BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?

Subject: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 05:14 PM

While I was reading some past topics and threads it seemed to me that a lot of people on Mudcat have worked or do work in a library of some sort.

If that's true, I would love to hear from any past or present librarians and/or library staff and where you are or were working. Also, do you like what you do? Is there anyone who is specialized?

I am a year into my Masters in Library and Information Sciences degree and have worked in one library or another (mostly academic) since I was about nine. Yes, I started young shelving books for the school librarian in exchange for a school lunch. I currently work a night a week at a medium-sized subscription library in San Francisco.

Look forward to hearing from anyone in this crazy field,
SunnySister

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 05:42 PM

There have been other threads on this, at least one started by myself.

I am the Director of the Marshall Public Library in Pocatello, Idaho. I recieved my MS in LIS from Case Western Reserve University in 1977, and I've been doing this sort of thing professionally since 1971 -- I started Library School at No. IL University, but left when I ran out of money.

What else would you like know?

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 05:54 PM

I was born on the 9th of October.
G

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 06:19 PM

Thanks Rapaire and um, Giok- happy un-birthday to you.

I actually did a search on a "librarian" thread and nothing came up before I posted. Perhaps I should have spent more time analysing the data base.

Here I was making fun of your personal library in another thread, Rapaire, and you are an actual library director! Oophs!

I appreciate your answering as much as you did- just wanted to get a sense of fellow librarians since I am new to the group.

Thanks,
SunnySister

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Nancy King at work
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 06:45 PM

Well, it's a slow evening at the Germantown (MD, USA) Public Library -- probably because it's supposed to start snowing any time now -- so here I sit Mudcatting. There are actually quite a few people in the Library, but most of them seem to be using the computers or checking out videos. Not many reference questions tonight. Suits me.

There are several threads addressing this question. Two of the longer ones are this one and this one. Both of these are older threads that got mixed up a year or so ago when the Mudcat server crashed. All the posts are there, but many are out of order, so the answers appear before the questions. Lots of Mudcat librarians posted to these threads. There are a few other library-related threads as well.

Nancy

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 07:07 PM

Thanks, Nancy, for pointing me to the old threads. I look forward to reading the posts noted.

I've been fighting a cold so instead of working on things here at work that might get messed up, I've been Mudcatting. Now, I find that I don't have enough brain to do a good search. Sheesh!

May your evening go fast, Nancy, and you get home safely before the snow starts.

-- SunnySister who will move away from the keyboard until my cold has passed...

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Kaleea
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 07:37 PM

I used to work in the Music library in the Music dept. when I was in college.   Does that count?

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 08:26 PM

Yup! That counts, Kaleea! At least for me since I am not technically a full-fledged librarian yet.

Speaking of music libraries- The Cecil Sharpe House has a wonderful music library! (Perhaps this too is old, tired news... sorry)

Imagine my surprise when Chanteyranger and I show up at the library there in England, to find a librarian working there from Florida!! She was wonderful although I was a little disappointed that she didn't have a marvelous British accent.

Nice to make your acquaintance and thanks!
--SunnySister

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 08:43 PM

From 1970 to 1973 I worked full time as a Library I staff person for Carnegie Library [Pittsburgh, Penn]. My position as an African storyteller was newly created after the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination 'riots' in Pittsburgh. This position was a part of a library division called "Inner City Services". Inner City Services was initiated some years before 1969. That program worked closely with the Bookmobile, a traveling library in large specially modeled vans that traveled to hard to reach economically deprived neighborhoods without nearby library branches.

As an African storyteller, I facilitated after-school, summer, and special programming programs that centered around my telling African stories that I had adapted. In that position, I traveled [largely by bus-it amazes me when I think about it!] to various neighborhood branches of that large library system. In addition, I held classroom sessions, and conducted auditorium programs on African culture at numerous {mostly elementary} schools within the Pittsburgh area. An integral part of my presentation was sharingexamples & information about various African musical instrumeents and inviting children on-stage {or in front of the classroom} to demonstrate these instuments. Eventually, I was joined at some of these programs by a man who played djembe African drums and who really knew how to play the sekere, the agogo, and other musical instruments I had collected.

The majority of these schools we visited and the library branches where I was stationed were in predominately African American communities and the primary goal of that African storytelling position was to increase African American children's use of the library. I'm not sure how successful I was in reaching that goal, but as a result of that position,I believe taht I succeeded in introducing quite a few children, youth, and adults to the richness of West African cultures.

