Wagons

I had a professor during my undergraduate who was a member of the education department, but I took a children's literature class that she taught. I love her to death, and one of the many many reasons why I love her, other than because of our shared love of children's literature, was her childlike spirit. My professor, when teaching the children's literature course, would bring all of her materials for the day's lecture to class in a wagon. We went through so many book titles in one session that she needed it in order to be able to get everything to our room in one trip. If you went to visit her in her office you would immediately see her two wagons parked inside the door; a radio flyer for the warm months, and a john deer wagon with tractor-like tires for the winter, or for extra heavy loads.

I have decided, now that I am taking my Library Materials for Children course, that all graduate MLIS students who are pursuing a career in children's librarianship, should immediately be bestowed a wagon upon entrance into the program. I know the college my sister is currently considering attending for her undergraduate gives first year students a bicycle, since they cannot have cars on campus, a Schwinn that is built with their specifications, that they get to keep even after they graduate. So why shouldn't children's librarians get wagons?

I had so many books to carry to class today that were needed for a presentation and class discussion that I had a full backpack and a second bag that was bursting. I looked like a turtle with my huge backpack full of children's storybooks, which also made me look like a little kid in elementary school with a backpack that is too big for them.

A wagon would have come in really handy... that's all I'm saying...

One Semester Down... How Many More to Go?

2011 is here! It's coming has signaled the end of several things, and the beginning of many more things to come.

I successfully completed my first semester of graduate school. I was really nervous and overwhelmed a lot of the time, but I did it. I wrote my first graduate papers, including an imaginary research study proposal and methodology, gave my first presentations on the graduate level, and successfully participated in, and completed 3 graduate-level courses, with excellent grades to boot!

I'm hoping my next semester will be a little less stressful, as I will not be taking 3 core curriculum courses in tandem, and I'll be taking several courses that I find really interesting, including Library Materials for Children and Web Publishing. I feel as a librarian it is very important to be up to date on all of the current technology, and I am sorely lacking in my knowledge when it comes to technology. I think being able to create and update my own website, other than a basic blog, will be a very useful skill to have. I also need to take the time to learn about RSS feed (a dinosaur in the grand scheme of technology and its current history), podcasts, and other technology-related things that I know little to nothing about.

I keep receiving emails about available library positions, several of which are in Alaska, Montana, and California. It makes my mind and heart race to think about the job I will have one day. Who knows where librarianship might take me?