I often find that when I'm at the desk and things are slow, there isn't much for me to do except peruse Library Journal or NoveList and try to pick up a few things. However, I find that sometimes my time is better spent when I get the librarians to talk to me.
Some of them recommend books and I get to see their automatic Readers' Advisor kick into action when I ask them for recommendations. I have lists of books that I can't wait to dig up once I graduate. Some of them give me great advice when I ask questions about dealing with specific kinds of questions or specific kinds of patrons. I have so much respect for the librarians I work with. I've been trying all semester to take every opportunity to ask them about things, especially when I don't feel satisfied with the interaction I had with a patron and want to know what I could do better next time. They always direct me to new resources - even if it's just a folder of forms I didn't know about.
I think one of those most valuable things about an experience like this is getting to see how people who have been doing this for a long time do things. True, I may know more about computers than some of them - but I had no idea how to help someone find divorce papers without accidentally giving legal advice. I've loved learning from these people and I'll be sad to leave them when I move after graduation.
