Q&A: Maxine Bleiweis, Westport Public Library

Maxine Bleiweis is the Library Director of the Westport Public Library in Westport, CT, about 50 miles north of New York. Noted in the industry for being a maverick, she really prefers to refer to herself as “the ultimate rule breaker.” We talked about her job, what it's like be in charge, and advice to job-seekers who are frustrated in today's climate.

LibGig: What is the main obstacle facing libraries today?

Maxine Bleiweis: I think perception is something we are all trying to change. The public perception of the library has undergone a huge transformation since the late 90s and getting the word out is an ordeal unto itself. All libraries are different – an urban library may have different methods and practices than we do – but the common link here is that the library is a place to borrow books. So many of our users are savvy and understanding, but many people in the outside world, that is, not in the library world, still don’t have the understanding of everything that goes on here.

LG: What does go on at Westport (pictured, at right)? And what’s your role in seeing it happen?

MB: We have over 1,000 programs a year, from speakers to workshops to screenings to seminars. As Library Director, I’m in charge of this – I provide the leadership and vision to bring this all together, and I’m the prime marketing person to the outside world. I have a staff of about 100, both full and part time, and we not only help out an enormous public – sadly we have to turn 1,000 customers away each month because of space issues – but plan these events that can draw up to 500 people. That’s a lot for a town of 26,000.

LG: What events are most popular?

MB: High profile speakers like David Pogue and Joyce Carol Oates draw large audiences, but our seminars and workshops, like how to set up your blog are highly attended. We average about 50 people; attendance is never small. Plus we have our own blogs, written by staffers, with RSS feeds, podcasts, and video vignettes. We’re pretty busy! (Note: check out Westport Library's site at http://www.westportlibrary.org/).

LG: Tell me how you landed here in Westport as a library director? Did you think of another position in the field?

MB: Funny you mention that because I’d be miserable if I wasn’t a library director. At 12 I knew I wanted to be a librarian, but I’m very lucky I didn’t wind up a reference librarian at a small college. My first job was branch head at a small library in New Jersey – this was right out of school at Rutgers – and by 24 I had moved to a public library as Director. I was in over my head a little, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do. After I wrote a book on the economic patterns in libraries (Helping Business: Library's Role in Community Economic Development - A How-to-do-it Manual for Public Librarians) I moved over to Westport, which is where I’ve been for 11 years.

LG: How has librarianship changed in your years?

MB: To paraphrase someone, I’m not sure who, libraries used to look like grocery stores, now they look like kitchens. The advent of digital has been a real boon, allowing more flexibility, and a great method to get the word out, and it also frees us from having to deal with the nuances of the cataloging record. And it has allowed people to really spend time here in the library researching, attending seminars and making the space their ‘kitchen’. Now that leads to a massive problem that has come about in the last few years: space. We have to turn people away on the basis of space – the building is getting in the way of the service. This is an issue that I think is common among many libraries these days.

LG: Being a job site, we are interested in your advice to a job-seeker, especially in today’s marketplace .

MB: If I were a librarian in another situation, I’d be miserable. Understand what makes you passionate. If you enjoy committees and public speaking, you may not do well in one situation; if you need freedom, or like to be in charge, you may not do well in another. What kind of librarian are you? Answer that, and then apply it as you look for a job. I’m also a firm believer in training programs and mentoring. Mentors provide the opportunity for a job-hunter to feel out what he or she wants. And in one’s first job, it’s imperative to seek out a mentor. Your immediate supervisor is the best example: if he or she has a style or way you can relate to, this is a tremendous learning experience.

LG: What do you think libraries are looking for in an applicant that isn’t listed in a description.

MB: I think libraries are always looking for people who know how to market, curators, people who can make the place come alive. To that end, if you want to work as a YA or children’s librarian, take a class or do work at a children’s museum. Pad your resume with expertise in a particular division. Tell me where and when you’ve worked with people, and what you learned from it. And most importantly, an applicant who knows what he or she wants should be confident, because the interview should go both ways. You’re interviewing us as much as we are you.

-- Gabe Geltzer, 10/30