"Title duplications"
I just visited the Warrior Librarian's website and saw her comments about the 'false Warrior Librarian', moi (!). Anyone who happens to read both websites will clearly realize that the two have nothing to do with the other. The sites are two completely different blogs and have completely different goals, purposes, and reasons for chosing the title for each website. Warrior for me was chosen as it is the mascot of the institution for which I work. (Did I mention this before? Probably so, but it probably bears repeating.) This is an apt choice (for my college) for a mascot as we are in a spiritual warfare and we are to be soldiers for Christ and ready to fight His battles. We have been told that we will certainly have trials and tribulations. Satan does not like what we do and he will use any method to discredit the work of Christ, every way he can, including making an issue over a title even though our government has even stipulated titles cannot be copyrighted.

I chose this title because that is how our sports team is designated. If it had been the spartans, or the eagles, or the chipmunks as a mascot, then this librarian would be known as the "spartans, or eagles or chipmunks librarian". I had no idea that there was any other website by this name until after mine was established. The choice for me was a logical one. How many schools and colleges have the same mascot? Many! I have known of several called Tigers (my High School), but GFHS is not going after all other schools that have the same mascot title. I have know of several schools with the mascot of Bulldogs (my kids' HS mascot). Neither have they made an issue out of the duplication. It only makes the situation of making this an issue as being ridiculous.


"My state's library conference"
Changing subjects, in October I was able to attend the Missouri State Library conference, held in Kansas City this year. I found some very good workshops to attend, although it was hard to find those that would be helpful for an academic library. Most of the workshops are geared either to public libraries or a large library, of which we are neither. Those that I attended were:
......Marketing at the Point of Contact
......Nuts and Bolts of Friends Of the Library
......Getting involved in your profession
......Behaviorial Development to Staff Development
......Aquisitions 101
......Creating Community Partnerships

I would probably have to say that the first one listed was the most beneficial to me, but the others also had good ideas and suggestions. That first one is listed on the website given above. They all had good information but the next two that were most helpful to me in my present situation would have to be "Nuts and Bolts of Friends of the Library" and "Behaviorial Development to Staff Development." They had good ideas.

New Record - twice in one week
This has been twice in one week for me to blog - this must be a record. But this will probably be the last until after the new year. I wish you not only a Merry Christmas, but one that is a blessing to you as you celebrate this year. Focus on what Christmas is really about, or rather, I should say, Who Christmas is about. It is only in him that we will truely find peace in our hearts and have good will toward men. "It's NOT about 'me'!" It's giving "gifts" to the Christ Child - even if it's a 'cup of cold water' given in His name. What are you doing this Christmas to be a service to others?

"Registration? Next will be graduation"
December 5, 2005
We had registration just the other day. It was a hectic day, but we had a great bunch of new students that came this year. We are trying to get all the logistics of new ID's resolved. Our campus is actually on the same area of land as two military installations, although we have no connection with them. However, it means, that we get "military" id's, sorta. We will use the backs of these for the library barcode for patrons. But we are still waiting...(Sept)

New student workers are hired and we are in the midst of getting them trained. All of a sudden it's time for student orientation. We split the new class into two halves over two days. Then each section is divided in half again when they come in for training: databases (practice) and library holdings, services, rules, etc. (lecture and tour.) I have also hired a new cataloger who has never worked in a library before. (She actually started in Sept. and she is a fast learner.) So there are alot of challenges there. 'Course, everytime someone new comes on board, there's always the stirring up and re-settling of dynamics in a group of co-workers. We've already had our fall semester break. I don't know 'what from' - we just got started...(Oct)

Where is the time going? We basically have two weeks and two days for this month then it's break time for the Thanksgiving Holidays. Basically when everyone comes back we have two weeks left of classes before finals and the semester is over. Didn't we just start a couple of days, maybe weeks, ago??? At least the pace has let up some. I have been swamped with two big projects called "reports" to do this semester. They were a lot of work. The second one probably had 80 hours of work put into it, not to mention other associated faculty that had their part to add. Oh, one of my staff members resigned a few days ago, so, now, we are looking for someone new for her spot.(Nov)

We're talking Christmas vacation, and holiday hours and end of semester due dates, and holiday plans and parties, already. GOOD GRIEF! I'm just now ready to put that fall newsletter together for the students telling them about all the neat services we offer and all the little bells and whistles in our library catalog software, and new things we're doing this year, and new books we're getting, and - and - and... What Happen?? Did I catch a bit of "Van Winkle-itis" and miss part of the semester??? It can't be time for Christmas yet. Wow, next thing you know they'll be talking about graduation as if it is tomorrow!!! (Dec)