Hello to all of my blogging friends out there.  I just wanted to take a minute to let you know about something cool I might be a part of very, very soon.

Some of you know that I am a kick-ass Children’s Librarian (not literally of course, but instead more in the “I’m so awesome I can hardly stand it” variety-ha!) and I spend hours upon hours each week trying to keep the young brains of the library masses fresh and eager for new knowledge.  Teaching stuff like how to paint with shaving cream, how to create an artistic masterpiece using stamp pads and pencil erasers, and how to make magnetic slime.  It’s a tough gig but somebody has GOT to do it.  It’s the kind of leadership that I love to participate in and I feel like my job was custom fit just for me.

Some of you might also know that before I became (okay, fell into) being a librarian I went to college to be an English teacher for secondary schools.  I did everything but the student teach because I woke up one day and realized a) I did not have the ability to deal with irate parents, b) I would be too emotionally involved with my students to ever get a decent night’s sleep again and c) I was never going to be able to handle it when I realized that all kids over the age of 13 would be smarter than me.  I didn’t feel like I had wasted an entire college education when I stepped away (and I still don’t, considering where I landed) but I think my dad may still have a little resentment about my decision.  Little did any of us know how much my past would help me now.

My job with the Anythink Libraries has changed so much since the first day I was hired as a Children’s Librarian, starting with the fact that I am not called a Children’s Librarian anymore.  I am officially a Children’s Guide.  You heard that right.  I am responsible for coming up with (ahem, guiding) programming for all ages 0-18 years old.  That’s not how it started, but that’s how it is now.  I am often tired and very behind on my scheduling, but I get by just fine.

Besides doing in-house things like keep the children’s/young adult/teen collections new and fresh, I have to give presentations on various trainings I attend, and I have to participate with various library committees.  Sometimes I even have to, gasp, TEACH things to my fellow librarians.  A couple of years ago I taught a group how to make stop animation videos.  One year I taught other librarian’s how to run a Music and Movement program without spending a lot of money.  I even taught a group of co-workers how to make caramels in a microwave!  Easy.  Not so easy.  Terrifying…

And this is how I get to what I originally wanted to say.  I have offered to teach my fellow co-workers how to put together their own blogs at our annual Tech-Fest training day.  (My cheeks are heated and my hands are covering my face right now—I can totally do this and type at the same time!) I’m not sure if my proposal will be chosen (staff get to vote on what interests them the most) but I am excited to have offered.  I don’t know if the blog I’ve been working on for 5 months (Holy Hell can life go any faster?) is really a great effort or just okay, but I feel good enough to help other people through the steps.  Isn’t that great?!

I feel that just making this decision is a step forward in my blogging education and if I do find interest in this subject from my co-workers I hope to do as good of a job teaching them as I know I am capable.  I met a good many of my followers through Blogging 101 class and I learned so many things that I hope to pass on to others!  So keep your fingers crossed for me.  Wish me all the luck you have.  Wait! Cross your fingers AND your toes.  I kinda, sorta (really, really) want this to happen—and thanks to all of the support that I get from all of you I feel like I am ready!

© DRB 2015

Want to comment?

Photo: http://www.justputzing.com