By Marlene McPherson, Gleaner Correspondent
Sean Thomas at work as acting senior librarian at the St. Thomas Parish Library. - Contributed
Soft spoken Sean Alban Thomas is one of four male professional librarians in the Jamaica Library Service Network and he enjoys his present role thoroughly.
He sees the Library Service as one that is dynamic, challenging and full of activities, very far from what is often described as a slow moving profession.
With a wide grin etched on his face, the 25-year-old Piscean reminisced on how he came to be a librarian. This was definitely not by design.
After graduating from Morant Bay High School's sixth form, he entered the workforce in November 1996 as a Library Assistant in order to accumulate some needed funds to pursue the Business Administration course at the University of Technology (UTech).
He worked for two years in that position. When asked about the work, he responded, "It was enlightening, it was not just the borrowing of books...it was a working machinery".
At the end of the two years, he indicated to Miss Maureen Thompson, the senior librarian for the St. Thomas Parish Library of his intention to resign to take up further studies.
POTENTIAL
Miss Thompson seeing his potential dissuaded him from his planned course of studies and gave him insight into the career path of librarianship.
Among the information given was that the organisation could give him study leave with pay. This was the motivating factor that caused him to think seriously about the offer.
On reflection, he said that "My older sister was in college so I did not want to add too much on my parents".
The dynamism that this career goal offers became another rallying point. First, it exposes one to different disciplines; Second, it offers the opportunities for performing at different levels of management, while third, it lends itself to co-ordination of different programmes and enhances the development of skills. His family however had reservations about him staying in the field. To them, he would be entering a female-dominated profession with the stigma attached to it as boring and just stamping of books.
Overwhelmed with new zeal and information Thomas decided to study Library and Information Studies at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus.
He started his studies as a part-time student. During this period, he continued to work as part-time librarian at the parish library then was transferred to the Jamaica Library Service headquarters during the second phase of his first year of studies.
Here, he received more exposure at the management level. He became a full-time student during his second and third year and graduated with Second Class Honours.
There is no denying that he enjoyed his course as he summed it up like this, "It surpassed my expectations because at the end of the course, I was competent in the computer section which was the most exciting."
On returning to the Library Service, he conducted a training course with some members of staff. Speaking about staff, he explained that he has very good interpersonal relationships with all even when making some serious decisions.
Incidentally, he has assumed the post of acting senior librarian at the St. Thomas Parish Library since April 2002. Asked how he is coping with his new position, he smiled and said he is trying to meet the deadlines, go to seminars and meet other challenges that comes with his job.
With this new position, which Thomas says he is enjoying, he is still cognisant of the need for accountability and a democratic approach to his co-workers.
WORK
What does his work entail? The management of the St. Thomas Library Network which includes overseeing five branch libraries and eight bookmobile route services. Each route serves four communities. In a nutshell he manages people, library resources and prepares budgets.
The third of five children for Marvin and Maureen Thompson from the Trinityville district, Thomas says he enjoys reading, watching television, working with computers and listening to Jazz and classical music. His favourite game is football. He is also happily married to Zonie, whom he met in 1997 while working at the library. The two exchanged wedding vows last July.
He said he intends to pursue his Masters Degree in Library Studies which would provide further scope for upward mobility in the library service.