I count that among one of the best jobs I ever had. One of the things that I loved about that job was the fact that when I had no scheduled programs, I could read books. The only thing I didn't like about working at the library was that, in my opinion, it was too quiet.

For about 3 years after I left that position, Pittsburgh's Carnegie Library system hired a woman from Nigeria, West Africa as an African storyteller. Unfortunately, I believe that due to reduced budgets, after that time that system has had no full [or part] time "African storyteller" on staff. And at some point, the Inner City Services program ended.

What a shame.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Once Famous
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 09:02 PM

My wife is the head of technical services at our suburban Chicago library. Needless to say, it has one of the best music collections around. She has a top notch consultant.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 09:25 PM

Does owning a thousand books count?

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 10:44 PM

Wow Azizi, your work back then sounds incredible!! I can't imagine that you didn't inspire most of the children that you were brought into connection with. I sure hope you still do something like this kind of work, albeit perhaps not as a job.

My emphasis, apart from general librarianship is storytelling and I am constantly amazed at its sheer power to entertain, inspire, teach and move the people that are lucky enough to have a storyteller in their midst sharing their trade.

Martin- I was thinking of people just like your wife, who have, across the United States and other places, kept the richness of music alive because they enriched and inspired the collection at the library they worked at.

And yes, Jerry, owning 1000 book does pretty much count- especially if you catalog them all :)

Thanks for the posts to the thread- much appreciated!
--SunnySister

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 11:09 PM

Thanks, SunnySister.

I sometimes still share West African stories with others. And I love it when the story really works, your audience is really engaged and you can feel the energy in the room. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it's a soul satisfying experience.

SunnySister, what type of stories do you tell, and for which age groups?

Thanks and best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 11:15 PM

Sunny, you've opened a can of worms and you're going to find them crawling all over the place. From Seattle to DC to Ohio to Texas to...heck, I'll let you be surprised.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 11:29 PM

SunnySister, I just noted that you said you were new to Mudcat.

Welcome!!!

****

Rapaire, are you saying that it is opening up a can of worms to discuss who is or is not a librarian? Or did you mean that talking about storytelling is like opening up a can of worms?

I guess I just don't get the meaning of your last post. But, then again, you weren't talkin to me-at least not directly anyway...

Still, may I respectfully ask you to 'splain your last post?

Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: number 6
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 11:34 PM

I used to work for a publishing company.

If that means anything.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Gurney
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 12:18 AM

Aren't you asking the question the wromg way around?

How many librarians are folkies, singers/folkdancers/poetryandmusicers, etc? The majority, possibly. 50%+1.

Not me, anyway. I visit libraries regularly because I read a lot, but I've not worked there.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 12:27 AM

Giok, I believe you meant 'libertarian,' because I'm one too.
Born somewhere round the beginning of October.

Seamus who has lots of books but is not a librarian.
(Come to think of it, if it weren't for libraries, I'd have no books at all.)

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: open mike
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 01:58 AM

i am the bookmobile librarian!
I drive a few thousand books
videos and tapes to rural areas
with small populations and no
library...but the rolling one!

I am taking a class at the local
community college in Television
production and recently inter-
viewed a couple of members of the
library board of directors and
they are working on finding funding
for the various programs run by our
library: genealogy research, inter-
net access, literacy out reach,
inter-library loans, books on tape
for visually impaired and anyone
who wants to listen to a book as
they travel or at home, the friends
of the library who conduct book sales
as fund raisers, also the library
is used as a meeting place for
organizations, etc.

i think rapaire means that there are
many here who can speak from the point
of view of a librarian...hence: can of
worms.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 09:04 AM

Yup, open mic -- and that she'll find there are librarians (or "bookies" or "booker") on the 'Cat and geographically they're from the broad Pacific ocean to the wild Atlantic shore -- not to mention Australia to Germany to god-alone-know-where-else.

The 'Cat is like a box that when you open open it, you find other boxes inside, and you just keep unfolding and unfolding and unfolding it and it never seems to run out of folds and there is a surprise inside each one.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: open mike
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 12:39 PM

i just read yesterday that the maximum amounts of folds that any piece of paper can have is six...this seems like it might not apply to tissue
paper? (folding in half , that is)

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 02:16 PM

I'm not a librarian but I look like one to the students and faculty who request assistance when I walk through the public areas of the university library. I wear a library name tag and I did my graduate work (English MA, '99) in this very library. So I assist when I can, or find a bona fide librarian to help if I can't.

