The Librarian's Lounge

Home again

I just returned home from a wonderful vacation with friends in Eugene, Oregon. On the way home in the Supershuttle, a woman to whom I told I had been on vacation with friends I'd made through the years at the library said, "Wow, you library people are a close-knit group!" Indeed, this is true for me. Almost all of my closest friends at this point in my life are people I worked with at a library at some time.

A vacation just isn't complete without checking out the nearby libraries and bookstores. On this trip, I saw the downtown Eugene Public Library, the University of Oregon Library, the Oregon State University Library, the downtown Portland Public Library, and Powell's Bookstore. Some of these I had seen before, but it was all new to one of my friends. I also read the classifieds everywhere we went, looking for library positions and things I could apply for.

Eugene is just so beautiful and, like with most of Oregon, I can see myself living there. I don't know when my move is going to happen exactly, but I am hoping that it will be during the next year. I've always seen myself in a greener place, a place with seasons. This may be it.

First live class in years

I spent this weekend in class, real in-person class. This is the first time I've met other library students in this fashion since I started the program. I've taken everything at a distance up until now, which I think is often a more demanding way to go to school than in person. I'm grateful for having the option to take classes online, but I've found that for myself, I learn better in person through live human interaction. So let me just tell you, this weekend was so great for me. I loved being with the other students in my class and interacting with them. I was so excited I could barely stop talking to them at times. We visited two libraries I had never been in before, which was also very cool. We sat around and showed each other books we liked and loved. I've got two excellent teachers who excel in  their knowledge of Children's and YA Literature. This is going to be a very time-consuming class. I'm trying not to be to freaked out about all that needs to be accomplished.

I stayed at the Indian Hill B&B over the weekend. Nice place - I much appreciated the peace and quiet, the wireless, the good breakfasts, the satellite tv, the heated bathroom, and the basketful of teas, coffee, and hot chocolate they left me. I wish I could have had more leisure time to enjoy both the B&B and the Gem Show going on, but it wasn't meant to be this year. I was fortunate to even find a place to stay - there are so many people in town for the show.