To be honest

Getting the cat out of the tree would be the harder test [with greater injury].

©Hot Paper Comics

My affirmations calendar has a sense of humour

The photo is of my affirmations calendar page on the day I was let go.

Today's saying is 'I am exactly who I need to be in this moment.' I am meeting this head-on. I've worked since I was 16 years old--42 years. In all that time, I've never been terminated, although I've been laid off (twice), had my hours reduced (twice), and my job eliminated (once). Three of those have happened at Shriners, and I've always been loyal and kept going like it didn't matter, but hey. Anyway, I've picked up my things, spoken with various people about options and benefits I may be eligible for, begun applying for jobs, etc. I've made a list of things to do, and I'm already about halfway through it after two days. Tonight I'm trying to integrate the things I had in the office that I'd like to keep in my room. The rest will go into storage until I have another office. Tomorrow I'm going to work up a schedule for the week. I've tried to move some appointments from March to next week, and looking for another job with benefits, especially healthcare, is my main priority. I cannot go without my medicine. It literally would be a death sentence. 

Anyone with leads, feel free to send me anything. I didn't get terminated for anything malicious or deliberate or anything like that. If circumstances were different, I'm not sure it would even have happened. But here it is, and in a way, it might be good. I've sort of used Shriners as a comfortable crutch for years, clinging to it rather than taking risks out in the world trying for jobs that might have been better in the long run for my career, As much as I loved being a librarian, being a solo librarian for so long has hurt my chances of getting a mid-career job because I've only supervised a few high school students, not other professionals, even though I've done all the different things a librarian does in a library. 

The librarian position here was perfect for me in terms of my neurodiversity issues; the patient access positions stressed them. Ironically, the final one was better than the others. I was doing better with it, though I struggled with my ADHD medicine failing, and it directly led to my discharge. I am scheduled next week to discuss changing it with my MD. Too little, too late. But maybe it will help for next time. I've also learned a very hard lesson: coming clean about a disability before it becomes an issue isn't a sign of weakness; it's a way to protect yourself, at least as long as the ADA survives current attacks. I actually had an offer for an interview the week I came back from my last knee replacement, and I wish I'd taken it, but I didn't feel it was right to ask off on my first day back, as it wasn't fair to work. I really regret that now. It was a library job with the state, providing children's books to kids with low vision or who are blind. I sometimes feel I was more concerned about work than vice versa. I was once told it wasn't my business to worry about the number of patients on the schedule or who was out that day when asking off, that wasn't my job. I thought it was just common courtesy and trying not to be a bother. Oh, well. No longer my problem. I am exactly who I need to be in this moment. I will continue to be. I will do better. And I am equipped to handle all situations effectively, even if in the short term it seems bleak. In the long run, I will prevail and flourish, and never give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me fail.

Have a good night.

Wow

At the Lorain Public Library in Ohio, 19 bookshelves holding 50,000+ books collapsed in domino style after the first shelf gave way. The library was closed for a day to clean up the mess, 1971.

I loved that scene in the 1999 film 'The Mummy' with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, and I saw it at the drive-in that used to be right outside Winchester, so I shook the entire car laughing, but this...

Oh, I'm so glad I wasn't the librarian working there that day. This is why I hate metal shelving.

I'm intrigued

I was looking up a historical figure (James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, a Scottish general who was hanged, beheaded, and quartered for supporting Charles I during the War of the Three Kingdoms in 1650)--Battlefield Band has a song called 'Montrose'. Going down that rabbit hole, I found a book by John Buchan [novelist and former Governor General of Canada] called Witch Wood, which sounded promising and put it in as an interlibrary loan request with the Lexington public library. Montrose only makes a small appearance in it, but the story sounded compelling, the story of a clergyman who discovers Scottish witchcraft/paganism being practised and suffers from ensuing politics in the 17th century. It'll probably come from the University of Kentucky, as their library has it. I have a UK library card, but for residents of Kentucky, they expire after a year, and mine is likely expired. The thing I'm most interested in is that in the over 300-page story, a lot of the dialogue is in Scots, which I am interested in, having a lot of Scottish ancestry.

