Other Duties as Assigned (AKA The Many Hats of DPL Staff)

So, you just walked up the check out desk, and there's a staff member playing video games? What's that about? For our Spring Break 2025 Super Smash Ultimate Tournament, various circulation staff (particularly Cheyenne; who is AMAZING AT IT) were playing to unlock all of the characters for the kids. It's wild what you get paid to do when you work at a library. Our jobs are many and varied! Sometimes, you're shelving and cataloging books like normal. The next day, you might be learning a new and niche skill to lead a program or improve the library.

There's a popular saying in the library world: Other Duties as Assigned! There's things that you just can't put into a job description. Here are some of the different "hats" that our library staff has taken on their years at Duncan Public Library!

Amy Ryker, Director: "I painted the Story Time tree one weekend. And recently, I wrapped the upstairs columns in fresh contact paper to update the YA area."

Misty Brodeur, YA Librarian: "Watching Public Access TV (while that was a thing) to see what library events were still being advertised and needed to come down. I've also papered a shelf with comics for our graphic novels shelf. Zip tying tree branches to the railing for Summer Reading decorations."

Darbie Lafontain, Children's Librarian: "Holding babies while their parents are busy! One year for a dinosaur themed summer reading, we measured out yarn to be the same length as different dinosaurs."

Terrie, Head of Circulation: "Watching movies to see if they actually work. Planting things for the seed garden."

Jessica, Outreach: "A lot of Outreach is Other Duties as Assigned. I visit places and play a lot of games with kids. During March 2020, Terrie and I learned how to dye leather furniture to restore the red color to some of our furniture."

Makiah, Circulation Staff: "I never thought I'd be potting plants at the library, and making Christmas sweaters for the parade on my first day on the job."

Cheyenne, Circulation Staff: "I never thought I would be doing this much graphic design while working at the library."