when I was in library school...

Okay, so I was in library school in the dark ages. We used computer punch cards, the card catalog was wood and had drawers and I typed papers using my selectric typewriter and its amazing correctable ribbon.

My typewriter was pretty cool but I wrote my thesis on a memory typewriter at work--that was really cool! The thing I still miss is the card catalog...

This is Children's

Yesterday we witnessed the melt-down of the century in Children's which turned into the tantrum of the century. It must have gone on for a good 20 minutes (or more) and reached the point of no return for the tantrumee. I was picking up baby toys and books in the baby area and our little patron was screaming nearby underneath a table while her dad alternately ignored her or tried to quietly reason with her. Seriously, you can't reason with a child who is screaming her lungs out.

As I was putting back every board book and toy in that section (while ignoring the used kleenex), an adult patron walked in like he was shell-shocked, stared at the scene and then came over to where I was picking up stuff about 2 feet from the screaming.

Adult: Did she get hurt? I came down from the 3rd floor because she was so loud!

Me: No, she's okay.

Adult: Really? I thought something was wrong - you can hear her all the way upstairs.

Me: Nope, just a tantrum. You get used to it.

Adult: Are you sure? I was on the 3rd floor!

Me: She's fine. This is Children's.

Wilco - Via Chicago

I think I'm in love with word clouds on wordle. I made this word cloud from the lyrics to Via Chicago by Wilco.

Since I'm not going to Lollapalooza this year, the next best thing is listening to the music and playing with the lyrics.

On the 7 1/2 habits

I haven't thought much about life-long learning -- I realize that its something that I just do. I really like the process of learning new things and particularly gaining expertise. I can't say I face change without trepidation, but I like adding stuff to what I know and do.

I've made career changes which reflect that: from working as a Program Assistant at ALA (for ACRL and then AASL) to a Special Librarian at the ADA to a Children’s Librarian, which I think is the best fit. I have run my own baking business, worked as an employment counselor for a nanny agency and was fleetingly an online legal/medical researcher. I also currently work as a Resource Coordinator/Administrator of a small non-profit organization.

I do love to learn and create-- whether knitting or glass bead making or baking or storytime crafts (ah, foam!). Although I do suspect my favorite part about learning something new is setting up/acquiring the appropriate toolbox - I do love the acoutrements!

So on to these habits...habit #5 may be the easiest or most natural for me, habit #3 sometimes the hardest. Really, though, they all fall on a continuum and depending on the situation and my mood, its not so crystal clear. (When I initially tried to set up my blog and ended up deleting it, twice, I was not especially confident or ready to take responsibility, able to view my problems as challenges instead of irritations or feeling too playful --nor was I particularly nice to my children who bore the brunt of my exasperation. But now, its a brand new day...)

On blogging...

Okay, here is my first post. Although I have found some blogs interesting to read, I haven't ever thought about writing my own. A little daunting, to be sure, and for me full of false starts. Sort of like the many letters I write in my head that never make it to paper. So, this one is short but opens the door...