I am a writer and web designer and promote new library programs and databases and training programs. . . and I am the daughter of a (deceased) college reference librarian (who in his last post headed their new new Audio Visual lab--teaching on and loaning out the then clunky but innovative equipment that was precursor to the nifty stuff we all use today).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Helen
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 03:14 PM

Hi SunnySister,

This is info from one of the worms in the can, mentioned previously.

I used to be a librarian in charge of a couple of branches of our local public library in Newcastle NSW, on the east coast of Australia, in a network of 10 branches. I spent some time in the reference and local history library, and in cataloguing as well. I've been out of the library system since 1994 doing other work, all sorts of work, including teaching at TAFE (vocational) colleges, including a stint teaching modules in a library course, and now I sort of float between a couple of government departments, looking for more permanent work.

Currently I am working for the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, which is basically helping people to access personal and family history records which go back to the beginning of European settlement in Oz, i.e. 1788. A great big database!! A librarian's dream.

My most recent job before that was in relation to land tax, which had a couple of great big databases of landowners in NSW, and all the pieces of land in the state. More fun for librarians!

I've found that my library skills and experience have opened up a lot of possibilities, not just for working within libraries. That's especially true with the computer-based information management that has to be done in most jobs, now.

Rapaire,

What a great description of the 'Cat!!

"The 'Cat is like a box that when you open open it, you find other boxes inside, and you just keep unfolding and unfolding and unfolding it and it never seems to run out of folds and there is a surprise inside each one."

That's definitely a "keeper".

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 03:30 PM

My thanks to all of you!

I've been slammed with meetings all day (am not currently working full time in the library- only working a night or two to keep current until I get my degree...).

I would love to respond to each of you- I just hope you know that from my perspective all of you have shared some very interesting about yourselves and your love of books and the profession. I greatly appreciate it.

If those of you who posted don't mind, I might PM and ask you more about your posts although perhaps not today (more meetings lined up). Again, thank you very much for taking the time.

-- SunnySister

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: bbc
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 03:43 PM

Grade 3-5 school librarian at a small (200 students) rural school at the intersection of NY, CT, MA. I teach 45-min. (prep) library research skills classes, as well as 30-min. computer tech. classes. I have about 13 years in the field, at a variety of locations & levels. Seem to have found my niche now & hope to stay at this job till retirement. Although I had my degree earlier, I came into the job market because of a divorce, after 9 years of homemaking & w/ 2 & 5-year old children to support. It was a tough road for awhile, but things are pretty stable now & I am content w/ my life. I feel I have something to give to my students & I do my best to do so. Feel free to PM me, if you like. I've worked with a K-12 hospital school, grade 5-10 emotionally disturbed boys, grade K-5 rich kids, as well as my current situation.

best to you,

barbara

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Arne Langsetmo
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 04:36 PM

Some of my college classmates were, and were touting Ayn Rand's histrionic novels as incisive factual political theory, and proclaiming the virtues of Objectivism....

Ummm.... Ahhh.... "Librarians". Ooops. Nevermind.....

Cheers,

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 06:06 PM

about paper folding: When I was a kid, I read somewhere that "you can't fold a piece of paper in half eight times" I think 8 was chosen to allow for large pieces of thin tissuepaper....but 6 is possible with common sizes and types. Try 7, and you'll see why 8 is beyond you...

(I worked as a student asst. in the Washington Univ. (St Louis) library in 1959-60...mostly shelving. It was interesting, because they were in the middle of changing over from Dewey Decimal to LC cataloging, and I had to pass a test of competence in both systems! This was a fairly old library, and in areas like the classics..(old English literary stuff and Greek plays, etc)..they had TONS of books, with Dewey numbers that ran 8-10 lines! It didn't take much of a mistake to lose a book. Every now & then whole areas would disappear as they were taken into to be recatalogued, repaired and and relocated.....and of course, the new location was constantly shifting as re-done volumes were sandwiched in!

It was also old enough that seldom accessed books...especially bound periodicals..(Journal of Alaskan Orchid Fanciers...etc.) were housed in the Sub-Basement Annex...which looked about like it sounds, a dark, musty, labyrinth down old stairs with bare light bulbs hanging now & then.

Wash. U. has since built a new library, but I'll bet it doesn't have quite the 'character' of the old one!

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,lamarca (cookieless)
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 06:22 PM

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Lamarca (cookieless)
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 06:37 PM

Let's try this again...
I'm a reference librarian wannabe. I first started working in libraries in 4th grade (age 10), helping reshelve books. I stayed a student library aide from then until the end of high school, because being surrounded by books is my idea of heaven!

