Leaving the library to realize potential
Working
in a small library is a unique and special experience. Our community is small, but nestled between
two larger towns, and an interstate jaunt of less than 50 miles to Charlotte, a
large metropolitan area. We are near
Lake Norman and the State Park, and some of our patrons are quite wealthy;
however many of the residents are in the lower middle and poorer income
brackets. There are business people, some
of whom commute to work, and some farmers and teachers. Some of our patrons are elderly, quite a few
school aged children frequent the library, some teens, and some young adults;
their needs range from readers’ advisory for fiction series, troubleshooting
school laptops, job and resume help, basic computer skills, storytime and most
important of all, the need for a third place to enjoy and interact with others.
My
previous library experience had been both in a rural, empoverished village in
South Africa, and in a medium-sized public library in adult reference. Although I arrived at my new para-professional
position as a library program specialist experienced and willing to learn, I
was not completely equipped to serve in such a smaller, intimate setting at
this small branch library. My only
co-worker most of the time is my immediate supervisor, the branch manager. Both of us have been accustomed to
interacting with many more colleagues and patrons, within larger
libraries. When we discovered the
opportunity to apply for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
scholarship through the North Carolina State Library listserv, we both decided
we needed to apply. What a wonderful
surprise to learn we had both been awarded the chance to attend the upcoming
annual conference in Tacoma!
I
have attended and presented at numerous conferences before, but this would be
the first time I could participate in the entire conference, from
pre-conference events to the business meeting to the shared meals. And what a treat it was! As a mother of a young child, and living far
away from most of my family and friends, my life has been consumed by baby and
toddlerdom. I returned to work just
after my son turned two years old, and he had only spent one night away from me
before I left for Tacoma. Part of me was
nervous about the time we would spend apart (6 days!) but the other part was doing
the happy dance. Freedom! Grown ups!
Learning stuff! Meeting new
people! I couldn’t wait.
Our
Friends of the Library had recently purchased a digital camera for us to
utilize for our programming and publicity online, so we brought that along; as
a visual artist, I was excited about the prospect of doing a photo essay of our
trip. After being really inspired by, “The
Pursuit of Happiness…Through Libraries” presentation by Sharon Morris, I
persuaded my boss to also attend (thankfully she presented more than once, so
this became a possibility). I thought we could share this with the entire staff
(our county has 3 libraries in the system), tailoring it to our specific needs,
and share our photo essay; both to boost morale and help develop staff members. Our director was pleased and has scheduled
time for us to present. It feels good to
be supported by the mainland, as it can be like a remote island at times at the
branch.
Logistics
conquered, we made the flights and arrived from Charlotte to SeaTac! Carolyn Peterson, the 2014 Conference Chair,
sent exquisitely clear and accurate directions to take public transport to
Tacoma. Everything was right on
schedule.
Visiting
the Pacific Northwest from the South was quite a shock; after stepping out of
the airport, I realized I was woefully underdressed. Quickly scrambling for scarves and an extra
layer of clothing while we waited for the bus to the hotel, I breathed
deeply. The crisp air cleared my head
and I was able to relax, look up, and see how different everything was;
buildings were industrial, trees were already turning and dropping their
leaves, sky was cloudy, people were ethnically diverse. I had only to worry for my own belongings,
not a wiggly toddler and his things, too.
The warm, slow, rolling uniformity of Iredell County quickly faded from
memory.
We
plunged right in to the local time and met up with an old friend and enjoyed
some local cuisine. In between and after
conference sessions, my colleague and I spent much time walking, exploring
downtown Tacoma, enjoying the art and history of the place. We met great people, both separately and
together, and enjoyed sharing our experience in the down time.
This
opportunity gave us the chance to brainstorm, listen to each other, and see how
many similarities we shared. We are like tornadoes of activity most working
days, and have busy personal lives outside of work. The freedom to breathe, to walk, to marvel at
art and architecture, to step outside the library together was a really special
experience. We reflected on the previous
year, what we learned, what worked and what didn’t. I realize I need to narrow my scope and
sharpen my focus; don’t try to do it all, but choose a few select goals and do
them well. Stepping outside the library
more often will help keep my perspective in check, by getting involved in the
local community and within professional organizations to which I already
belong. Soon after arriving home after
the conference, the local town board asked me to chair a committee and present
about the history of the town for an upcoming citizens’ class, so I am well on
my way in this goal. By joining ARSL, I
was connected with a vast network of librarians in my circumstances. This has been such a joy, browsing the
listserv, which is useful for both official and unofficial library
matters. I am so grateful for the chance
to take part in such a useful, fun and supportive group of people that make up
the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, and to be so well supported by
the NC State Library to help me realize both my potential for change, and my library’s
potential to become the third place for everyone in our community.
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