AlessyaQ's blog

Try Having Some Fun

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:25:14 -0700

What happened to having a little fun? I thought fun and social relationships make us live longer? Is this why librarians only last ‘til…well, nevermind. It seems that no matter how hard I try, I still continue to feel the gap between old and new; between keeping things the same and inevitable change. It’s so pronounced in every branch I go, that I’m almost starting to think it’s a by product of where we live. People aren’t as friendly in this town and there’s definitely an air of individualism that I tend to not find when I travel outside. So is it the librarians who are stopping me from having a little fun at work or our city’s culture? Maybe I’m thinking too deeply into this or maybe I’m just the symptom of a larger problem. I think it’s great to play games in the library with our patrons or to talk about something that’s happening outside the four walls…but get this…I was told ‘it has to relate to books somehow.’ Cue me falling off my chair.

Great Article

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:41:29 -0700

Anytime I see an article written in mainstream media that promotes and encourages libraries...I love it! So I am sharing this one today:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/home-cents/stretch-your-entertainment-dollars---at-the-library/article1384516/

Follow me in OLA Access Magazine!

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:58:58 -0600

Hey everyone!

I've officially been added as an editor in OLA Access Magazine and my column will be 'The Last Word' (fitting..I know lol) So all of you who are interested in following my library rants can find me there! Also, I am looking for aspiring authors who would like to contribute to the column, so if you would like to write something to have published, send me an email at alessyaq@gmail.

I'm Cheating on the Library

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:12:18 -0600

Now I hate to admit this because for the past couple years I've publicly bashed this company and even had a teleconference argument with its founder, yet now I find myself using it more and more...Google Books. I always felt Google Books was 'stepping on our toes' as a librarian and I knew that in the short term they wouldn't be able to digitize or make public complete copies of many books, either due to remaning copyrights or simply time.

Adult Storytime...Really??

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:18:47 -0600

The library industry is so interesting to me. It seems that there is always a tug and war between doing something new and innovative and keeping things the same. And I can see why people say that if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. Adult Storytime. An oxymoron to me. Reading books to adults...really?? Maybe I'm biased being a children's librarian because I find it REALLY hard to picture reading with such enthusiasm and spunk as I do to a bunch of 4 year olds, with a bunch of 40 year olds.

My Disappointment with OLA's Superconference

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:15:48 -0700

Now I want to precede the following entry by saying that I'm not trying to get people angry, but I am trying to start a debate and I hope that my entry will get some juices flowing. I wasn't too pleased with this year's Superconference and hope that future changes can be made. Enjoy my rant! :) I waited all week in anticipation...even going on my one day off…for what is the most talked about conference in the library industry in Ontario and perhaps all of Canada: the OLA Superconference and I walked away completely disappointed.

Summer Reading Club Program Suggestions???

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:14:00 -0700

Hey everyone! I firstly want to say thanks to all those who have been reading my blog and now I am coming to you for help! As a fairly new librarian, I find that my capacity for creativity when it comes to coming up with performers/entertainers for children's programs is limited, and so I wanted to ask all of you out there for suggestions or referrals on entertainers or program ideas that would fit into this year's Summer Reading Club theme of 'Mystery'?? Thanks!!

10 Library Books = 20 Air Miles!

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:35:41 -0700

Interesting thought, eh? I was reading the article, “What’s New in Coburg, Matey” in the OLA Access magazine, when one sentence mentioned the idea of a library card with points. I stopped dead in my tracks and thought, “Well, hey! Isn’t THAT a great idea!” And so this blog entry began."

Library Card, Please!

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:51:38 -0700

Now this next topic may seem a bit frivolous, yet can hit a nerve for both employees and patrons alike. My question is, why do people go to the library and subsequently wish to borrow materials, yet do not have their library card with them? I understand that there are situations where a person is walking by and decides to pop in, but this happens more often than not. As an employee, this situation can be frustrating, since asking for a patron’s library card usually leads to an argument about how they have no other identification or a five minute wait as they search through purses and all pockets.

Dare I Say Children Librarians are Happier!

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:38:36 -0700

I just finished reading the article, “How Happy Are You” by Eva and McCormack and I just want to say that I think being a librarian is the best job in the world! This question of happiness actually popped into my mind as I was in library school, when deciding which area of librarianship I wanted to pursue. And this is how I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a children’s librarian.

Economic Downturn = Increasing Library Use?

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:16:55 -0700

It is hard to go through one day without someone mentioning the failing economy and its negative effects. Then I came across a podcast titled, “Libraries Shine in Tough Economic Times” by the National Public Radio (NPR) and I was intrigued. I listened to the short 4 minute interview with the Director of Boyd County Public Library and began to realize that libraries in the US have started to notice a large increase in overall use, including checkouts, computer use and program attendance.

Hi! I'm a Librarian...What do you do again??

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 20:26:24 -0700

I’ve been in the position of children’s librarian for merely 5 months now, but have worked in the public library system for over 10 years, yet I have never had the question of ‘So…what do you really do?’ be asked as often as it has these past couple months. Yes, I’ve heard the infamous librarian jokes (I’m just checking you out…haha) to the, ‘you know, librarians are sexy’…but at some point, past all the fun and games, the person genuinely wants to understand what a librarian’s job entails. Having gone through two years of library school and breathing librarianship day in and day out, I’m often perplexed as to how other people do not know how important my job really is. I think it is hard for people to understand the role of librarian because we are pretty much a jack of all trades. We are librarians, teachers, therapists, advisers, researchers, performers and supervisors, just to name a few. Our role is to be part of the community and to influence the community. We are educated and experts. Not so bad, eh? So why then, do people laugh when they hear the term ‘librarian?’ Why am I embarrassed to utter my job title at a party? I think librarians need to start sticking up for themselves and their jobs and not let others laugh it off as if all we do is read all day. We need to not hide out in the corner, but be proud of what we do and how we help thousands of people everyday. We provide a wealth of resources for immigrants starting a new life, we provide programs in early literacy that help develop the little Einsteins of the world, we provide a safe place for teenagers to gather, we try to bridge the generation gap by introducing the elderly to technologies they once dreamed of as a child and we encourage those who read simply for the love of it. Memorize that next time someone asks, “So what do you do again?” and hopefully society will begin to see the true value in librarians.