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 17^th 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.