People say you can’t be truly prepared for parenthood, but as a librarian, I have to admit I felt pretty ready to have a baby. I had read all the books, spent countless hours on the children’s floor and had a strong sense that I’d find my way. But when my daughter was born, I suddenly felt immersed in a new world where the parts of myself I could normally rely on were suddenly out of grasp. My mind, normally sharp and analytical, felt scattered and hazy. My confidence that I could figure most things out was replaced by a lingering imposter feeling. Despite my fears of taking her out of our safe apartment and into the world, the expanse of time ahead of us was even more daunting, so I decided to take my baby to see my happy place. On a cold morning in January, I bundled us…
Category: Slice of Life
posts about daily life experiences and reflections by ALSC members
Back to school: we’re all nervous
The other day, the pick list was five pages long. No comparisons needed here: I know some of you have lists that are ten pages long every day. But at my current branch, five pages is what happens when I “forget” to do the pick list the day before.
A Few Things I Didn’t Know
I came to the world of public libraries as a career later in life. I had always, ALWAYS, loved and used libraries, but it wasn’t until 17 years ago that I started working in this field that I love so much. Even after all this time, I’m still amazed at what I didn’t know about working in libraries.
Top Tips for Working with Kids (When You Don’t Usually Work with Kids)
You never signed up to work with kids, you never expected to work with kids… and yet, here you are, covering the Children’s Department. This is a pretty common scenario, and it can be frustrating for people who worry they’re out of their depth or those who just feel rusty or out of place. Even for people who have had children of their own, suddenly dealing with strangers’ children can be an alarming experience!
Thank You, Mrs. McCullough!
Dear ALSC Members, Many of us probably have fond memories of our favorite librarians who helped us choose books to read and use for school-related projects, delighted us with read-alouds and performances during storytime and puppet shows, and enrolled us in fun-themed summer reading programs. I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s in Macon, Georgia, a small town about an hour south of Atlanta. My local library was the Shurling Branch about a mile from my home. Mama took me and my sister, Jada, to the library on numerous occasions and especially made sure to take us when school had ended each year so we could participate in summer reading programs. One of the librarians who stood out to me and my sister was Mrs. Suzy McCullough. We still talk about her to this day, and we are both now in our 50s!
Personalized Self-Care for Success: A Guide to Prioritizing You
Have you ever told someone it’s not selfish to practice self-care? On the other hand, how often have you prioritized your own self-care? Be honest. Even if it’s not as often as you’d like, that’s okay. As we move into winter breaks, holiday travel, and wrapping up another year, personalized self-care is hard. I’m struggling with it, too. Let’s talk about how we can make it better.
You Don’t Need to Set a Reading Goal
Happy New Year! It’s that time of year again, when folks wrap up their previous reading year, recommend the best books they read, and set reading goals for the new year. Do YOU set a reading goal or reading resolutions? It’s great if you do! But, though there might be a lot of pressure to set one, you don’t have to.
The Right Book in the Right Hand at the Right Time
I am writing this blog post on the night before I return to work from bereavement leave. My dad was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme in late February. I once heard GBM referred to as the “great white shark” of brain cancer because of its relentless rate of growth and spread, and the lack of effective treatment. My parents moved in with my family right after Dad received the diagnosis; we put their house of 53 years on the market, moved their stuff into storage, and buckled up for the wild ride of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy while maintaining our “normal” work, school, church and home duties. Needless to say, it’s been a lot. I don’t know if you all experience this, but when I am particularly stressed out, I sometimes find that I cannot read. I just can’t allow myself to enter into a story. I can’t put my life…