Is this really the way to go, Houston?

HISD to eliminate librarians and convert libraries into disciplinary centers at NES schools

"I just couldn't imagine that it could happen so quickly. I don't understand why this current administration doesn't see the value of libraries and what they do for literacy and reading," Hall said. "Libraries are much more than just books. It's about helping match the reader to the right book at the right time. By talking to the student, you can find a direction to meet their needs."

Former library spaces at some schools will be converted into rooms where students who misbehave will be relocated to watch lessons virtually, work alone, or in groups with differentiated lessons. Books will remain on shelves and students will still be able to borrow books on a honor code system.

I want to be a librarian like this when I grow up

The Unknown Librarian Who Saved Queer History: You probably don’t know the name Paul Fasana. But the librarian was instrumental in preserving hundreds of thousands of artifacts of queer history

A working-class gay man and first-gen college student, Fasana came out in the late 1950s, while getting a master’s of library science at UC-Berkeley (where he later established a scholarship for queer students). After rising through the ranks at the New York Public Library, he moved to Florida in the mid-’90s and began the herculean task of organizing SNMAL’s holdings. Since 1972, SNMAL has been a crucial safeguard of queer history—particularly queer Southern history—but like all independent queer archives, its fragile existence has long depended on volunteers like Fasana, passionate pencil pushers who perform the inglorious yet absolutely necessary day-to-day work.

By the time Fasana came on board, SNMAL’s holdings had grown precipitously, particularly as it rescued vast collections from men dying in the first wave of the AIDS crisis. Out of a jumble spread across three different warehouses, Fasana knit the collections together into one usable archive—an archive that has been powering queer scholarship and community in southern Florida and across the country ever since. Today, in honor of Fasana and his partner, Robert Graham, SNMAL’s collection is known as the Fasana/Graham Archive.

SNMAL is the Stonewall National Museum, Archives, and Library in Florida, not connected to the Stonewall Riots of 1969, but it's 50 years old (founded in 1972). For more on them, see their about page.

This is a very neat programme

California library uses robots to help kids with autism learn and connect with the world around them

About one in 36 children in the United States is on the autism spectrum, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the Santa Ana Public Library is one of the first libraries to provide the pricey program for free. The initiative has been spearheaded by head librarian Cheryl Eberly, who said that she launched the program during the pandemic and hopes to fill gaps of services for children of color, who are often not diagnosed with autism until they're older.

"Every time I see a kid on the spectrum or a neurodivergent kid lock in and interact with the robot and get that moment where they are bonded and they understand, it's amazing," Eberly said. "It's like validation that this works."

In library news

A library found it was missing $8 million of its rarest items. Nearly three years later, a man on the inside admitted to selling the items to a local bookstore

Tonight I have:

1. Paid my rent.
2. Put some money away for my tax preparation fees.
3. Took a friend to the library.
4. Returned books and a couple of DVDs myself.
5. Picked up a guide to March events at the library.
6. Ate dinner.
7. Fed the animals and let the dogs out and in.
8. Started some herb bread making for the potluck tomorrow at work.
9. Helped YKWIA with some Latin, mainly by lending an ear.
10. Watered the plants.
11. Finally got into my e-mail and made my selections for two specialties from a collection development project four days past the deadline.
12. Resisted the urge to cuddle with the cat, no matter how demanding he was.
13. Kept YKWIA company while he made clafoutis for me to take to the potluck tomorrow.

We're having a St. Patrick's potluck, a meeting, and a training tomorrow.  Clinic is light.  I'm making ther herb bread that was a hit last time.  It's baking right now.

