Saturday, March 29, 2014

Whylib

It started, as so many interesting projects do, with a conversation on Twitter...

John Schumacher (@MrSchuReads) started it off by commenting:


 I just had to know more:


and, of course, add my own piece to the story:


plus additional background:




By this time, others had joined in the conversation, including Andy Plemmons (@plemmonsa), Jennifer Reed (@libraryreeder), Heather Moorefield (@actinginthelib), and Sherry Gick (@LibraryFanatic). Andy proposed that librarians Tell Your #whylib Story for School Library Month (April).  Jennifer provided the #whylib hashtag.

So, here goes!

My path to the profession was, unsurprisingly, if you know me, not exactly a straight line. Although I grew up loving reading, books, and libraries, my first choice of a college major was Mathematics. A fascination with Algebra, solving puzzles (and devouring mysteries) did not survive advanced levels of Calculus; halfway through Freshman year, I switched to English. After thoroughly enjoying the syllabus, I graduated with a B.A. and no clear career course. 

I spent two years as a social caseworker in New Rochelle, NY, then reverted to my true love and applied to C.W. Post, for admission to their MLS program. As a graduate assistant, I got to work in the university library and assist professors with research projects. It was a wonderful opportunity to sample the profession, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After graduating, I worked in one public library as a Junior Librarian in the Children's Room, and in another covering the Reference Desk (in pre-Internet days) on holidays and weekends.

More turns in the path: my husband and I moved back upstate (Adirondack area of New York) to manage a campground. Eventually, Tim accepted a position as a graphic artist, and I successively clerked in a bookstore, worked in a child care facility, served as a special education assistant, and put in evening hours at the local community college library. When offered an opportunity to sub as a school librarian, I started the process that eventually led to my certification as a New York State teacher librarian, a position I subsequently filled until my "retirement." All of my prior experience, varied as it was, helped prepare me for the diverse demands of a K-12 school library. Although I'm not in a classroom any longer, I work part-time for CyberSmart Education Company, do some free-lance writing, and enjoy presenting at a variety of professional conferences.

The threads that tie all this together are a love of literature, a pleasure in learning, and the desire to share both of these enthusiasms with others.

#whylib? Why ever NOT!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

On New Year's Day

"Another Year With Thee" by dmcordell http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/11679510004/
 As I have done for the past few years, I've created a short slideshare with some highlights of the last 12 months. It serves as both a reminder of what I've done, and a pointer to what might lie ahead.


Another task for the new year is to update my blog Flickr badge generator. This is my 6th year of participation in the 365 Challenge. I find that this activity acts as a visual journal, while stretching my powers of creativity and observation. The other members of the Challenge groups post their own contributions, so there are constant examples of innovative photography from which I can learn.

The groups I belong to are Project 365, 2014/365, and 365 Project. To learn how to create a badge generator for any type of Flickr set, you can refer to the posting I originally wrote in 2010.


I hope that 2014 finds all of you full of optimism and enthusiasm for the future. Have fun, take lots of photos, and Happy New Year!