My mid semester reflection comes at a very good time (I think). The winter here in Michigan has been quite brutal with temperatures below zero, more snow than normal which has brought many challenges for me to face. Driving to work is a challenge some days, my children have had so many snow days that we have stopped counting them, and the cold, gray days of winter have gotten us all down.
Add in that this is my first semester taking classes towards my master's degree and my stress level had been through the roof. While I love everything that I have been learning, I am very much overwhelmed by the amount of work, lack of interest and work from some of my team members and just wanting to do my absolute very best on every single project. By the end of February, I honestly was ready to throw in the towel with school. I was ready to just say well I will just do what I have to do to finish these classes and that is it.
Not a very positive or nice place to find yourself, I must admit. Then a few things happened.
First we have had some amazing patrons come in lately. One was handed a slip of paper from her doctor with a list of foods she should not eat. She was so confused as to what she might be able to eat then. The staff in the library spent a good 45 minutes talking over things with her, ordering books for her and giving her suggestions. She told us that she was feeling so much better about this entire diet change now. Another patron came into our smaller library to return some material. We all chatted for awhile and she commented that she absolutely loved coming into our library. She told us that we always make her feel welcome, that we often uplift her spirits and that she always walks away feeling so much better than when she came in. How can that not make you feel so good about the work you are doing!
Last, I started my library visits for a project that is due later in March. The first library I went to visit was at Grand Valley State University- where I received my Bachelor's degree. They just opened a new library in June, 2013. The place is beyond amazing. There are so many different areas for students to use....from quiet reading spaces that have a fireplace....to small rooms that can be reserved from group work. There are computers all over the place for students- both PC's and Macs- and the computer areas are designed to make it easy for a few students to pull up chairs to work together. There are white boards all over the place and chairs meant to be moved around. Just viewing a library that is so vastly different from where I work was so helpful. It has given me ideas to use in the future. It has given me a fresh perspective on what a library can be- basically it has given me a new definition for a library!
I feel renewed now. I feel a new sense of purpose. Yes the next few years will be a challenge juggling school, kids, home life and work but in the end, I might have the opportunity to use some of the new ideas to make a library someplace special for someone. Regardless, I will know that I have made a difference in someone's life-- either by bringing material to them that they need or by providing a warm inviting space for someone to recharge in. That is a challenge I want to accept.
Add in that this is my first semester taking classes towards my master's degree and my stress level had been through the roof. While I love everything that I have been learning, I am very much overwhelmed by the amount of work, lack of interest and work from some of my team members and just wanting to do my absolute very best on every single project. By the end of February, I honestly was ready to throw in the towel with school. I was ready to just say well I will just do what I have to do to finish these classes and that is it.
Not a very positive or nice place to find yourself, I must admit. Then a few things happened.
First we have had some amazing patrons come in lately. One was handed a slip of paper from her doctor with a list of foods she should not eat. She was so confused as to what she might be able to eat then. The staff in the library spent a good 45 minutes talking over things with her, ordering books for her and giving her suggestions. She told us that she was feeling so much better about this entire diet change now. Another patron came into our smaller library to return some material. We all chatted for awhile and she commented that she absolutely loved coming into our library. She told us that we always make her feel welcome, that we often uplift her spirits and that she always walks away feeling so much better than when she came in. How can that not make you feel so good about the work you are doing!
Last, I started my library visits for a project that is due later in March. The first library I went to visit was at Grand Valley State University- where I received my Bachelor's degree. They just opened a new library in June, 2013. The place is beyond amazing. There are so many different areas for students to use....from quiet reading spaces that have a fireplace....to small rooms that can be reserved from group work. There are computers all over the place for students- both PC's and Macs- and the computer areas are designed to make it easy for a few students to pull up chairs to work together. There are white boards all over the place and chairs meant to be moved around. Just viewing a library that is so vastly different from where I work was so helpful. It has given me ideas to use in the future. It has given me a fresh perspective on what a library can be- basically it has given me a new definition for a library!
I feel renewed now. I feel a new sense of purpose. Yes the next few years will be a challenge juggling school, kids, home life and work but in the end, I might have the opportunity to use some of the new ideas to make a library someplace special for someone. Regardless, I will know that I have made a difference in someone's life-- either by bringing material to them that they need or by providing a warm inviting space for someone to recharge in. That is a challenge I want to accept.
No comments:
Post a Comment