The week in review:

Sunday--got to play the game, which was fun.
Monday--major snowstorm with up to 10 inches of snow hitting Lexington. I took the bus in to work and back, and was exhausted at the end of the day.  One of my department co-workers fell, broke his leg, and had surgery today for ligament damage.
Tuesday and Wednesday--very busy at work but got everything taken care of at work.
Today--fairly pleasant at work, and then busy afterwards.  It's almost 10 pm and YKWIA is working on the dessert, and I'm just now free to blog.  Sorry I haven't done much lately.  I just ate an apple (Kroger had organic honeycrisps on sale for 99 cents per pound), and the cat is trying to play with the sticker, which is cute, but he's been making himself a nuisance because he really wants me to lie down and let him clamber up on me and cuddle.  I think I've spoilt him.

Things people ask librarians [problem solved]

Him: How do I find a book chain?
Me: Why do you need one?
Him: I keep losing this book. How many times have you had to find it? It keeps eluding me. I need to chain it to a shelf. (The book in question is How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household by Blu Greenberg, which is quite excellent and used a great deal in this house.)
Me: I don't think you can easily get book chains anymore. Last I saw, you still could get cables.
[Does quick Google search.  Goes to Demco (a library supply company) and has no luck, either.]
**IDEA**
Me: What about a box you could put it in? I have one I think that will fit perfectly.
Him: You do?
Me: Yes! [Takes him over to my bed's headboard.  There are three nesting boxes in the shape of books.  I take the middle one and empty it of papers.  The book fits perfectly.]
Him: Where will you put the papers?
Me: The big box.  Now don't lose the box. It looks like a book.
[Sends him happily to his home library to read.]

His library has more books than the library I worked in for twenty years [we had about 1500 books and then the various bound and unbound journals. I had about 2000 to 3000 myself at home before de-hoarding for the move, where I probably halved that.  He's probably at about 4000 or so].  I have often been tempted to include 'Managed the private library of X' on my résumé for just such reasons as this, despite payment being in the form of love and affection of his animals.  I have moved the books on several occasions, dusted, arranged, ordered, found lost ones, etc.  The only thing I haven't done is truly catalogue them, and if he ever gets that card catalogue I had at the library, I see that in my future.

This is interesting

Who Doesn't Read Books in America?

I can't imagine life without reading for pleasure, even though I don't have the time to do so that I once did. The Pew Research report predictably found that those who were older, poorer, less-educated, and those who were Latino were less likely to have read a book at least in part in the last year or *ever* visited a library. For some, it's probably that they may not be fully literate, and we fail in helping with that, I think, especially once they've gone through the system and are adults. I have one friend that can read, but almost never does, short of maybe skimming the newspaper. He is visually impaired, and was embarrassed having to use large print books as a child, and it was just more difficult. He never developed a love of reading and I'm still not convinced he's really very good at it, yet he makes fun of others he's encountered who obviously are functionally illiterate. I remind him on those occasions that it's something to be sad about, and to offer help about, not something funny or worth belittling someone.

We're better now at providing books to children whose families might not be able to afford them, and we can promote our library services, but many children live in areas where it is impossible to come to the library on their own if they're old enough, like I did when I was in my pre-teens and teens. My local library branch moved from across a major road from a residential neighbourhood to a business area two streets away, but the distance increased significantly, and to ride the bus, you now have to go downtown, transfer, and it's an hour and a half ride for a five minute trip by car. It's bigger, it's better, but if I didn't have a car, I couldn't really go anymore. Same goes for rural libraries. Urban ones may be easier to get to in some ways, but there are other factors such as crime and drug use that often happens right outside. So if the parent didn't grow up loving libraries enough to take their kids to the library, the children might not develop that love.

Latinos may be less likely read for socioeconomic or language-barrier reasons. There's not a lot available, at least here, in Spanish at most library branches or bookstores. That is, they may be literate in Spanish and have trouble finding books short of Amazon shipping them in. And they may have the same barriers as the other groups. We do have a branch here in Lexington that is an area of town which is heavily Latino which encourages Spanish among its staff and has more selection, as well as programming aimed at this group. I hope that can be expanded.

