It’s late on a Saturday afternoon. Â I’m working on a paper about federated searching. Â Greg is preparing our dinner (“a chicken rice thing” he says). Â A very loud jet just roared over the city. Â The sun is now shining after an extraordinarily wet, muggy morning. Â So, what do I have to report?
I am well into my third term at Western. Â It’s turning out to be the most busy so far, in terms of assignments. Â Unfortunately my attitude toward school can only be described as increasingly apathetic. Â With so little time left, I can practically taste freedom. Â I’m learning that going to class in the summer isn’t easy. Â Not that June has been particularly pleasant, weather-wise. Â (Huh! Two more fighter jets just blasted over the building. Â Either there’s an air show coming up, or we’re under attack. Â Let’s go with air show.) Â Anyhoo, my classes are interesting, for the most part. Â I’m learning the most in “Information Retrieval” – all about databases and search engines, how they are built, how they function, how to use them to retrieve information, etc. Â “Readers’ Advisory” is my fun class. Â It’s what people probably imagine when I tell them I’m studying to be a librarian. Â What do people read and why? Â What are the various appeal factors? Â What resources are available to help readers find reading material. Â What are the genres and what are they all about. Â Who are the major and minor authors writing in these genres. Â And so on. Â “Strategic Planning” is also a fun class, surprisingly. Â What is a strategic plan, why do we need them, how do we go about building one. Â Our major project involves working with a group throughout the term to construct a strategic plan. Â Each group was given a different library scenario – ours is modeled on Sarnia’s public library. Â My other two classes are somewhat less interesting. Â “Managing Information Technology in Libraries” is by far the worst. Â That’s what this paper I’m working on this afternoon is for. Â The assignments are actually pretty cool – it’s the lectures that make the class so awful. Â Ah well, less than 2 months left!
I’m still volunteering at the community resource centre with the youth leadership group. Â It’s great fun – kids are hilarious! Â We only go for an hour, but we are absolutely exhausted by the time we’re finished. Â I really enjoy working with the group. Â It’s so rewarding to build relationships with the kids and to see them respond so enthusiastically to our projects. Â I’m now also volunteering in the library at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer. Â It’s great getting some experience in an actual library setting! Â And the drive out to Aylmer is gorgeous. Â What a beautiful part of the country this is.
What else, what else…
I miss everyone very much, but it’ll be tough to get home for a real visit any time soon. Â Next weekend we are heading to St. Kitts overnight for a wedding, but it’ll be a quick zip in-and-out kind of affair. Â I have so much due for school over the next 2 months, my stomach churns everytime I think about it. Â I have to remind myself to approach it one assignment at a time. Â And not to spend too much time studying my calendar. Â And to try to enjoy this summer instead of wishing the weeks away! Â :-)
I think that’s it for now. Â I can’t think of any more news to share, and I should get back to my paper. Â (yuck) Â Love to all!!