Manifestewings

I have a great friend that blogs on and off expressing her sometimes hilarious observations and serious musings. (We all have this friend.) But, she also did a really great thing once in writing a blog manifesto. She talked about how and who she was writing for and the point of her blog and all kinds of great inspirational things. 


I keep thinking that since I've taken on this new role as the Research Instruction and Special Collections Librarian, that I really, really, need to hone my direction for the Bookie. Like my friend, I really need a manifesto. Really. But, the task seems a bit daunting since I have my hands in a lot of pots. Or, is it, I'm stirring many pots? Hold it, wait, am I many cooks in one kitchen? or is it, I have many plates in the air? No. I am the cook of many spinning pots stirring in the kitchens of the air. There.


So how can I direct this manifesto? Well, since our Special Collections just started a blog, I can encourage people to check there if they're curious about what we do and who we are. I'll be blogging occasionally on their site, so there's no reason to overkill a good thing. (Loving the mixed metaphors today.) I considered a part about academia in the abstract, however, most of what I publish or present or teach about can fall into one of my new directional categories. I also considered including posts about libraries or the future of academic libraries and information studies in general, but there are a gazillion of those. (Librarians love to blog and if you Google around for them you'll be busy for a month.)  SO! From now on, the point of the Baltimore Bookie will be...  

Baltimore Bookie Manifesto

To inspire and inform my fellow and aspiring librarians, fellow educators, and colleagues of all dimensions with:

1. Instructional and pedagogical insights or news including tools or ideas that I've tried in the classroom - (see my Google Docs post for an example)

2. Instructional and collection development ideas as an art+design and cultural development liaison - (see a post on art instruction preparation for an example)

3. Diversity work and initiatives on the Towson Campus and Baltimore including regular posts and updates on The Cherry Hill Oral History Project. 

4. LIBRARY RESIDENCIES! or How this blog got started in the first place. (I heart residencies.) Check out the ACRL Residency Interest Group* for more info.

I don't know why, but I feel so much better now! I should have done that months ago. What was I waiting for? Thank you for reading! I hope you find my blog fun, informative and useful.

*As of Nov. 18, 2011 the virus has been eradicated from Residency Interest Group site -sorry about that!

Residency Season & Great News!

Announcement! 

I have accepted a new position at Towson University. Effective this month, I am no longer a Resident Librarian and have moved into a tenure track faculty position of Research Instruction and Special Collections Librarian. It’s one of those new-fangled hybrid type posts that seeks to address the varied needs of the academic library along with the specialized skills of a librarian. I am delighted to be in this new position as they are both areas of the library that I feel the most compelled to work within.  So, off I go!

Residency Jobs for New Grads

That means that my old Residency position is now open and seeking applications.  It was my favorite job, ever. The combination of learning so many new things along with working with such a competent and amiable group has made my transition from library school to the academic library better than I imagined.  The encouragement from my mentors to not only participate but engage in and start new endeavors made my residency truly unique. I feel my skill-set has grown by light years. If you’re looking for the type of job where you will be sitting alone at a computer all day filling in data with little to no human contact, do not apply for this residency! However, if you aspire to enter the academic library field, are committed to diversity, enjoy learning, can handle constant change, love people and can think creatively, you will think you’ve died and gone to heaven.  Swear.  

Here are a couple of Towson librarians leading a New Faculty Orientation in 2006

And, the fun doesn’t stop there either. Emory has just announced their new Library Fellows Program and Ohio State has opened two positions for residents. It looks like its residency season out there!

Residency Resource Links

If you’re fuzzy on what a Residency is, take a look at my blog posts from the past, and check out ACRL's  RIG, (Residency Interest Group), website. RIG and The Baltimore Bookie are also both on Facebook. I would also recommend picking up a copy of “The New Graduate Experience: Post-MLS Residency Programs and Early Career Librarianship.” Along with a plethora of great information, there is a section on the implementation of my residency at Towson, (authored by my co-workers).  Megan Perez, a former resident at the University of Arkansas, is one of the editors. It’s an awesome resource on the topic. Can't get enough about residencies? Be sure to check out our Google Residency Map to see all of the residency opportunities across the country.

ALA 2010!