It was a good last day, really

1. One of our coworkers who works with various charities took a few of the books that were left, and Dr. Viji of the We Serve Foundation came back and took away the rest of the books, over twenty boxes' worth.
2. I found homes for everything in the library, including the skeleton and most of the small equipment. The only things not claimed were a pamphlet stapler and manual three-hole punch. The only things recycled were a small stack of old journals and a stack of our hospital newsletters.
3. I finished the charge entry and boxed up the files for reference at the new facility. The facility charges will not be charged--that can only be done by a hospital, and so will factor into charges differently. But we needed to keep the last 90 days' worth of sheets in case there were questions.
4. I took a few things out to the car.
5. They gave away prints of the three hospital buildings (the first, in 1922, at Good Samaritan Hospital's grounds, the second, on the present site, built in the 50s, and the present one, built in the late 80s). So I got one; I've always liked that print.
6. I got some good news about how my severance is being figured that might mean a little more security.
7. I finished up the policies.
8. I passed on a few things.
9. I got as many of the journals into DOCLINE that I could and changed the address and contact info for it.
10. I checked on job openings, but there was nothing new that fit my qualifications that was local, but I still have some to apply for.
11. I said lots of goodbyes and received many hugs. I worked with great people. I will miss them terribly.

I got out at 4:45, about 15 minutes late, but got so much accomplished, and taking one last set of pictures, which I'll post here, including a panoramic one. It's so empty. But I feel really great about how I was able to shut the library down. So oddly, I'm not crying today.

My library

In its heyday.

I found out the other day

That my phone will take panoramic photos.  This is one of my library at work.  It's small,  but it's home.  I will so miss it.  It's hard to believe that I have to dismantle it over the next four months. :(

Moral of the story, I suppose

Is not to shift twelve shelving units (72 shelves) of heavy medical books and bound journals (some of which are six inches wide!) by yourself, especially if you are in you 40s and have some neck/shoulder/back issues anyway (as many people in their 40s do). The problem being, of course, that I am the only library staff--I don't have a tech or volunteer to work with. Volunteers have really been needed in other parts of the hospital of late, and no one, I'm sure, wants to move a lot of books. If I were actually moving the library I'd box up books with the help of volunteers, and then probably materials management, environmental services, or plant operations would make sure they made it to the loading dock and then on their own home.

But we're not moving, Blanche.

Instead, I'm looking at the daunting task of shuttering a library. The only good thing about going through this is I might be able to write about it, get an article published. But it doesn't make it less heartbreaking to know that the library I cared for for nearly 20 years will be (at best) parceled out to departments and other hospitals and libraries. It's not a big library at all, about 15 by 30 feet, and some of that is occupied by cubicles that were put in a few years ago for another department. But it's home. Let me show it to you, at least in part:

Book collection (with unbound journals in foreground)

Bound journals (and some things I'm working on)

I won't show the rest, but I took a set of pictures all around the room to remember it by. I will so miss this place!

Okay, the muscle relaxer is kicking in (very tiny doses, but still), I feel a little better, but sleepy, too. Good night!

This

Ignorance breeds hate. Hatred breeds violence. Stop the cycle.  Educate yourself and others.

Last night I woke up from my 'nap' at 11:40 pm

I almost went ahead and went to the store, but I'm glad I waited till this afternoon, when I was awake and could really be frugal and calculate as I went. I managed to get bread flour, honey and butter for bread-making, two jars of spreadable fruit, a bunch of bananas, a gallon of milk, eighteen eggs, some raisin bran, string cheese, and some soda (yes, the latter was not important to get, but I thought it might be good to have some caffeine over the weekend), all for less than $27. That leaves me approximately $15 for things like more gas or groceries. Yay! I had some of YKWIA's bread (he's been making some, too) earlier, and I had some cheese and a banana. One of my co-workers also gave me a care package of oatmeal, trail mix bars, potatoes (to go with the onions I got yesterday), tuna, macaroni and cheese shells, and Indian lentils I can put over some rice I have. Thank you so much! That, along with the things I have in the cabinets (some tomato soup, some canned vegetables, and a few other things), plus my packets of Goldfish crackers, should (hopefully) last until I get paid. I can make bread, and I have some peanut butter in about four small jars that I'm going to consolidate. I also found a big can of pasta sauce I can put with my farfalle, and I think I have some old pasta up in the top cupboard that might still be edible.

