Library
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Week three
Time is flying. I can’t believe that it’s been three weeks. I have a lot to learn and two more weeks of training. But the downtime I had in the first two weeks has dwindled and I find myself surprised my day is over. Part of the startlement is that I am wholly unused to a desk job. I can’t stay in my office all day. I’m looking forward to making contacts with the departments so that I can be gone more often. I like making stuff and looking up stuff, but i need to go out and do or apply stuff. And I think I’m still just playing around…
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Handles
Today it feels like I’m getting some sort of handle on my job activities. When I was given my job description (I was offered a job that I didn’t interview for), it listed all of the possible things that this job includes. Most of it was boilerplate stuff that fell under the categories of collection management, instruction, and reference. This I expected. Having had two weeks of orientation and a chance to see the library as a organism, I have a better perspective. We are beginning preparations for the fall semester. And by the end of the month I am expected to be making and doing. I’m starting to see…
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Week 2
It’s the end of the second week. I’m thinking that I’m getting a better handle on what this job is supposed to look like. But I’m not naive enough to believe my own thinking. What I was able to undersatand is that I have some instructional preparation to do. I have alot of preparation to get acquainted with a new department, even just the inroductions. I have a lot of work to do regarding consultations. I’ve identified steps to take on getting the introductions in plce. Next I need to create or modify some instruction plans for teaching modules. I should probably start organizing concepts. And I was talking to…
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Faculty meetings
I expect todays meeting was fairly routine. Very business-y. All to-the-point comments and little digression. Very polite. Comments were considerate and generally phrased modestly. It’s a good sign. There doesn’t seem to be much drama. I got to meet a few people. The University librarian made a point of welcoming us. It’s a sign of positive leadership. It does make me wonder how I am to be involved in the bigger picture. A few new groups were formed looking for volunteers. I don’t know what I’m qualified for yet. I don’t know what is available either. It may be a bit early to consider some of these objetives, but now…
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First week over
Today wasn’t the most stellar of days. I wore shoes that I shouldn’t have. I sat on the ref desk fr the first time and got all the questions that they didn’t think I’d need to worry about that much. I kept forgetting that circulation was separate, and momentarily floundered finding answers to questions that I eventaully referred to them. I’m rusty on Refworks and so I flubbed a couple of answers that I should have figured out if I had thought about it. And I realized that I forgot my train pass on the train last night. I’m hoping it gets turned in, but not likely. But it wasn’t…
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Faculty
Today I experienced the first part of the mental shift that I expected. As it turns out, this month is the preparation for performance reviews. Here, libarians are considered faculty with tenure possible. I was hired in under the non-tenure track. I certainly know how the process works, and how reviews work; but the gut check I received opening that review document, which plans out my year, was still present. This will be the first time I experience it. I’m no longer “staff” and the shift in expectations is significant. I knew this and I knew what I was signing up for and still it caught me by surprise. And…
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First Days Debrief
I’m tired. The orientation has been at a reasonable pace, but then add on the commute, a different sleep/wake cycle, altered eating schedule, continued obligations from prior, limited connectivity, and hot weather. It’s overwhelming on multiple levels. This reminds me that for as much consciousness and choice that we have, we are still just creatures. The next two months will be the most difficult. The fall will settle out. For the moment I’m going to enjoy the train ride and then get some reading done.
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First Day
A post intended for yesterday morning
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Soon to be practicing librarian
Good news! After almost a year’s job searching, I have received and accepted a job offer for a librarian position. More details to come soon!