Clearing some cobwebs and shooing away the crickets

So it’s been a few months since I last updated this, but that’s only because things have been going well.  I’ve settled into my job, I’ve put my “study the non-fiction section” plan into action (up to the 300s now!), and life is pretty much on track.

I had a happy moment the other night at the library, though.  A man came in looking for articles on a topic he needed to write a paper on for a class, and I showed him how to use the library’s databases to find what he needed.  I pointed out some particularly useful databases to his topic and explained how to narrow and alter the search to find more relevant articles.

As he left, he stopped to tell me that he could never have found any of the information he did without my help, and was glad he’d asked.  He explained that at one time, he’d assumed there was no reason anyone would need a Master’s degree to become a librarian.  More recently, he’d begun to understand just how much librarians need to know.

The relief and gratitude in his voice just made my evening.  It’s nice to feel appreciated, but it’s even nicer to feel you’ve made a difference to another person.  And that’s why I became a librarian!

Hooray! A job at last!

After doing various temp jobs in various states for…well, let’s just say for way too long, I finally have a library job.  Earlier today, I accepted a library assistant position at a community college library in the area.  I start there on June 3, which also happens to be Bryan’s and my anniversary, so I should get extra presents.  At least, that’s going to be my argument.

Here’s hoping I’ve retired the “Job search” category once and for all!

Moving is complete; now on to vacation…

We’ve successfully moved to Omaha, Nebraska, although we’ve yet to finish unpacking our (many, many) books.  Everything else is nicely on track, but right now I have more interesting things going on: a long weekend vacation in Orlando, Florida!

Okay, I’ll admit that it’s somewhat nerdy to be sitting in an Orlando hotel room (where the weather is sooo much nicer than in the Midwest) at a computer, but I am a librarian, after all.  Nerdy is what I do.

Even so, before too long I promise to get outside and enjoy the snow-free weather.  Even us stuffy librarians like fresh air and sunshine!

Diploma happy dance!

My diploma came in the mail yesterday.  Hooray!  Now I can truly call myself a librarian.  All that’s left now is to find a job in a notoriously bad market, but I did it once; maybe lightning will strike twice.

In the clear!

I got an e-mail from my advisor tonight: I’ve officially been cleared for graduation!  I still have to wait for my diploma to arrive in the mail, but for all intents and purposes I have graduated.  If I wasn’t so tired from being at work all night, I’d probably celebrate.

Still, I don’t think it will truly become real to me until I hold the document itself in my hands.  At the very least, that will be the final step, and I’m eager to have every loose end tied up.  Then, I will most certainly party until I can’t remember why I’m partying anymore!

A prime, Grade-A (almost) librarian.

Well, my final grades are in. I have officially gotten straight A’s throughout my Master’s program and will in theory finish with a 4.0 GPA! The bad news is, I still have to wait until next month to be cleared for graduation, and then wait even longer until I receive my degree in the mail. Still, at least the suspenseful part is over. Now I can stop checking my transcript every hour and go back to catching up on all the reading I missed while I was studying…

I have to admit, though, I can’t wait to change the Education section of my resume from “Enrolled” to “Graduated”!