Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Spring is in the Air

During the past few years of my life as a librarian spring has brought with it a feeling of excitement and anticipation. While working in the public library it was time to gear up for our biggest feat of the year, (drum roll) Summer Reading! I often felt like I was in a timed race to get everything done. It all began with school visits which meant, visiting thousands of wound up kids each day and giving the same speech, doing the same book talks and playing the same trivia over and over while making it sound new and exciting each time. Half of the time I had a hard time remembering what school I had just been at! Then came the barrage of kids pouring in to sign up for Summer Reading fun. They would personally seek me out, smile at me and say, "Hey remember me? You came and talked to my class." My response, "Of course! I'm so glad you came in!" Whew! And that was only the beginning.
Now working in an academic library, the arrival of spring has once again brought that same feeling of excitement and anticipation. Though there does seem to be a sense of urgency when a student appears at the reference desk with that desperate look in their eye and says "Can you help me? My paper is due tomorrow." Tomorrow!!
It has hit me like a tone of bricks this spring that something is different, that my busy seasons have changed and I am wondering...what will happen after graduation?

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