While I am fortunate to have extremely supportive colleagues, every once in a while, someone makes a comment that reminds me not everyone knows exactly what we do in the Library. Particularly when we’re not doing something obvious like working with a class. And to be honest, days can fly by without me even realizing how we’re filling the hours.
So when the unimaginable recently happened ( I had a day that was completely clear on my schedule), I decided to track it to see how an unplanned day played out –
- Worked the desk for the morning so my brave colleague could dig out & re-organize our supply cupboard:
- Welcomed students new to library study (reviewed guidelines with them)
- Assisted innumerable students resolve a new printer glitch
- Assisted innumerable students set up new Noodletools accounts
- Helped a student fine-tune her References written from scratch (and then helped her set up Noodletools for future use)
- Provided reader’s advisory to an English teacher looking for books for her new reading initiative ‘First Chapter Fridays’ (love it!)
- Scheduled a postponed summer reading book discussion
- Tried to catch up on professional journals but was reminded how this never works while I’m on the desk
- Did some book club planning with student leaders
- Prepped for my next AP Research class
- Met with 2 advisees (once about a course change; one feeling overwhelmed)
- Prepped for some upcoming classes about accessing audiobooks
- Went to school store to pick up school-crested gift for an author visit
- Reviewed metered titles that had expired in Overdrive, selecting some for re-purchase
- Submitted an order for Grade 9 Lit Circle books to a local bookstore
- Met with our school environmental rep about updating training for student reps (based on my housemaster perspective)
- Confirmed upcoming research visit to Queen’s University
- Reviewed revised interview forms for Admissions (I sit on the committee)
- Set up attendance roster for chapel choir attendance (I’m helping with management)
- Submitted a reference for a former library steward who has applied for a volunteer position
- Moved ‘update budget’ to another day for the 17th time (I really need to make this priority) and called it a day
This exercise reminded me of one of my best all-time experiences at my school. In advance of fundraising for our new Commons (including a library renovation), an Advancement director met with me to learn more about the library (so he could speak more knowledgeably when approaching potential donors). Not knowing where to start, I opened my planner and reviewed the past 2 weeks of activity. He was literally gobsmacked; “I had no idea”.
It was awesome.