I doubt your commitment to public service..

As of late I have been really trying to narrow down what type of librarian I want to be. I have always known that I would probably do well being involved with the public. I am not trying to be cruel, but there is a stereotype that is perpetuated of people in my field as bookish, nerdy, and socially awkward. So far I have met many people that supersede this conception, however I have met just as many that fit the mold. So I always had it in my mind that I would be someone who was made for the public arena. I mean, I definitely have my share of awkwardness, but I think overall I am a pretty sociable person. I have been working in the public sphere of the library for over 5 years now (gosh, that is strange to say). In either reference or circulation, which I must say the circulation desk is at the forefront of the public interaction. They are the first beacon that people run into in the library (generally) and therefore they get all the off the wall questions that people immediately ask as they enter the building. My experiences may have potentially jaded me. I am not as convinced as I was before that serving the public is what I want to do or what will satisfy me.

I have also been thinking that maybe I am just getting the wrong impression. Reference librarians generally only work a certain amount of hours on the desk a week. The longest I have seen them work in succession is 5 hours, but where I am working at now the shifts are at most 3 hours. So the public interaction is in small doses. Circulation is its own beast. I have seen circ desk's where the librarian works a normal day shift 9-5 behind the desk, in constant contact with the public. Ultimately I think just keeping to my current strategy of being open to all library experiences and willing to do anything that will get me a job will help me out in the long term....

fast forward...

4 months. I am almost done with my first year of library school.. I have to admit this second semester has been more challenging than the last one. I don't know if it is the course work or just my general lack of available time that has made it more difficult, but really there is a marked difference. I regret not diligently updating this blog. However, I just feel as though time has just flown by. It seems like just yesterday I started this crazy journey, but that is a little over 8 months ago now. I guess when you are working 3 jobs and trying to keep up with classes things get a little hectic.

This brings me to the thing I wish for the most for my next year of school: I want to get an assitantship. I need to get an assistantship. It would take care of my tuition and really just enable me to have a lot more freedom. It would also provide a great experience that I could hopefully use as momentum to get a great job after graduation. I have already started applying.. and I think the interview process will be beginning soon. I really need to make sure this happens... I want it more than anything I have wanted in a long time.

guilt

It is true... I am letting another blog slip right through my fingers. However, today is the day I am taking it back. (of course it is the end of the semester and final projects/papers are under way and what better way for me to spend this precious time then blogging?) So library school has proved so far to be not a huge challenge... I am holding down three part-time jobs while keeping up with all of my course work. So far all of my grades have been pretty stellar.. I don't for see any problems arising in this last week. It is hard for me to realize that I only have 6 more days until the end of the semester... and I will be done with 1/4th of my graduate career! wowza.

oh the things you find on the work computer...

This is a fine example of the items I find on the shared drive here at the library... maybe I shouldn't be looking, but privacy be damned.

urgh.

I have passed the honeymoon stage with this blog. It is getting to the point where I forget to update with any kind of regularity and I slowly lull into never using it again. BUT, I will not let this happen. I think something that has been holding me back has been thinking that I need to gear all of my topics toward library science. I think I have finally had an epiphany and realized that having a blog that chronicles my time in library school doesn't mean it all has to be about dewey decimal and cardigan sweaters. More or less it needs to be about all my general experience, whether it be school, work, or life in chambana.
Anyway, so this is my new blog philosophy. So today I feel like talking about the traumatic event that unfolded in front of me, not 40 minutes ago. I was on my way to work and I heard the worst combination of sounds... breaks screeching to a halt and the sound of a person thumping on the concrete. I looked and realized that a car had hit a person that was bicycling across the street. It is horrible, but my first thought was "oh no, I am going to be late for work." I can't believe that was my gut reaction. People instantly swarmed him, in that instant I weighed my options. I hadn't really seen anything and there were already people assisting so I decided to call 911 and be on my way. The responder was very nice, I told her that I hadn't witnessed the event and that I was just passing by and I gave her the location and she said they would check in to it. I feel bad that I didn't stop... I just can't shake that feeling that I did something wrong. Who knows?!

st lunatics

Heading down to St. Louis for the weekend... I have no idea why I feel this journey is so rushed. I just have a lot to accomplish before I actually get to go, so that is stressing me out a little. I have to create a calendar by writing it in PHP programming language, which I hope does not kill me. Also, I have my first assignment for e-learning due next monday... I am a just a touch nervous.

danger! danger!

Who knew that libraries were such crazy places!? If you have been following the news then you will know that last week there was a shooting at the Main Library on the campus of Univerisity of Texas at Austin. No one was actually injured in the crossfire, but nonetheless the event is frightening. I am not trying to propound the idea that libraries are dangerous places, however I do feel a little personally tied to this event. It is just strange to think that I could have been on campus when this whole event went down. UT was one of my other top choices for library school  and it is hard not to think what if?

Besides contemplating the hypothetical this week I have also been tackling the very real events that take place at the law library. This week I had to use the emergency packet for the first time ever (in any library that I have worked in). Let me just tell you, I never want to use it again. The quote below is one of my favorites about libraries... and I totally agree. Especially after this week where my attention has been diverted by the tragedy at UT, I need to be reminded of what I love

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.  ~Jorge Luis Borges