Category Archives: love libraries

It’s National Library Week!

April 16, 2013 By in love libraries Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

April 14 – 20 is National Library Week. We are having lots of activities to celebrate at my library, including fine forgiveness and a drawing for an iPad mini! In other words, posts might be a little sparse this week. Forgive me!

During tough economic times, library use skyrockets. We offer free Internet access, computers, books, homework help, instructional classes, a safe space and a plethora of other resources. (I’ve become a tax expert lately!) Libraries are also hit hard during budgetary constraints. I encourage you to call your local government representatives and tell them how important libraries are to you!

How have libraries helped you lately?

love,
melanie

The Biggest Before and After EVER!

April 3, 2013 By in love libraries Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments
librarybefore2

The old library shelving

libraryshelves3

beforelibrary

We had our reference section sitting on our study carrels for 6 months because the shelving collapsed when we tried to move it : /

 

I’ve been absent ’round these parts because… (dun, dun, dun!) I’ve had a huge project at work (whomp, whomp). But this is no ordinary project. Last year, I wrote a request to the senior leadership team at my school to fund new library shelving. The old shelving was falling apart. Literally. The furniture in the library was all original to the school, so it has been there since 1969! After much fighting, scraping and the occasional tear, we got the go ahead for new shelving!

Today I am happy to bring you the biggest “Before and After” this blog has ever seen!

AFTER!

AFTER!

I no longer feel like I might get assaulted when I re-shelve books!

I no longer feel like I might get assaulted when I re-shelve books!

Our new bright, airy stacks!

It has been a long process. We weeded 6,000 books from the collection. We researched and designed shelves. And we physically moved and re-shelved 24,000 books.

I am tired. My body hurts. I didn’t know being a librarian often involves so much physical labor. I actually soaked in Epsom salts last night. I am an old lady, but a happy old lady who knows that hard work pays off.

love,
melanie

A Librarian Experiences Reading Guilt

August 1, 2012 By in love libraries Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

What people think I do all day at work.

“Oh, you’re a librarian? You must read a lot.” I hear this phrase more than any other when people learn my profession. I usually say, “Yeah, I like to read.” But I always feel odd responding to that statement. My job doesn’t involve me sitting at a desk reading fiction all day… ever. And how much is “a lot” of books?

I went on a search for the average amount of books than an American read in the past year. A 2007 Washington Post article cited an AP poll that reported one in four Americans read no books in 2006. The typical person in the poll claimed to have read four books in the last year. According to these statistics, my fiction consumption may be above average, but I rarely finish a book in a week. Sometimes it takes me months to finish a book and sometimes I never finish it!

In elementary school I won an award for reading the most books out of anyone else in the school. If I remember correctly, it was hundreds of children’s books. And no, I never won any sports awards. Only book awards. And yes, it is nerdy.

Now 50 books per year seems overwhelming. To read 50 books per year, I’d have to average about one book per week. One book per week seems like an unobtainable amount to consume for me.

And sometimes I feel guilty about it. It’s a weird guilt that I know I shouldn’t experience. I can’t help but feel a slightly guilty when someone asks me if I’ve read 50 Shades of Grey and I say “No, not yet!”

How many books do you read per year? Can you even remember how many books you’ve read in a year? I can’t!

Take the poll below and let me know!

love,
melanie

 

 

 

An Update and some Friday Love (on a Monday)

July 16, 2012 By in love friday, love libraries Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

A stylish library worker at the NYPL. For more library style, see link below or click on the photo.

I’m still not dead folks, just plum tuckered out. (That’s how we say tired in the south.) I thought I was going to get a chance to rest this summer,  instead I’ve been running around the state and country! But I’m trying to remind myself to be thankful.

I talked with my boss, so I can share the big secret now– I have a potential job opportunity! I went in for an interview last Monday. It’s a dream job in a larger city and closer to my family. I won’t find out the outcome for at least a few weeks, but I’m staying hopeful.

During my absence, I’ve come across so much web goodness– especially in the library field! And sometimes we all need a little Friday link love on a Monday, am I right?!

Aleph Molinari: Let’s bridge the digital divide! The digital divide is becoming the new literacy.

Handouts from ALA sessions in case you missed ‘em!

This video is a cute dedication to reading from the New York State Reading Association, sung to the tune of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep.

Office Style at the New York Public Library! So many stylish librarians and library workers!!!

That’s all I’ve got for today, folks. I have loads of cataloging and fall semester planning to do, so back to the salt mines!

love,
melanie

ALA Conference 2012 — Lessons Learned

July 2, 2012 By in love libraries Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The Gaylord booth at ALA.

As I mentioned before, I’ve been off the radar lately because last week I traveled to Anaheim, California for the American Library Association Annual Conference. Parts of it were madness– the vendor opening looked like Black Friday at the mall. And parts of it were just delightful– George R.R. Martin‘s talk about growing up in the projects but “living a thousand lives” through books.

This was my first time at ALA, so I’ve compiled the top five tips I learned along the way.

5. The dress is business casual, not standard business. Suit and tie, not required. I had heard from friends that the dress code was formal. It’s not. Wear jeans and a nice shirt, and you’ll be golden. Unless you’re presenting, of course. Then snappy attire is encouraged.

4. Bring plenty of non-Internet related stuff to do– especially if you are traveling a long distance. I know this is common sense to most seasoned travelers, but the hotel and the airport didn’t have free wi-fi. Then, on the plane, my computer died and my pencil broke. I was so bored, I actually (gasp!) struck up a conversation with my seat neighbor.

3. Which brings me to my next tip: strike up a conversation with your fellow librarians. I met the best people waiting in line at book signings or on the escalator. Librarians are all fun people. I know that’s a gross generalization, but I promise, it’s not just you, the rest of us are fun too.

A delicious, fruity drink!

2. (Another fabulous segue!) HAVE SOME FUN. I had a couple of fruity drinks at lunch by the pool. I met with one of my favorite friends from library school and we went to Downtown Disney to watch the fireworks. I didn’t regret one minute of it. I know it’s a conference, but sometimes you also need downtime.

1. You don’t have to go to every single talk. Sometimes it’s more worth your time to stand in line to see one of your favorite authors. (I met Sherman Alexie! I was so starstruck. I’m sure he thought I was a total dweeb.) It’s also ok to leave the talk if it isn’t what you thought it might be and bounce into another session. Just sit in the back and be respectful of others.

Those are my tips from the ALA 2012 conference. Did you attend? I’d love to hear other tips in the comments.

love,
melanie

Love Libraries: A New Direction?

June 29, 2012 By in love libraries Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

At ALA

I’ve been out of the blog-o-sphere for about a week now attending the American Library Association Conference. Ok, I posted from my phone at the conference, but that doesn’t really count. Taking a forced break has given me the chance to really think about this blog, the direction it is going, my future, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. (Side note: Can you believe hotels and airports still charge for Wi-Fi?! LONG LIVE LIBRARIES!)

What has really surprised me is how much I love writing about my job. The place I work sometimes gets the best of me, but I am so incredibly thankful that I found librarianship.

I love doing reader’s review here on the blog– which I rarely get to do in “real life.” I love scouring the Internet for new and interesting projects in the world of libraries. I love getting people excited about technology, and yes, excited about books too. Librarianship never bores me, unlike so many other hobbies I dabble in.

I know I probably worry unnessarily about the “direction” of this blog. I started it off as a wedding blog for Christ’s sake! But I may be taking a turn toward writing more about books, technology, and you guessed it, libraries.

I hope you’ll join me in this journey.

love,
the sometimes indecisive librarian,
melanie

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