by Mary Strow
Undergraduate Library Services, IUL-Bloomington

There simply aren't enough adjectives to describe my experience Down Under: exciting, fascinating, humbling, challenging, memorable, invigorating .... I could go on and on. Being in Australia for 6 months, Aug. 16, 1998- Feb. 22, 1999, was not only a dream come true, but a supurb cultural education, both personally and professionally. It met my expectations, and then some.

Living in another English-speaking country was not entirely new to me; some 28 years ago I worked in London for 6 months and the experience sparked an interest in travel both in and out of the United States. Australia was a place I had wanted to visit for many years, and when the opportunity to work there arose, I was keenly interested. I knew that an exchange would afford an experience far richer than that of a tourist, and was eager to become immersed in the daily routine of my exchange counterpart, Linden - a librarian at the University of Sydney. I was also interested in working at a centralized reference desk in a busy research library, understanding that it would be vastly different from my experience at IUB.

After 10 years working in the IUB Main Library, I was ready for a change. Linden and I "conversed" via e-mail for over a year in preparation of our job swap - not only comparing our respective responsibilities at work, but our homes as well, since we exchanged them, too. We both were confident that our skills would transfer to the other culture, and, if not, we would simply learn new ones!

Once I had arrived in Sydney, however, the talk and the dreams were suddenly a thing of the past; a long dose of reality hit me in the face. So much was different. I was in an urban setting, half-way around the globe, extricated from my friends, family, and creature comforts. There were palms, Jacaranda trees, and Moreton Bay figs growing outside my windows. Lorikeeets, rosellas, and magpies squawked overhead, and sulphur-crested cockatoos awoke me many mornings. People deferred to the left as they walked down the "footpaths," mirroring the cars and buses in the streets. It was commonplace to hear numerous languages spoken on the bus, in the shops, in restaurants. Even English was difficult to understand at first, because most Aussies spoke very quickly and there were many differences in the meanings of words: "jumper," instead of sweater, "lift" instead of elevator, "capsicum," instead of green pepper, to name just a few. And everywhere I turned, there were spectacular views of the ocean, rivers, and harbors. I was indeed a long way from Indiana!

One of the first challenges was to learn my way around the sprawling, coastline city of some 5 million people, not unlike San Francisco with its hills and characteristic red-tiled roofs and stucco buildings. Sydney has an excellent public transportation system, and within a matter of days I was a commuter on the city bus line with hoards of locals. Getting to work from my suburban community of Coogee took about an hour; getting home often took longer, depending upon the traffic. Riding on the left side of the street was disconcerting for awhile, and I was almost mowed down by traffic a few times when I forgot to look right, before crossing the streets. But I adapted quickly, and if I ever got lost or needed directions, people were extremely friendly and helpful wherever I went.

Finding good food was rarely a problem: never in my life have I seen so many carry-out ("take-away") restaurants! Every cuisine in the world was available - I tried as many as I could. I even sampled kangaroo burgers and emu meat, but in the end, my favorites were Thai, Lebanese, and Indian dishes. Fresh seafood was also abundant - there were many varieties that I had never heard of. Fish and Chips shops were commonplace at the many beaches. As for grocery stores, I frequented the local Woolworth's Metro only a few blocks away from my flat, and spent a lot of time in the beginning just looking at the vast array of unique products.

Since working on the Reference Desk was to be one of my primary responsibilities, I tried to learn as much as possible about The University of Sydney - the campus, the names of buildings, the faculties, the administrative structure, and the curriculum.

When I first arrived, it was about midway through the second semester. I relied heavily on maps, informational handouts, and my trusty colleagues, who were patient with my endless questions. Walking around campus on lunch hours helped a good deal. The work at the Reference Desk in Fisher Library (similar to our Main Library in Bloomington) was perhaps the most humbling part of the entire experience - I felt inadequate much of the first three months. My mind would automatically think of U.S sources, and it took time to learn the Australian equivalents, if any. I also had to become used to the Dewey Decimal system, and searching Australia's online union catalog, ABN. As the Subject Specialist for Business and Economics, I learned how to use several databases which were unique to Australia, and became familiar with a host of new print resources. By and large, however, I found the needs of the students to be very similar to those of U.S. students- they wanted to know how to find periodicals, how to use databases, how to find specific types of information. Many wanted to know where was I from and what was I doing in Australia; several thought that my accent indicated that I was from Canada. Most people I met had heard of Indiana and thought that it was somewhere "in the middle" of the U.S., but few knew its exact location. I found that if I told them that it was close to Chicago, and the home of the Indianapolis 500, they had a better idea of its location.

