A Look Backward

     Today was a bittersweet day for me. My youngest son graduated from high school, so the tears flowed freely at the same time as the smiles kept erupting! Our journey to this point has been rocky and unconventional, but the common thread through all our experiences has been the library. My first library job came as an undergraduate student worker back in the 1980's. That initial experience hooked me, and I've worked in libraries on and off ever since.
   
     My next library job was at a private K-12 school where my sons could attend for half tuition since I was employed there. My mentor would be considered old-fashioned today, but I learned so much from him about librarianship and making a difference in the children's lives. Unforeseen circumstances led us away from that school, and I began homeschooling our sons. The public library played a big role in our lives during that time.

     Next I was privileged to work as a temporary employee at my current library. That job turned into a regular part-time job, which led to my director encouraging me to start working towards the MLIS degree, and here I am! I guess you could say that the library has been a mainstay in my family's life and has produced many happy memories and relationships.

     Thinking back to my childhood, I guess it was destiny for me to become a librarian. I used to take all of my books and insert homemade date-due slips in the back of them. I've always been mesmerized by a library, no matter how big or small.