banned books week b*%#&$

Every October the ALA commemorates all of the books that have been banned or challenged over the years. You can usually find a display in your local library celebrating this week. While I was still at SLU I collaborated with other librarians on some displays. I was always surprised to see what people challenged. Earlier this week GSLIS organized a chalking party to cover the sidewalks in quotes from some of the more famous works. Mostly we chose from the more risky or expletive quotations... now is the time to use profanity on the quad!

Someone else's twittered image of the chalk

Here is a link to the ALA's list of banned books. Some of these classic works that I read in high school are on the list. I hardly remember thinking that I was being a rebel when I was reading these classics. I can somehow see how they would make the list. Someone could definitely construe the material as too provocative, however my personal feeling is that literature is a form of expression. There is no right or wrong expression, just like that corny saying "my feelings are neither right nor wrong." I don't think you can fault someones creation, however I am not a radical christian or a pious individual so my perspective isn't relevant to this debate.

So do something daring this week... read a book! A book that someone thought was so inappropriate no one should be allowed to read it. Get your hands on a copy and see what the fuss is about. I know I am, I have my copy of Lolita handy and am gonna dig in.

omg. I am actually learning things!

Today I finished writing my first webpage ever!!!! Well actually I had done a little html for a business class I was in sophomore year, but that was in one ear and out the other. So for my intro to tech class we had to create a book report webpage from scratch. I chose one of my favorite books of all time to share with the class. The design is super simple, but I am so proud...


so drum roll please....

HERE IT IS!!!!

feel free to check out the sourcing and tell me all about how I could have made things simpler!

I've never read like this before.

Seriously. I should have realized that insane amount of reading that I would be doing for Library school. It isn't that the readings are hard, or even that we have to reflect on most of them, it is just the sheer number that are assigned. I am expected to have working knowledge of on average 10 different readings a week. I try and keep up, but honestly most weeks I just surrender and cut my losses. Usually this results in a rather quiet Mallory when it comes time for discussion. Either that or I fake it... however faking it has some serious hazards. There is always the potential to look like a complete idiot. I guess I have been throwing caution to the wind lately and winging it. I hope for my sake that I will get myself in check these next couple of weeks or else this could get ugly.

do doctors spend all their time in hospitals?

As of lately I feel like all my time is spent in a library of some sort. During my undergrad I spent a vast majority of my time working and studying in the undergrad library. Here however, I just feel that I am immersed in the subjects of libraries all day. I spend most of my days talking about them, working in one, and studying in several different ones. All of this leads me to ponder rather I am a unique case or not. Does everyone end up spending their time surrounded by their profession or feel like it takes over their lives? Right now I feel like there are very few moments I am not consumed by libraries.

above: is the view from my new post at the UIUC law library.

Libraries Will Survive (long version)

I kind of really enjoy this video....

Thanks Sanita!!!

truth

"Most people outside our field do not realize that there is a content to the study of form and organization."

Marcia Bates states this in her article, "The Invisible Substrate of Information Science." No truer words have ever been spoked about library science. I can't even begin to think of the amount of times that people question the fact that librarians have to receive a Master's degree in order to be an actual librarian. It is just something that people seem to doubt, the our field is a real profession. Next time you try and use google or search for your friends on Facebook, remember there is a method to our madness. Librarians and information professionals design the way that your results appear. We organize information. Without us, you wouldn't know how to search and you wouldn't be able to find.

one is the loneliest number

before I settle in to working on my first big assignment that is due Friday, I of course wanted to take some time to update my blog (procrastination is my middle name).

I have never lived alone before. Until now I was either cohabiting with my family or with roommates. So this whole thing is brand new. I can no longer blame my messy apartment on the faults of my roommates or rely on anyone else to be there when things get a little crazy. Honestly, it isn't the company or the feeling of security that I miss the most, but rather I really just miss cooking for my roommates. The simple act of coming home from the day and deciding that we would have family dinner. I would plan it in my head, make the preparations, round everyone together, and we would just come together and eat. So I guess I do miss the company and conversation. There is something about coming together over a fresh meal and exchanging the day to day, laughing, and buzzing with what's happening. I mean I could do this now, with new friends, but it isn't the same.

Logistically it never occurred to me how much cooking for one SUCKS. It is really hard to make a lasagna for one person... or just even purchasing food is a hassle. I am constantly thinking about how I will use something before it goes bad. I used to be able to buy whatever and be fairly confident that one or all of my roommates would end up finishing it off. It was something I loved, being able to share with them. Now I just share with myself and it is getting old...

state schools go big.

One of the craziest adjustments has been getting used to going to a state school. I am used to the small private university campus in urban St. Louis. At SLU there was a feeling of community that ran deep. It was like you were in your own little niche in the city, but you could still step outside and visit all the great things that a city of 3 million has to offer. Going to the Hill, visiting forest park, grabbing a drink downtown, grabbing a drink in the central west end, getting up early for the Soulard market and much more. Coming here has made it apparent that not everyone has the same experiences in college.

It isn't that I don't don't like Champaign and there are a lot of things to do here. But there is different vibe buzzing throughout this campus. First of all, the sheer number of people here still amazes me. There is something like 40,ooo students at the university and we are all in such close proximity to each other during the week. I see countless faces on my 5 block walk to class. It is hard for me to believe the possibility of walking to class everyday and not recognizing a single face.

Also, here sports have such a great emphasis. I was amazed when I drove by the stadium on Tuesday this week to see that the tail-gating area was already set up for the football game today. At SLU soccer and basketball were the biggest sports. There had been no football team since the early 1900's. It is just such an a shock that school sports carry so much weight. I guess because in STL you have professional teams that garner all the attention. It will definitely take some time for me to get used to this mania.

Overall though I think that coming here is going to be a great experience for me. A chance to see both sides of the coin.

"it's only library school"

Greetings from Champaign Illinois! Home of the number one rated Library Science school in the nation and my new stomping grounds. I am just finishing up my 3rd week of class and I decided that I better start chronicling this journey.

So far, so good. School seems like it is going to be a breeze. The people here are really nice and engaging. I have a lot of down time in my schedule. I only go to class 3 times a week for 3 hours, so the rest of the week is pretty much open. I have desperately been searching for a job since I didn't get a graduate assistantship. Luckily for me I just received the news today that I will be working at the Law Library in the circulation department. I start Monday and extremely excited to have a JOB.

Anyway, this is my situation currently and I hope to expand on all of this throughout the course of my blog. Really I am going to just use this as a forum to rant and rave about the trials and tribulations of LIBRARY SCHOOL.