In high school, there was a small group of us nerdy academic types who hung out in the school library, helping our librarian with filing and directing other students where to find materials they needed. We incorporated as an official school club, calling ourselves "Bibliotekas Zhurkas", which was Latvian for Library Rats. Our club charter was an adolescent masterpiece of bureaucratic double-speak that said the purpose of the club was to hang out in the library and occasionally help the librarian and plays Scrabble. All the founding members were officially Vice-Presidents, so we could list being a "Club Officer" on our college applications...

When I started in college, my assigned work-study job was in the cafeteria serving line. I went to our college library, talked to one of the staff about my 9 years experience in school libraries, and was immediately hired to work in the Closed Reserve room. Bye-bye cafeteria! I worked there all four years, as happy as a clam on Prozac.

I was Blinded by Science in college, however, so I became a biochemist professionally - but got training in literature searching in the old DIALOG days. Now I get my kicks doing PubMed and ISI searches for folks in our lab, and surrounding myself at home with thousands of books, which I will catalog. Someday. When I have time...

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 07:03 PM

'S okay, Lamarca. I have better than 6K books at home and they aren't cataloged either. Well, my wife has a list of hers...I just have a really good memory.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 07:29 PM

GeeZ! Lotta liberrians here. I shoulda known. I have had bad experienses with liberrains ever since I can remember. They don't like me. I don't like them. I will never date one. No way.

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 07:50 PM

I'm a Library Officer in a 3-person Federal Govt Library. I'm on the bottom of the heap! We have 2 librarians: my supervisor has a Masters in library science & does the research for the staff, & our manager manages & does other stuff.

But in my last job (16 years ago) I was the heap. I ran a small library, one of 7 state branches of another Federal Govt agency, which eventually was fully integrated into a national system with a Central library & 7 small state branches.

I did a 3-year part time Tech course in the early 70's that was similar to the Librarianship Diploma that graduates did so it was abolished a year after I finished & replaced by a Technicians course. If I was interested in joining the Aust Library & Info Assn I could join as a professional, even tho when I joined in the 70's I was a sub-professional, or something like that.

Some of my friends from Tech went on to University & therefore higher up the Library tree. I'm probably the last of my generation & when I retire early 2007 all we will have in the Library world are Library graduates, Technicians & clerical folks.

sandra (wearing glasses & with greying hair in an untidy bun)

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 08:13 PM

"I just have a really good memory."

yep...when you have LOTS of books at home, your cataloging system begins to include color, size and spatial referents.

When I was in graduate school at the U. of Kansas, I was sitting in my recliner one day, when a fellow student called to ask about some topic, and if I had any material on it.....so I leaned back, reached back over my left shoulder, and picked the relevant book off the shelf by feel! I can still direct someone to selected tomes by "hallway...third shelf down...in the middle...blue cover". *sigh* wish I had 'em all clearly in mind. Eye problems keep me from reading easily for long periods and I seldom just grab a book and get lost any more.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 08:49 PM

'Salright, Shane. I wouldn't date YOU, even though I know that you'd like to date me. Sorry, I'm just not that way. Why, when I was up in Canada last time I even met this chick named, what was it? Dana, I think, or something like that. She was some kind of cop or something, and boy! did she know how to "run hot." Um-HUH! And built like the proverbial brick necessary house, too. She could drink, too, lemme tell ya. But I know you're not interested in that sort of thing, being like you are and all.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 09:18 PM

FLIP YOU, MAN!!! You lie like a flippin' rug. I know better than t' think my Dana would waste her flippin' time on you, idiot-boy! I could tell you a lot, but I am bidin' my time, eh? I would not want to, like, embarass you fer life in fronta the whole flippin' forum by exposin' the sorry truth about how you struck out with every Tim Hortons checkout girl AND flatchested bargirl between Vancouver and Hamilton, eh?

Oh, JEEZ! ......

I forgot and said it.

Omigosh, eh? WHAT are we gonna do now? How are you gonna face yer friends now?

Like I said, flip you, idiot-boy! Sideways down a drain shaft. With barbed wire socks on.

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 09:39 PM

I've been to Vancouver, Shane. Nice town. So's Toronto and Montreal and Quebec and St. John's and Halifax and Ottawa and even Beaver Creek and Haines Junction and Destruction Bay.

You been to any of those places? I've even been to Blind River, pissant little town that it is. And your comments about the ladies of Canada just go to show that you're one of those guys who doesn't like women, you know?

