisfied with the information and the service that we provide.
DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES
In her dual role, Moore’s responsibilities are extensive. She manages the human capacity across various departments to ensure the library’s public aspect functions effectively. This includes overseeing timetable settings, recruitment, training, and addressing staff-related issues across the library’s 21 centres.
On a daily basis, we do a lot of research. And what I normally do, or what I would do with the team of competent staff I work with, is ensure that we have the human capacity in the various departments to run the public aspect of the library.
One of the most rewarding aspects of Moore’s job is the opportunity to meet people from various backgrounds and provide them with accurate information.
Additionally, she values the chance to travel across Guyana’s eight administrative regions, where the library has branches. This travelling, allows her to interact with diverse communities and embrace the country’s beauty.
EVOLUTION OF THE LIBRARIAN’S ROLE
Moore’s role has evolved significantly over the years. Initially, her work was desk-bound, involving preparing information and attending meetings. However, the role has shifted to being more dynamic, and community-focused.
We’re more outgoing than in, you know. What we basically have to do now as a library is a lot of collaboration and community engagement to meet the needs of our patrons.
This evolution includes a range of community programmes, including STEM clubs, storytelling sessions, phonics classes, and movie Fridays for young adults.
These initiatives reflect the library’s commitment to catering to both the informational and recreational needs of the community.
SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS AND MOTIVATIONS
One of the most memorable moments in Moore’s career was attending the American Library Association Conference in the United States. There, she was inspired by the diverse and enthusiastic community of librarians.
Former US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah Ann Lynch and Nadine
This experience broadened her perspective on the global library network and reinforced her dedication to her profession.
The most significant thing that I experienced in my career was attending for the very first time a large library association conference in the U.S. It was so remarkable. They had so many librarians, including many male librarians who were proud to say they were librarians.
This librarian’s motivation comes from seeing satisfied individuals leave the library with the information they need. The positive reception to programmes for children, young adults, and seniors also drives her enthusiasm for her work. Building relationships with staff and planning successful programmes are additional sources of inspiration.
ADDRESSING MISCONCEPTIONS
According to Moore, a common misconception about librarians is that they are old-fashioned and solely focused on stamping and borrowing books. She emphasised that modern librarians are dynamic professionals who manage information, engage in community outreach, and travel extensively.
Librarians are more not so traditional as before, but we’re more the modern librarians. What happens, they think also that we only stamp books and we only receive and borrow books. But we are managers. We are marketing managers as well. We are information specialists. We do budgets.
FUTURE VISION
Looking ahead, Moore envisions herself on a global platform advocating for the importance of public libraries. She hopes to see the National Library fully automated, making information easily accessible worldwide.
I see myself in the next five years on the global platform speaking about libraries, especially public libraries, and the importance of a library to its community, to its country, and its society.