Today was our No Limits Sports Clinic at work, where the kids come and play various sports out on the back lawn of the hospital (we have a total of just over 26 acres of land, most of it greenspace). We parked on the lawn east of the hospital to allow for families to have more parking. We had a good turnout, and I did the certificates for them. Because this is the last one at the current hospital building, they ordered each of us a teal shirt, and almost everyone wore those today, so we were all 'of the body', basically. It was fun. Lunch was a free cookout (I didn't eat hot dogs, hamburgers, or baked beans (pork is in that, almost always), but I had a cheese sandwich with trimmings, Doritos, a great coleslaw, and a fountain drink. I didn't schlep back outside to wait for the Amish ice cream, which is always great, but it seemed to be very popular. It's basically soft homemade ice cream in large vats powered (I think) by a gas contraption with a smoke exhaust pipe. One of my former co-workers came back to take care of the music. It looked like great fun. It was sunny and warm, but the humidity didn't seem bad, and the sun would occasionally be behind clouds to give them a break.

After I got finished with the certificates and delivered them, I turned my attention to the data entry, referrals, surgery charge reconciliation, and several issues I was tracking down, error reports, that sort of thing. I was able to leave at 4:30 pm because I had my time in, went over to YKWIA's, then we went to Barnes & Noble and I found a couple of books that I can't afford, but noted on my phone, and they're both at th library and available. I returned a book to the library (the one on the Medicis) on the way back, but couldn't check the others out because they'd already closed for the night. I dropped off YKWIA, picked up the stuff I'd left at his house, and went to the grocery. I also picked up a paper with directions on applying for a job. (Oh, and even though I haven't heard back about that one position, I went ahead and sent off the application today for a technology library assistant at Scott County Public Library). I did it via mail, since I'm not sure she ever got my e-mail. It's not due till the 17th, so it should get there in time).

Wow. While I was at the Chinoe Kroger, a fire truck and ambulance turned into the apartments there, and they had trouble negotiating the entrance. I just had a fire truck and ambulance go by my window as well, so apparently they're having to come out for medical emergencies at apartments today.

My apartment maintenance folks snaked out my tub today, so hopefully the water will run down the drain instead of backing up. I have a little cover I can put over the drain to keep hair out, but things were so bad, it would just float away. It's been doing it for awhile, I'd actually kind of gotten used to it (it happened so gradually), and I'd tried enzymatic drain opener (which worked on the sink, but not on the tub). I'd hate to see the hairball they got out of there, as I've removed it from the top area of the drain as much as possible, and apparently I shed a ton. Hopefully it will work right. Because it wasn't draining, the soap was impossible to get off the bottom of the tub, where the lather settled as it slowly drained, and it was getting slippery. I should have told them some time ago; like I said, it happened gradually and then suddenly I was up to my ankles in water.

Wow, it's almost 9 pm. I think I'll go start some bread, get something to drink, fill up the ice cube trays, and clean up the kitchen/do the dishes, since I didn't do that last night. I think I have four more posts before I hit 11,000 posts. :)

My library at work

Is relatively small,  but it has been my home away from home for 19 years come Thursday. I will miss it so much.

Now that's one smart cookie...

Shared on Facebook by the Lexington Public Library, not sure of attribution

Cool

Every Book is a Journey, but These Old Posters Make Reading Seem Like a Trip

In 1935, as part of his New Deal program to put Americans back to work during the Great Depression, President Roosevelt established the Work Progress Administration. The WPA (its name was changed to the Work Project Administration in 1939) employed millions of people to carry out major public works projects, and within it, there was a smaller, creative arm: the Federal Project Number One.

Thanks to Carl, who shared this on Facebook.