I'm heading down to D.C. tomorrow for my very first ALA National Conference.  And, I'm really, really, really, excited.  I have scheduled and double-scheduled and triple-scheduled myself into sessions and happy-hours, and poster-sessions and lectures, and can't wait to meet and hear and just be inundated with the library masses.  

Here are some of the things that look especially appealing to me:

Friday:  
The Unconference / Town Hall Meeting on Diversity (Same time, different   places -decisions!)

Opening Exhibits

Resident Happy Hour in Dupont Circle (Come if you can - we're meeting at the ALA store at 7pm and then taking the metro.)

Saturday: 
LIS Doctoral Program Options Fair

POSTER SESSIONS!!!

Salmon Rushdie / Pecha Kucha Presentations of Marketing Ideas / BCALA     International Filmmakers in the DC Area  (All at the same time! What a cruel world.)

What to do Before you Digitize

Toni Morrison / University Libraries Happy Hour (ugh! same time!)

Sunday:  
Residency Interest Group Meeting

Digitization: Preserving African American Collections & Dave Isay

Teaching AAME Resources by Using Primary Source Materials

POSTER SESSIONS!

 Bookcart Drill Team World Championship (YESSSSSS!!)

Monday:  
Fundraising 101 / Graphic Novel Panel

President's Program: For the love of reference

Exhibits Closing (free swag!)
Battledecks: ALA Rumble Royal (I want to do this next year!!)

Tuesday:  
Amy Sedaris!!!

I have even more on my schedule and lunches and dinners, but this is an idea of what I'd LIKE to attend at ALA.  I know I'm going to miss some stuff or end up at something unplanned, but I'm sure the whole thing will be a big fat great tiring time.  

I'd love to hear from anyone attending and find out what you're most excited about seeing, hearing or attending.  Maybe I'll see you there!

Hope for the Future

This past week a few of us residents met at the University of Delaware for a regional residency meeting. University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, Rutgers, Towson and UD were all represented. It was so good to meet other residents and hear about some of the challenges that residents face as well as discussing the benefits and issues in the ongoing resident programs. I'll admit that even though I feel a lot of camaraderie with my fellow librarians and I work and rely on their input constantly, it is a lot of pressure to be not only the only resident, but the first at the University and Maryland. There is a ton of pressure to do a lot of things well, and I found that I'm not the only resident that feels this way. I think that by in large we are all a group of overachievers and balancing what one wants to do and what one can do, is something I and the others are probably working on constantly. So, it was nice to be in the same room with people in the same boat.

A couple of the residents were nearing the end of their tenure. And, even though I am only 8 months into my residency, I often think about where I will be in 16 months when my residency ends. So, it was really good to talk about how to incorporate the myriad experiences acquired through various projects, on our CV's/resumes. And, it was great to talk with a resident nearing the end of her residency that has already acquired a great position. In addition to the meeting, the RIG (Residency Interest Group) Blog posted about a former resident that was promoted in 2009 to Associate University Librarian.

But, even though I'm thinking about what opportunities might be out there in a year or so when I'll be looking again, I'm still happily knee deep in the opportunities I'm creating and coming across in my time right now. And, it's really good to know that some of my fellow residents have gotten through all this and it has launched them into successful careers. Phew!

Residency Interest Group Interactive Map

I am so overdue for a post!  But, in case you haven't heard, Baltimore was completely buried under 3 feet of snow, due to back to back blizzards a few weeks ago.  Campus was shut down for about a week, (the library was closed for I think 9 out of 10 days) and everyone, including students, spent last week doing crazy catch up.  

 (Baltimore photo courtesy of Adam Baldwin.)

I think I'm getting my head above water now and wanted to let you know about a map I created based on an interactive map by another resident Megan Perez.  The map was recently posted to the Residency Interest Group (RIG) blog and is now available for your perusal.  The map is a great resource for those looking to apply for residency programs throughout the U.S. upon completion, or close to completion of grad school.  It's also great if you're just curious and want to know more about residencies and where and what they are.  (You will undoubtedly notice a great concentration on the east coast.)  Anyway, I just hope I saved some of you some time and research.


Click her to link to the RIG blog and see the post about the map or link directly to the map by clicking on the below picture.

 

Enjoy!