Sarah Theimer
Description and Discovery Strategy Librarian
University of New Hampshire
Introduction
Essay writing is a well established method of reflection and understanding. Library workers often do not have time to process the meaning that surrounds their work. The rush to get work done and on to the next thing, competing demands, and outside commitments all compete for attention and energy. These essays use writing as method for understanding professional practice. They record thoughts about cataloging and discovery work. They enable meaning to emerge through details and reflection. The essays do not tell people how to catalog or how they should feel about cataloging. They provide a way of recognizing how meaning is generated in library work through attention to systems, constraints, and decision-making.