So my new job...

So on Saturday I started work at Simmons. Wow. I really wanted to post earlier about my first real librarian job, but honestly was completely overwhelmed. I still am. The good news, I managed to get some very insightful information about what some of the students want from the library. I really hope to get more on Tuesday when I see more of them. The bad news is, I dont even know how to start on the projects ahead of me. Not to mention I have not taught a lesson for anyone in about 3 years. Even then it was a history lesson for a bunch of high schoolers. This job, I mean wow. I really wish I could be there more like 15 hours a week. All they have budgeted for me however is 5 hours a week.

The worst part is, I don't even know what the worst part is. I am running on Windows XP, I think, and Microsoft 2000 on the office computers. Thankfully the computer lab is running Microsoft 2003. I worry however that if I create my powerpoint presentation on my laptop and save it in compatibility mode for 2003, will it still work on 2000? And vice versa? If i create it in 2000 can I still save it and run it in 2007?

One of the first things I did however was to make my contact information avaliable on the corner of the desk. Hopefully the students notice it when they come into the library. I also went throught the collection and put away the books that had been left out, went through the checkout cards to see if anything had been put back but without the card, and went through a stack of mail. Now most people like to get mail. I will not lie, I LOVE mail. However, I did not like going through the mail in the library. Apparently the registar/ administrative assistant just put everything library related in a pile for me. It had to be at least a foot tall. I realized however AFTER putting away all the magazines and everything else we had recieved that there was a magazine tower with about a month old of magazines on it. Well thats my job for tomorrow, thats right I have office hours during the week too. Along with introducing myself to a bunch of classes tomorrow. That and I really want to finish up a preparing my lesson for the students on research. And I really need to finish going through my syllabi and determining what classes have what books, and whether or not the library has them. However I did notice that out of the 6 or 7 students I met, they all came to the agreement on the position of having the textbooks the class calls for in the library. I did talk to the registrar about this, and she claims, and I am sure it is true, that at one point the library did contain all of the proper books, however with time they were borrowed and never returned. However there is a lockable cabinet in the library, and I am wondering if I can convince them to order all the current books for the classes and I can keep them locked up and ONLY used when I AM PRESENT. Do you think it will work? Lord only knows.

The bright side to my otherwise gloomy day there (did I mention that I cannot find the library catalog on thier computer? I am feeling like a failure as a librarian already) is I did meet a very nice guy. I don't think he is a young man, as he is 23 and has a kid. We talked for about 3 hours total. Wonderful conversation that flowed. Now I usually have a hard time talking to guys, especially ones that I am finding attractive, but it was so easy to talk to him, that my tongue was just loosened. Amazing conversation, and he hikes!!!! He lives about 45 minutes away and I told him I would not mind driving up there. He was telling me about this place that is great for hiking and I was jumping on that bandwagon for sure, LOL! I warned him i am a chicken when it comes to driving however so if the weather ever looked like it was bad or anything to that effect I would be sure to ditch him. Sorry dude, I am not from here and I know that I can drive in the snow relatively well, but not as well as most people around here. Plus I dont have 4 wheel drive, so I really try not to chance it.

All in all the day was not too bad. I am a little worried about never having a dull moment, wait scratch that. It is a really good thing when you dont have to worry about that. I think that is all for now, but I promise to be regularly updating on how this job is going.

Oh and as for that whole job crisis, I went to my interview this morning, and I found out the internship is for 15 hours a week for 10 weeks. Yikes! I thought it was 10 hours a week for 15 weeks. That I can do, 15 hours a week and four classes plus a part time job at Simmons might just kill me. He kept speaking to me as though I did get the job, so I think I got it. Would be interesting right? Stay tuned for more info. :)