Like Kate Watson , Damian Lodge is newly elected to the ALIA board and shares a bit about himself in this LINTerview where he answers five questions he chose from our list.

I live in Wagga in NSW, I am married to Justine who is also a librarian, we have two children aged 8 and 10. I have been in libraries since the early 90’s and have worked in Tasmania, Victoria and NSW in mostly academic libraries.

1. Why do you work in the library field?

It’s a great profession with the most amazing people and it’s an area that is changing all the time. It’s a profession with great flexibility, different types of libraries and lots of different job opportunities.

2. What was your first library job?

My first real job in a library was as a casual shelver at the University of Tasmania Launceston Campus. Prior to this I was working part-time at TAFE Tasmania working in a steel cage that housed all the metal work tools and associated parts for the metal trades department. I would lend out micrometres, cutting tools and steel bars in exchange for a student card, it was a library but you wouldn’t call it that on the machine floor!

3. What’s your favourite library joke?

Fire Destroys Bush Presidential Library
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A tragic fire on Monday destroyed the personal library of President George W. Bush. Both of his books have been lost.
Presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer said the president was devastated, as he had not finished colouring the second one.

Taken from http://www.librarybooks4u.com/jokes1.html

4. What advice would you give to new librarians starting out today?

If you are looking for great experience and opportunities to learn try moving out of the big cities and come to a regional area. Many regional areas can’t fill professional and para-professional library jobs.

5. What 3 skills/characteristics do you think are important for librarians to have in the 21st century?

People skills
People skills
People skills