Saturday, October 25, 2008

Shaken, not stirred...

I have one essay to go until I finish uni, and then I will be a qualified librarian.  I will not have a job, but I will be qualified (if I pass!).   I love libraries.  I love what we do for the communities in which we live, I love sharing this with the patrons I serve, and I love the possibilities of what can be.  These last few days have not been the best - if I am going to be honest - they have been pretty crappy!   My belief in self, and in what I believe professionally has been severely shaken.  I have not yet qualified nor graduated,  yet my zeal, enthusiasm and love for what I do has taken a battering.

So whilst licking my wounds I realized I was still grateful for many things, and to many people. I am grateful to my friends at work who have continually encouraged me whilst I have been studying, and who 'get' what I believe.  I am also deeply grateful to the blogospehere for providing encouragement on a national and international level.  I am grateful to library bloggers like Michael Stevens who encourage librarians to have heart and to continually learn and be open to new ideas and technology, to Helene Blowers who encouraged me to play and create and to be a change champion.  I am so grateful for the one on one time I spent with Stephen Abrams, who encouraged me to think globally, and for Kathryn Greenhill who believes that librarians matter!  I am also so glad I discoverd Librarian Idol ! It was so good discovering that other new grads have crazy ideas racing through their heads at hideous times of the night!  I am also inspired by quilting bloggers like Leanne Beasley who encourages conversations about books on her blog! 

I bought myself a beautiful black bracelet at the end of my prac in Brisbane in June.  It has a red heart charm attached to it.  I wear it to any library events that I attend.  It is a reminder to myself that I love libraries.  It also serves as a reminder that how I 'see' and want to 'do' libraries is not a one size fits all mentality.  I fitted in very well on my prac, but what I believe may not fit in everywhere.

So, there you go.  What happens next who will know.  (actually what happens next is finsishing that last assignment!!!)

2 comments:

  1. ....and....I'm grateful to folk like you who remind me that when I blog about what is important to me, the same thing is also important to other people.

    Sorry to hear that you have had a crappy few days - but very glad to hear you have found heart to continue your love affair with libraries - quite literally. We need people like you who care, who are willing to keep learning and are able to pick themselves up and dust themselves off and keep going when they have a setback.

    I wear several rings - my wedding ring, a couple to remember my time when I was pregnant with each boy, both my parents' wedding rings soldered together, a "me" ring - and a silver ring that I bought a couple of years ago to remind me to remain mindful and fully conscious of what I am doing in my work in libraries.... so I understand where you are coming from with your charm...

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  2. Thanks so much for commenting on my blog Kathryn, and your kind words of encouragment. Very gratefully received:)

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