Getting to Know LLTC: Alison Rosenberg

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Miami, Florida, and I resided there for eighteen years.  As for growing up, that’s a lifelong process for me.

What year did you begin working for the LLTC?

I began working part-time for the LLTC in 2008 while I was enrolled in the distance Master’s program in library and information studies at Florida State University.  When I arrived at the LLTC, I spent most of my time at the reference desk, which was great for me because I love helping people.

Where did you work prior to the LLTC? 

Prior to arriving in Davie, Florida, I attended law school at Northwestern in Chicago, Illinois.  While in Chicago, I developed a love for the Chicago Transit Authority (“CTA”).  I was fascinated by the concept that you could travel anywhere in the city without having to walk a great distance once you arrived at your destination, which was a benefit while living in cold weather.  A bit of advice for those who move to cold climates after spending the majority of their lives in flip flops—it’s the accessories that really protect against the elements, so (1) find boots with excellent tread on the bottom—don’t go for fashion, as slipping is a very real possibility; (2) get a very long coat—the longest you can find, and get a puffy one—throw style to the wind (literally, if you’re in Chicago); (3) wear earmuffs—I had to learn the hard way that if you need to walk even a small distance, your ears will soon be radiating with pain (at first I thought it was just me and that I had been walking too fast or that I had an ear infection—but no, you need to cover every part of your body with fabric—see my coat; and (4) invest in a snowbrush if you own a car—do not attempt to use paper towels because although they are super absorbent, it’s not practical to use them for snow removal, and even less practical to use your hands once you run out of paper towels.

So, as I said, I developed an interest in public transportation, and I thought that I might apply to work for the City after graduation.  I loved the CTA for the people watching—and there was much to observe on public transportation.  I worked at a law firm before law school, and I loved the morning ride to work when passengers took up every inch of space in the bus, all of them bright-eyed and ready for the day ahead (I’m not sure if they actually were bright-eyed or just being squeezed too tightly by the other passengers).  I read up on the bus and train schedules, discovering all of the places you could go on the different routes.  Soon, I had lived in Chicago long enough to be able to help others get to their destinations.  I loved tourist season in the summer when all the visitors would board the CTA, fold open their maps, and try to figure out how to get from place to place.  I was really excited to tell these travelers the best ways to go and provide them with a little known fact about each landmark.  Looking back at these experiences, it makes sense to me now that I became a librarian.  These experiences—and the time when my college English class was scheduled to take a field trip to the rare books collection in our library, and I could not contain my enthusiasm—should have all pointed me toward librarianship.  Yes, I was just that excited to see the rare books—and they definitely lived up to the hype.

Simply stated, my prior law experience includes several public interest organizations with a focus on access to justice and civil liberties, a big law firm, and a small law firm.  My prior library experience includes the LLTC.

What do I do at the LLTC?

I am the head of a new department in the LLTC called Outreach Services.  My department is responsible for developing programs and services for faculty and students, and also for the NSU community, alumni, and public.  It is a job that makes me excited to come to work every day because there are endless opportunities for professional growth, and I still get to tell people how to get places. 

What do you like best about your job? How did you come to be here?

There are many things that I love about my job, but mainly I love being in academics because of the opportunities to learn.  I was always someone who loved being in school.  I really loved it, and I was a very serious student.  Years ago, I realized that at some point my formal education would end, and I would be forced to secure a job where I would be focused on one area or skill.  So, before that happened, I considered ways to prolong my education.  I decided to attend law school, in part because my father held a strong belief that I would become a skilled appellate attorney (I think he still hopes that will happen someday), and in part because my undergraduate English major had very few obvious career choices that weren’t prefaced by the words “struggling” or “starving”.  When I graduated from law school, my career counselor helped me discover that I didn’t want to be a practicing attorney—at least not right away.  So, after reviewing my life’s path, I went back to what I loved, which had always been books and learning, and I decided to enter library school.  It was a decision that required a lot of explanations to those who had seen me go through law school.  How many years of school is it?  Your classes are all online?  All of them?  Fortunately, it turned out that there was an actual job where I could use both my law degree and my library degree—a law librarian—and that’s how I came to be here.

What is your proudest accomplishment on the job? 

My goal as a librarian is to help people find information and feel good about the process, and I am happy when I can make someone’s work a little easier for them by teaching them something they didn’t know before.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 

Television—lots of television. That probably seems somewhat discordant following everything I just said about loving education and learning, but I love TV—and it does have an educational component.  My brother and I used to identify SAT words while watching The Simpsons, and I can get very competitive playing Jeopardy—by the way, did you ever notice how successful librarians are on Jeopardy?  Whenever they appear, it seems that they have no problem answering questions about obscure or random topics.  Television also helps me stay attuned to popular culture.  If I don’t understand a reference that I hear on TV, I look it up. 

I also enjoy taking naps, vacations, and spending time with my family.  I like activities that require only a moderate level of energy.

Favorite food? 

Since I enjoy so many types of food, I’ll just name the greens and the sweets:  Le Sueur very young small early peas, artichokes, avocados, frosting, cake with ample frosting, and boxes of chocolates that contain a map (because I like to look up each chocolate and read a bit about it before I eat it).

Favorite book? 

My favorite books to read are those that provide me with insight into the human experience through character development.  I like to read the same book multiple times and sometimes years apart, because I have found that I get more out of reading that way.

Is there any particular advice you would like to share with students? 

As you are mastering the legal theory in your classes, learn as many practical skills as you can while in law school.  Enroll in clinics and externships that will expose you to the areas of law that interest you.  Take advantage of any opportunity to develop your legal research skills, as it’s been suggested that good students can get by without strong legal research skills.  See Steve Kolowich’s article.  So, while it’s possible to become a top student without possessing strong legal research skills, it is advisable to take some time to focus on this aspect of your education because it is vital to the practice of law.  This statement taken from the preamble to the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct is one that I’ve found to be a useful guide for present and future lawyers:  A lawyer should strive to attain the highest level of skill, to improve the law and the legal profession, and to exemplify the legal profession’s ideals of public service.  You can work on these goals right now, while you’re in law school, and if you’ll let us, librarians are excited to help you do it.