Obligatory Introduction Post
As of starting this blog I work full time as a Technology Services Librarian. There is a whole variety of similar jobs out there with different names, but what it really boils down to is I work with technology in the library. I leave the statement deliberately broad because it needs to be; I may teach basic computer skills, rebuild a old computer, do many many things related to ebooks, edit the library website, figure out why the server just died, etc. I am a professional "friend who is good with computers," but sadly I'm not allowed to wear this shirt at work. Since in theory the computers aren't always breaking down (and patrons will ask anyone for help regardless of desk signage), I also work as a Reference librarian which not only involves finding answers, but allows me to interact and develop areas of our non-fiction collection.
The irony of my job is I never imagined I'd be working IT in any respect. I keep surrounding myself with friends and family who always end up knowing way more than I about computers and related technology, which leaves me judging my skills against theirs and assuming I don't know much. Then I stumble into a position which I look at the qualifications and go "I can do that, easy!" and discover perhaps I was judging myself against a skewed metric when looking at knowledge levels over all, regardless of the various gaping holes I still see in my skill set.
I completed my MLS in December of 2010, at which point I had been working full-time as my library's Technology Assistant for several months (the promotion to Technology Services Librarian only came 10 months ago). My Masters is with a concentration in Archives, so similarly to my expectations, not what I'm doing now. I started my college career going for Engineering (as it turns out, I love Calculus but just don't get along with Physics), and variously ended up with a non-engineering degree, after which I continued supporting myself as I had through most of college, as a cook. Just goes to show that sometimes we go all the wrong ways to end up where we want.
So why the hell am I writing a blog? I used to write regularly, then at one point I stopped. This is an attempt to write with some consistency, to improve my writing, and it turns out working in a library is treasure trove of material to muse and ramble on about. My intent is to mostly write about library related things, but I will get side tracked, and some topics of particular interest to me my not seem on the surface to be library related but are actually connected.
I want to give a nod to Michael R. Underwood's Geekomancy, and of course Jim Hines' Libriomancer for giving me word play material when my other ideas for blog names were taken, too similar to existing names, or just horribly pretentious sounding.
The irony of my job is I never imagined I'd be working IT in any respect. I keep surrounding myself with friends and family who always end up knowing way more than I about computers and related technology, which leaves me judging my skills against theirs and assuming I don't know much. Then I stumble into a position which I look at the qualifications and go "I can do that, easy!" and discover perhaps I was judging myself against a skewed metric when looking at knowledge levels over all, regardless of the various gaping holes I still see in my skill set.
I completed my MLS in December of 2010, at which point I had been working full-time as my library's Technology Assistant for several months (the promotion to Technology Services Librarian only came 10 months ago). My Masters is with a concentration in Archives, so similarly to my expectations, not what I'm doing now. I started my college career going for Engineering (as it turns out, I love Calculus but just don't get along with Physics), and variously ended up with a non-engineering degree, after which I continued supporting myself as I had through most of college, as a cook. Just goes to show that sometimes we go all the wrong ways to end up where we want.
So why the hell am I writing a blog? I used to write regularly, then at one point I stopped. This is an attempt to write with some consistency, to improve my writing, and it turns out working in a library is treasure trove of material to muse and ramble on about. My intent is to mostly write about library related things, but I will get side tracked, and some topics of particular interest to me my not seem on the surface to be library related but are actually connected.
I want to give a nod to Michael R. Underwood's Geekomancy, and of course Jim Hines' Libriomancer for giving me word play material when my other ideas for blog names were taken, too similar to existing names, or just horribly pretentious sounding.
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