Each month, we feature a Core member for an interview profile called #IAmCore. This month, meet Buddy Pennington, member of the Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship Committee and Past-Chair of the Technical Services and Systems Committee!
Describe yourself in three words.
Organized, responsive, principled.
Describe Core in three words.
Values, people, structure.
What do you value about Core?
The values of knowledge sharing and collaboration. We are all in this together. We may not be on the front lines helping patrons at service points but we provide value with building planning and management, technical services and systems, technology and web management, etc. Core provides a forum for us to share our experiences and help each other.
How long have you been a Core member?
I started my career (a long time ago!) in serials and was very active in NASIG. In 2017, my job shifted into systems and technology and that was when I joined LITA, which transformed into Core.
What drew you to and continues to attract you to the Core Community?
I’m pretty introverted by nature but I love talking shop with other librarians, sharing experiences, frustrations and successes. It is validating to talk to others, to learn that I am not alone, that I can learn from others and also provide knowledge and experience to others.
What are you working on now that you’re excited about?
I don’t know if “excited” is the right word because there is a perfect storm of projects at the moment! Almost three years ago, we migrated from an ILS we had since the 1990s to FOLIO. It’s been a game changer in how we rethink our agency with systems and engage in open source development and the surrounding community. That said, FOLIO is relatively new and we are working on implementing some integrations: MetaDB to beef up our reporting capabilities and VuFind to give our patrons that traditional catalog search experience. Working on these implementations at the same time has been both exasperating and energizing.
What are you currently reading/listening to/watching/making?
I recently finished The Pitt, which my partner and I binged over, like, three days. I just started The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman. I enjoyed his The Magicians trilogy and I am excited to see what he does with the Arthurian mythos. The new album from Beirut, A Study of Losses, just came out, so I am listening to that 24/7. I am also big on soundtracks so I listen to both the Watchmen (the HBO series) and Shōgun (the FX series) soundtracks on a regular basis. Both of those shows, and their soundtracks, are just fantastic.
What advice can you share with others for a fulfilling and beneficial Core experience?
Just put yourself out there. Be willing to take a risk, to put your hand up and ask that question or make that suggestion. Volunteer to work on that committee or task force. We all have competencies and experiences worth sharing.
Anything else you’d like to share?
We live in challenging times and work in a service profession. The chances of job creep and burn out are pretty strong these days. We all need to do whatever it takes to maintain a good work-life balance and positive wellbeing. Find and cling to things that bring you joy, whether that is exercise, enjoying the outdoors, pets, friends and family, or even small things like watching cute cat videos or your favorite feel good shows.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the people of Core. If you would like to nominate someone or self-nominate, please fill out this Form.
