This article, by Raven Tautimer, was originally published in the Arizona Daily Star on April 21, 2025.
I’ll be the first to admit it, I never saw myself working at the library. Working at the library is almost like one of those romantic daydreams you have that sound cute and whimsical but never actually happen. Well, it did happen to me and while working here is very fun, it is certainly not whimsical (sorry to burst some bubbles, it is fun though, please come to our libraries!). The library can be a lot more intense than you’d think a library would be. Even if that’s the case, I still really enjoy working here. Being able to help people and make their day just a little bit easier is an awesome feeling.
As a kid, I had a passion for science and math that now feels a little contradictory to the library world (maybe not the science part but definitely the math part). I went to Pima Community College to get my Associate’s with a specific path towards Ecology. I didn’t know what I’d do after I graduated but I was sure I’d figure it out.
Plot twist! I graduated the year the pandemic started and couldn’t do anything. I spent a year and a half at home, just kind of lost and unsure where to go. That time in my life was rough. Then my dad suggested that I try and apply to be a page at the library. I was hesitant but didn’t have a good reason to say no. I applied, interviewed and got the job! I was very nervous about my interview and almost late for it (why does the downtown library have so many stairs?!). When I got the job, I was surprised to find out that I would be working for Technical Services (which I had never heard of before) instead of at a specific branch.
Working in Technical Services (TSV) was awesome! I got to learn all the behind-the-scenes stuff. Working there provided a lot of background knowledge for how processes worked in the library system and the information gave me context to how and why we do stuff. For example, I’m able to spot when something is wrong with a book’s labeling a lot quicker than most people, especially when it comes to the categorical stickers that our books have.
Then I got promoted to Library Technical Assistant (LTA) at Murphy-Wilmot Library, which caused a lot of conflicting feelings. I didn’t want to leave my old team, but I needed to do what was best for me. A lot of my coworkers agreed and were proud of me for going for the promotion, even prouder of me for getting the job. And while I was hesitant at first and didn’t know what I was doing (do any of us ever do?) I’ve gotten to a more comfortable place. I would often joke with my coworkers that I was learning twice as much; how to be an LTA and how to work at a branch. Sometimes I would feel overwhelmed and like I wasn’t doing a good job (I wasn’t learning fast enough, I kept messing up).
I pushed through all of that and now I’m doing awesome! I really like my new job, and my coworkers here are amazing! I love helping people. Although I can’t always help everyone, I always try my best. People really appreciate the work we do here at the library. Whether that’s having access to books, DVDs, computers, printers, copiers or other kinds of technology or the vast amount of programing and knowledge we have, people believe in the library and the staff who help them.
PCPL has a lot to offer and I’m so excited to be a part of this team!
Raven Tautimer has worked for the library since 2021. She worked behind the scenes in Technical Services for three years and currently works at the Murphy-Wilmot library. In addition to her work with the public at Murphy-Wilmot, she is also a member of the Pride Team.
