Lock In and Interview

Tomorrow is the Lock-in at the Library. I have signed up The Boy and will be working as a chaperone. Everyone on the list is coming and has turned in their permission slips! How amazing. We will be having a grand old time, playing vids, eating pizza, watching movies and of course, reading books! I am sure that very little sleep will be gotten, which will make the all ages show that my son and I are going to on Saturday more of a challenge. Hopefully we will get a nap in, and I am planning on sleeping till noon tomorrow.

Monday is my interview for my job. Wish me luck! Hopefully by this time next week I will no longer be a temporary employee--hopefully I will be a permanent one... The other choice is just that I would not be one at all :(

Branching Out and Updating

I got a Flickr account, since Yahoo Photo's has abandoned me. Actually I had been thinking about switching for a while and this made it easy. However, is it really switching when Yahoo owns Flickr? Hmmm.

Anyway, photos of the recent camping trip:


I feel ready to post more than just work stuff on here, and in reality I have been all along on my livejournal account. I have found that I have a period of adjustment with this job and my outlook has changed so much since I started, just 9 months or so ago. More about that at a later date.

Job hunt update: My job has been posted. I have sent my resume to my current manager to be looked over. I am writing my cover letter today and I hope to be ready to send everything to the new manager tomorrow. Friday if I need to work on it a bit more.

I haven't heard back on the other job and I am trying not to wait on it. I really like working for SPL, so I am not sure what outcome I hope for.

Another Teen Services Librarian is leaving, so technically his job should be open. However, his branch is closed for renovations and it looks like he didn't plan any summer reading programs, so it is likely that job won't be posted for several months. I will miss him. He had a very distinctive voice at our meetings and I always valued his input. He is moving closer to his son though and I wish him all the best.

Application Blues

Ok, so I would actually love to get that job. I have got to stop trying to make myself believe that I don't want something just because I am not likely to get it. I should just start believing that I will get it.

The interview went really well. I could see some stronger candidate swooping in to snatch it out from under me. I also got to see who went before me in the interviews and I know them both. One person has about the same amount of librarian experience as I do, but is lacking the circulation savvy and database experience that I have with the system. The other one is someone I have worked with before and I am sad to say that I don't think she will get the job. She is just too picky about the position she takes and will not take an entry level position as her first librarian job. You have to be willing to make sacrifices in order to get where you want to be these days. Although, who knows, maybe that perfect job will come along for her. I don't want to sound catty, but I know her fairly well, and like her too, but that is my opinion of her chances.

There were more interviews after mine, so I can't assume that mine went best. I will just wait patiently, biting my nails, to get that phone call.

Today I have an interview at another library system. Aside from not being in the system I want to work in and being in a location that is difficult to get to from anywhere, there are several reasons why I should want this job. It is an adult/teen services position and full time. It would be challenging, in that I have not yet filled an adult position before and that it is a busy library. The area is rather affluent and there is less of a chance of behavior issues with teens and adults (although the children tend to be more of a problem in this area). There is very little diversity in ethnicity, race or economic standing.

I love working for SPL. I don't want to work in some white, affluent suburb. I like variety and I dare say I would miss all the "interesting characters" that I come into contact working for an urban, well connected library system.

Ok, that said, I am sure that my new job (should I happen to get it) would be challenging and fulfilling. The system is a good one, with good benefits and wonderful underlying organization.

What I really want is my own job, permanent and full time. I know I won't get the latter, but I would settle for the former. That job posting should come up this week or next and I have some good words that have already been put in for me or are ready to be put in. I love the connections that I have made in my library community and look forward to building and expanding them. The partnerships I have built with the local community center and schools are invaluable, and foisting another new teen librarian on them after only nine months will probably make them a little gun shy. I have summer reading programs planned! I can't leave!

Ok, /anxiety ridden ramble

Anyway, this interview will be good practice for the next one.