Much was different about being a librarian in Australia. We did not have faculty status, nor did we do much in the way of Collection Development - this was done primarily by teaching faculty. We clocked-in and clocked-out daily. On evening shifts, I was responsible for the security of the entire building and set an alarm when I locked up at 10pm. The Reference Desk was manned by subject specialists, catalogers, and staff from Interlibrary Loan, Special Reserve, and various other units. We were assigned our desk shifts only one day in advance. Yet, while these procedures were different for me, they were a normal part of the routine for the staff in Sydney. In November, I was asked to talk to staff about academic librarianship in the United States, along with the other exchange librarian in residence, Margaret Brill, from Duke University. Twice we presented "The M & M Show," in which we described our respective campuses, libraries, and roles as librarians. These presentations were informative to the entire staff, and a valuable part of the shared experience. The ideas put forth prompted much healthy dialogue among colleagues, and we often compared and contrasted views on a number of issues facing the University of Sydney Library, such as reorganization of Technical Services, and web-based Reference services.

By the end of October, I began to gain confidence. I had survived the Sydney water crisis, a national election (mandatory voting, John Howard was re-elected), trips to Canberra , Melbourne, and down the southeast coast. My ear had become more attuned to the Australian accent, and I was discovering parts of Sydney that were off-the-beaten-path. Library resources were not so foreign; I was learning policies and procedures of Reference Desk operations; I taught several database classes to post-graduates in Economics and Commerce; I visited many of the Branch Libraries, and attended a conference at the Conservatorium of Music Library. The local Post Office workers smiled when they saw me walk through the door each week with postcards clutched in my hand. I began to take morning tea breaks, and became a card-carrying member of the Capuccino Club. On Melbourne Cup Day, I joined several colleagues at a suburban club for a sumptuous buffet and race-viewing on a wide-screen television; the whole country seemed to stand still for about 3 1/2 minutes!

The 6 months flew by. Knowing that my time in Australia was finite, I tried to make the most of each day, and because of this, I was able to absorb and experience a great deal. Highlights of my stay were many: the Olympic scandals, the Cricket scandals, a Thanksgiving feast on the beach with other Americans (and a sporting Australian who baked her first pumpkin pie!), jumping in the surf on Christmas morning with my son, who came for a holiday visit. I went whale watching around Montague Island on the south coast, snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, watched fireworks off the Harbor Bridge on New Year's Eve, and attended the Melbourne Festival, the Sydney Festival, and numerous concerts at the Sydney Opera House. I visited the Hunter Valley wine region, the Blue Mountains, and went "bushwalking" in several spectacular National Parks. Best of all, I worked with terrific colleagues, and made lasting friendships.

There are many benefits from an exchange that extend beyond the individuals who trade places. The units employing them gain from having a new, yet experienced librarian to work with. My UGL colleagues enjoyed Linden's fresh perspective, energy, and enthusiasm, and, conversely, her Sydney "Uni" colleagues welcomed my opinions and comments. We all learned more about another culture, another way of life, another way of doing things. With e-mail keeping us in touch, I continually felt that things were being taken care of at home, and thus was able to relax and enjoy the experience to the fullest.

Exchanges may not be for everyone, because so many factors have to be considered for the experience to be successful. Linden and I worked hard to ensure that the timing, logistics, and professional situation be appropriate for one another. It requires a good deal of cooperation on the part of colleagues, family, and friends. And countless hours of preparation and planning go into leaving one's home for a 6 month stretch - there are endless details relative to mail, paying bills, and home maintenance. Linden took especially great care of my beloved cat, Opie, rushing him off to the veterinarian when a cut on his ear failed to heal. Two weeks before I left Sydney, Linden's water heater sprung a leak and, with her parent's help, I managed to get it fixed. But incidents such as these are to be expected. I can honestly say that it was all worth it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

One of my hopes is that other IU librarians might have the opportunity to exchange positions such as I did. Clearly, funding is a major concern, and I hope that InULA will incorporate the funding of exchanges in the guidelines of the Professional Development Grant. With combined support from InULA and other IU agencies, travel costs for future exchanges might be completely covered.

My Australian "Adventures in Paradise" were truly a wonderful experience. I'll be happy to talk with any of you who are thinking about doing an exchange in the future - especially to Australia. Oh, and remind me to show you my photos of the Annual Nude Night Surfing at Bondi Beach!

Mary Strow
Librarian for Reference Services, Undergraduate Library Services
email: mstrow@indiana.edu

Pictures (large files--but worth it!):

Beach hike
Main Quad, University of Sydney campus
Fisher Library