Accomplishments

I felt so productive and socially adept today!

At the library I got my newsletter all updated for the new month, wrote notes to the various (6) people in the community I send them to and put them in the mail bag (that is a feat, you just don't know...). I also finished with my weeding, making a list of the titles that I weeded and sent it out to my fellow teen service librarians. One branch took almost all of them, which made me happy. I don't like letting the little fellers get away from me, but it makes me happy to know they got a new home.

I also went to a meeting downtown today about selection services. It was great to hear about how it all worked and see where it happens. I learned a lot about my own job as well, which I won't go into at the moment. I enjoyed meeting AW and the rest of the staff there.

After work I went to the Spenser Shaw lecture at the Information School. The feature was Richard Peck; a well known YA author and education philosopher. I didn't agree with everything he said, but he was definitely funny and engaging. He said that parents and schools aren't taking responsibility for children learning, children only respected their own peer groups and that all of that was bringing about a legacy of illiteracy where only the "gifted" children "read." He insinuated that even these "gifted" children aren't reading the right things and that parents are allowing kids to fall into the filth of online communities.

Well, as a parent (a single parent that actually read books to my son from the time he was born--which Mr. Peck accused we single parents of being too lazy to do) I have a few disagreements with Mr. Peck. There are plenty of kids reading, I see them every day. Mark Twain isn't for everyone, but I think it is great that he is bringing that experience into kids lives. To expect children to recognize a randomly pulled bit of Huckleberry Finn upon hearing read aloud it is a little beyond expectations. There are plenty of books that I have read and enjoyed where I wouldn't recognize a paragraph of them read to me later. Huck Finn is probably one of them. I knew the one he read us because he had already been talking about Mark Twain and could put the two together--but then, I am 32 years old and I often draw complex conclusions. He did have quite a few good points as well, but they were drowned out by his negativism. I took notes though, wait...

Reading to young children is important (although I think that dad's read just as well as moms), in some cases parents and schools are not taking the necessary steps to engage children in learning and I agree that this is a problem that needs to be addressed (but rather than blaming each other, how about we work together on the problem...). Richard Peck is a great author and fills a much needed niche in the YA genre scheme.

So, overall, much over-generalization, great narrative, engaging author.

There was a reception afterward and I got a great chance to talk to some professors from the iSchool and catch up with my cohort. Some of my fellow employees cut out without gracing the reception, but they missed out. One of my school's librarians were there and we chatted for a bit. Funny story, I think I embarrassed the Dean. I was standing with one of my colleges and Harry turned to me and introduced himself. I reminded him that he had shaken my hand less than 6 months ago at the graduating ceremonies. He was very graceful and congratulated me on my position and the library system for finding such a great employee--pretty good for having no idea who I was 10 seconds earlier. I know his wife better--I had several classes with her over the course of my master's program and talked to her for a while during the reception. She wants to place a directed fieldwork with me after we reopen, which would be a great help for us and hopefully a good opportunity for some student.

Well, I have blathered on quite enough. Good evening.