Where Do We Go From Here?

[Shonda Brisco]

Is it just me or does everyone have that "wanderlust" to just do something different? I'm completely bored with the "same old thing"....and it seems that every situation quickly becomes the "same old thing." Regardless of a few high spots that occur (new projects every now and then, a new piece of equipment to use, a new teacher to work with), there just seems to be a comfort zone that we fall into that often swallows us whole before we realize it. (At least in the situations that I've been in recently.)

Maybe it's because I worked for ten years with special needs children who brought a "new adventure" into the library each and every day that makes everything now seem dull. Even though the "adventure" was both overwhelming and completely life-engulfing at the time, I enjoyed it. However, I also realized that I had done everything that I could do at the school and it was time to move on. New adventures awaited....

So with my need for "new and different," I've decided (at least today) to move forward and begin work on a PhD. I've thought about it for a couple of years, then backed off because of the time involved. Hoping to find something to truly engage me for a while, I postponed the adventure waiting to see if I could be engaged in something more fulfilling. However, I haven't seen anything that challenges me much----but then, I've been a librarian since I was 21 years old....right out of college. Maybe I've already done a lot of this stuff already and I need to move a bit higher to see how the game is played on a different court (although I've also worked at the university level and the game, while always enlightening, seemed to be played much slower.)

So I'm looking to find a program that fits my wandering mind. My problem is finding exactly what it is that I'd like to study. Educational technology is my true love, I've discovered (since it too is always changing, I can relate to the subject). I enjoy the challenges of things not working and how to fix them. I love showing others new ways to do things and figuring out how to do them myself. However, I'm also slightly interested in learning more about "evidence-based practices" in library instruction. After reading about Dr. Violet Harada's work (University of Hawaii) and how it relates to what we, as librarians, need to prove to administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders --- our value and impact to student achievement --- I've suddenly become "fired-up" with the idea that THIS is the key to maintaining libraries and library programs around the nation. We need to show evidence of our impact---and we've got to stop counting books on the shelves and start counting the number of students who demonstrated their ability to utilize the skills we've taught (through a portfolio of evidence that we've collected.)

Maybe it's the summer....and I have time to read EVERYTHING....or maybe it's the down-time to ponder the impact and the successes of the past few years...but is it just me? What is exciting for you? What do you do when the same old thing becomes tiring and you've beaten that dead horse to hamburger meat?

Where do we go from here?

[Kelly M. Hoppe]

There is something I forgot to add to my comment.....something I would really like to do is presentations (for lack of a better word). I would like to be able to do presentations for librarians at my regional service center and someday at events like TLA. I just have to figure out something interesting to present!! I haven't quite figured out how to enter that venue and also don't think I have my nerve worked up enough yet but it is a goal of mine. I have a few ideas but nothing totally planned out.

[Kelly M. Hoppe]

Shonda, I understand what you mean and I don't know if it's because of who I am as a person or because of the profession I'm in. I LOVE being a librarian but sometimes I feel the need to move to the next level whatever that may be. I do know that I won't make any changes until my youngest child graduates from high school, which will be in five years.

I have also considered getting my PhD, but have held off for two reasons....my children....and the fact that I live in a small community and having a PhD would do nothing for me at this point except make me feel extremely proud. What I mean by that is I would have to move to a larger community that has a central office library position or university so I could actually put the PhD to use.

I've also considered becoming more active "politically" with library services on the state or national level but that too will just have to wait until my children have left the nest.

[Denise Kornegay]

Gee, Shonda, I'm feeling some of the same "wanderlust." I'm tired of the same old thing, and I'm ready for a new challenge.

I'm fulfilling a goal I set for myself back in 2001 on my TALL Texans application - educational administration certification. I'm almost half-way through the program, and it has been just what I wanted. I started the program not planning to be a building-level administrator (assistant principal or principal), but the more I learn, the more I think that I just might be able to see myself in one of those roles. I want to supervise and train and work primarily with adults.

I've been a teacher and librarian for 22 years - three schools, eighth grade through high school experience - so it's not like I haven't been around the block a time or two. Who knows...I might just go on for superintendent certification while I'm at it!