Reflections
For years I had wanted to go back to school but the timing never seemed quite right. With three active daughters, a husband who travelled, a full time job and a busy volunteer schedule squeezing in coursework seemed impossible. However in the summer of 2009 just before I turned 50 I realized there is no perfect time in life to try something new. Every once in a while we need to take a leap of faith and try something that’s just a little bit scary, that pushes us out of our comfort zone. Looking back, I have not regretted my decision to pursue an MLS degree, in fact quite the opposite. I have found not only a worthwhile and rewarding career, but also a true calling that makes me excited to start each and every day.
I have enjoyed my time as an online student at Southern Connecticut State University and found the coursework overall to be stimulating and relevant to the real library world. I must confess that initially I thought an MLS degree was a way to get promoted at the library, and that I was not going to learn anything practical or especially useful, after all, I'd worked in both public and academic libraries for more than fifteen years, loved to read, and liked people. What else did I need to know? I quickly discovered through readings, class lectures and discussions with classmates that I did indeed have much to learn. I found the online experience to be both thought provoking and challenging. I learned not only from my professors but also a great deal from my fellow students who were dynamic and full of great life experiences, which added a lot to classroom discussions. I believe you do have to be much more prepared to successfully participate in online discussions. You need to have your facts straight and your opinions need to be well formulated, unlike in-person discussions where you can sometimes be less articulate, and dare I say it, less prepared. My coursework has given me a much deeper understanding of what it means to be a librarian. As we all know it is about so much more than checking out books.
In December of 2012, I landed my dream job as the Teen & YA Librarian at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library in Newtown, Connecticut. My first meeting with the Young Adult Council was on Monday, December 17th, just days after the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. The meeting with the kids did much to reinforce what I've always believed, and this is that libraries can and do play a crucial role in the communities they serve. Now, and in the months ahead, the Newtown Library will be a place of comfort for shattered and saddened townspeople, a place where we can come together as a community and receive services, materials, and programs. I feel so fortunate to be working for an organization that I believe in, one that helps everyone in town from tiny newborn baby to great-grandma, a place where everyone can connect and be cared for.
However my focus is on young adults and I do think there is nothing more satisfying than working with teens. Their bright and inquisitive minds, coupled with their brutal honesty, challenge me to be a better librarian and person. Knowing how formative my early library experience was for me makes me want to do my best by them. I have vivid memories of visiting the town library when I was young and can even remember the way the library books used to smell. I want to be the librarian these kids deserve.
As I look back over the past three years in school, I think of all the changes that have occurred in the library world. Some say libraries will soon be gone, rendered obsolete by e-readers and people’s attitude towards information. While there is no question that technology has altered the face of library's and library service it is also true that libraries are dynamic and capable of meeting the expectations of this new generation of users. Libraries are not endangered, as long as we librarians embrace the changes that are coming.