Today, a student really did approach me to inquire whether or not I had noticed the Mcdonalds cup left by the printer. Really. I had not, I told her, as I abruptly left my task and rushed to remove the offending cup. This sweet student stood and smiled at me, clearly pleased with her helpfulness.
Moments after that, a very gentle student explained that she needed help accessing her email. I eagerly went to her aid, only to realize, this student has never used a mouse before. Never. Another, Really. Really.
Fortunately my day is brightened by another faculty bring me a beautiful dahlia, a lovely peach colored blossom that I hope will dry well and cheer me when summer is long gone. And another reminds me of "Knitting in the Library" at 2. I have forgotten my knitting but she assures me, that since she knows about my secret stash of a yarn ball, that she will provide me with needles.
I look forward to my substituting tonight for an Information Litaracy instructor....we will be looking at journals. Of the four classes which I have covered for him, he's left me detailed lesson plans and instructions but for this one. I'm looking forward to standing on my own this evening. We'll see how it goes.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Why do I have a blog? Why do you have a blog?
I started this blog sometime ago, months? I've posted what, twice? I thought I should have a blog because it seems like librarians are supposed to have a blog. Then I realized I'd have to think about things to write about. Ummmm. I ranacross lots of librarian's blogs talking about "big stuff", you know, important ideas, shape the profession kind of ideas....I'm a reader of those ideas of course, but not likely an instigator. So, i felt a little small and hadn't come up with any of those big, profession changing ideas to write about and so, here sat my little blog.
But you know, I found several blogs today from hmm dare I say, normal librarians? The kind of folks that have normal days, that love (mostly) their work, love their patrons (okay, not always), do crafts, use bad language, and for the most part, just chat about their lives, the books they read and the folks they serve and of course, their libraries.
Now what I find odd about this is that it had never occured to me that anyone would enjoy reading the normal, day to day things which happen in my little library. I thought, "hmmm, you'd need to be one helluva writer to make THIS worth reading...." but no...I enjoyed others chatting about their experience, I enjoy the complaining, the praising, the laundry listing of life in my library...and so.................(You knew I was going here didn't you?)...
Today in MY library....my new library assistant asked for the evening off. Mind you, he has exactly one week under his belt. One week. When I interviewed him, we discussed very clearly that larger than usual need for his dependable and punctual attendance. You see, my library only has me from 8 - 5 and my assistant, a work-study student from 5 - 10 PM. Accredidaton requires that one of us be here, but no one seems to get that we might need a substitute, or to hire another work-study student.
Maybe I'm not so great a manager. Well, I've certainly never been a manager before. My new assistant had a very sad story about locking his keys in the car and not being able to do his homework this weekend. The homework required going to the zoo. So, at 2 PM he thought he'd ask me for the night off and head for the zoo. This does not bode well. I fumbled around a bit - my first instinct is to let whomever is it do whatever it is they think they want, or need to do, and then try my best to take up the slack. Okay, maybe I fumbled for more than awhile. I bit my tongue, I absolutely refused to give myself permission to take up the slack tonight. My health is suffering and I'm already staying late to teach two nights this week with no compensation that I can tell. NO! Inside I kept screaming NO to myself. He must have sensed my turmoil.
"I don't want to creat a problem," he said. "Oh, really?", I" thinking, "why on earth would you ask for an evening off, three hours before the evening begins, and show no signs of being bloody or otherwise near death's door, when you've only been working here a week, AFTER I explained how unusually important your attendance might be?" I wish I remembered exactly what I said, something like when you don't come to work, I need to stay until 10 and I'm not eager to do that when I work two twelve hour days already this week. I asked him which zoo he's visiting and he responded that he's going to Woodland Zoo. Ummm, 2 PM, can be at the zoo by 2:30, spend a couple of hours and back before work starts at 5. When I suggested this he said, "Yeah, I should have asked to be a little late." So, I' guessing that even though, in my mind, he can fulfill his assignment, and still arrrive by 5 - I'm betting he'll be late.
Sigh. But now the story gets worse. His teacher just strode past my library door. Anxious for any excuse to get up and walk away from my desk, I flagged him down. "Hey! Can you fill me in on that assignment that requires a visit to the zoo?" I can bet you're guessing already, "What assignment are you talking about? I've no requirement that students visit the zoo - they MAY but they don't have to." So, of course, I explained the whole dilemna. Turns out the assignment was not due today, or even tomorrow, but it was due last Wednesday.
This does not look good at all. I was so relieved to have the assistant finally in place. So relieved. Guess I'll learn how to be more of a manager, faster than I thought.
But you know, I found several blogs today from hmm dare I say, normal librarians? The kind of folks that have normal days, that love (mostly) their work, love their patrons (okay, not always), do crafts, use bad language, and for the most part, just chat about their lives, the books they read and the folks they serve and of course, their libraries.
Now what I find odd about this is that it had never occured to me that anyone would enjoy reading the normal, day to day things which happen in my little library. I thought, "hmmm, you'd need to be one helluva writer to make THIS worth reading...." but no...I enjoyed others chatting about their experience, I enjoy the complaining, the praising, the laundry listing of life in my library...and so.................(You knew I was going here didn't you?)...
Today in MY library....my new library assistant asked for the evening off. Mind you, he has exactly one week under his belt. One week. When I interviewed him, we discussed very clearly that larger than usual need for his dependable and punctual attendance. You see, my library only has me from 8 - 5 and my assistant, a work-study student from 5 - 10 PM. Accredidaton requires that one of us be here, but no one seems to get that we might need a substitute, or to hire another work-study student.
Maybe I'm not so great a manager. Well, I've certainly never been a manager before. My new assistant had a very sad story about locking his keys in the car and not being able to do his homework this weekend. The homework required going to the zoo. So, at 2 PM he thought he'd ask me for the night off and head for the zoo. This does not bode well. I fumbled around a bit - my first instinct is to let whomever is it do whatever it is they think they want, or need to do, and then try my best to take up the slack. Okay, maybe I fumbled for more than awhile. I bit my tongue, I absolutely refused to give myself permission to take up the slack tonight. My health is suffering and I'm already staying late to teach two nights this week with no compensation that I can tell. NO! Inside I kept screaming NO to myself. He must have sensed my turmoil.
"I don't want to creat a problem," he said. "Oh, really?", I" thinking, "why on earth would you ask for an evening off, three hours before the evening begins, and show no signs of being bloody or otherwise near death's door, when you've only been working here a week, AFTER I explained how unusually important your attendance might be?" I wish I remembered exactly what I said, something like when you don't come to work, I need to stay until 10 and I'm not eager to do that when I work two twelve hour days already this week. I asked him which zoo he's visiting and he responded that he's going to Woodland Zoo. Ummm, 2 PM, can be at the zoo by 2:30, spend a couple of hours and back before work starts at 5. When I suggested this he said, "Yeah, I should have asked to be a little late." So, I' guessing that even though, in my mind, he can fulfill his assignment, and still arrrive by 5 - I'm betting he'll be late.
Sigh. But now the story gets worse. His teacher just strode past my library door. Anxious for any excuse to get up and walk away from my desk, I flagged him down. "Hey! Can you fill me in on that assignment that requires a visit to the zoo?" I can bet you're guessing already, "What assignment are you talking about? I've no requirement that students visit the zoo - they MAY but they don't have to." So, of course, I explained the whole dilemna. Turns out the assignment was not due today, or even tomorrow, but it was due last Wednesday.
This does not look good at all. I was so relieved to have the assistant finally in place. So relieved. Guess I'll learn how to be more of a manager, faster than I thought.
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