Now, lemme tell ya about this cop, Dana...but no, you wouldn't like to hear about her or any other girl. Well, lemme tell ya about this guy -- only I can't, 'cause I don't swing your way.

I don't hold it against ya, ya understand. I know you can't help it, that you are just that way. So, like, maybe if you moved to San Francisco or somewhere, ya know...somewhere away from Molson's and where there's some GOOD beer, like Polygamy Porter or Sierra Nevada instead of the cold piss you drink. Maybe even O'Keefe's. Blue'll do in a pinch, too.

But don't you go cruisin' in my library. I mean, I don't care what you do, but we'd call the cops and I don't think you like the inside of the local jail. But wait a minute...maybe you would.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 09:42 PM

My large collection of books - mainly reference material, are catalogued according the system first invented by a couple of gus called

Uriah Heap &

Mr Ran Dom

formally known as The Random Heap Method...

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 09:59 PM

Did you know that after Uriah gave David Copperfield a shilling, David replied, "Thanks, Heeps!"??

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Hollowfox
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 10:40 PM

Welcome to the party, SunnySister, I'm a librarian at Youngstown Public Library (Ohio). I didn't answer this at work today because I had the day off. Good thing I decided to check the 'Cat just now, on arriving home from the staff Christmas party.
I've used the 'Cat for reference questions, so I find it useful to at least check in every day or so at work. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Time for bed now; I hope to visit more later.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: open mike
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 03:13 AM

my "ex" is a used book dealer
and has a "library" of over 100,000
books -- most of which are for sale.
Used, out-of-print, rare esp. turn-
of-the-century fiction by women authors.

westerns, childrens' books, natural
history, regional.

i was surrounded by books for the 25+
years I was with him, and never at a
loss for reading material@!

youj will find that we periodically
discuss lwhat we are reading on here.

Again, welcome to the mudcat family..
even if it is a dysfunctional family
at times. Do you make music? play?
sing? Laurel

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Roger the (cookieless) skiffler
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 05:10 AM

Bothe 'er indoors and myself were librarians, before our respective employers "let us go" (shoved us out)into the joy of early retirement.

RtS

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 09:38 AM

IF rthere was only 1 beer left in the world...if...and I had it...

You would go dry, Rapaire. Dry. You flip-faced dog flippin' son of fliphead! I hope yuou end up LIVIN' with a liberrian. A real nasty one with them thin tight lips and mean eyes and real pointy glasses and hair tied in a bun too. One that is totally flippin' frijid. Know what I'm sayin'? You caN FIND em easy in any small town liberry. Go and see. Most of 'em don't have a man so I rate yer chaneces real good for findin' one. then you will be worse than dead and that is what you flippin' deserve, eh?

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: JohnB
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 10:05 AM

I'm not one one but my daughter is.
JohnB

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 10:25 AM

AAAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHH! the dilemma do I admit to beloning to this profession????? I AM A SKOOL LIBRARIAN phew there I've said it...and do I feel better???? Ummm

I have a degree in Biochemistry and a Masters in Information Science and Chartership of CILIP (old Uk Library association). AND...I failed O Level English Literature!

I am working in a posh school for 13-18year olds co-educational (altho I am tutor to a group of 13 year old boys) and some day pupils some boarding.
In fact I am ON DUTY right now and there's nobody about cos they've all gone out to kick balls around or each other anyway.

Have fun being a Librarian!!!!

Sarah

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Sunnysister
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 02:03 PM

Thanks everyone for posting! I'm in the midst of working on one of my finals so I hope it's okay that perhaps I'll PM some of you to hear more about what you do.

I will say that I am not at all surprised by how many Mudcat people are book lovers. It definitely comes across! :)

While it doesn't take too many trips to the site to see the craziness here, I saw the caring, humor and genuine love of music and support of musicians here from the very first.

I am not a professional musician. I love music and I love singing traditional music- whether it's from America, Ireland, Scotland or anywhere else where the music is sweet and the lyrics inspire.

There was a time in my life when my big dream was to be a singer-songwriter who sang traditional songs along with my own. Found that my guitar playing was too slow for my singing and stopped for a while. Picking up the guitar again and with luck will keep going with it so I can start to performing with accompaniment instead of simply a cappella, which I also love doing.

BTW, Shane, do you know me??? "Thin tight lips and mean eyes and real pointy glasses and hair tied in a bun"???? That's an almost uncanny description of me although you did leave out the flat feet from standing so much in the library, and of course, the big huge strong arms from carrying all those books to reshelf… hummm, I wonder why I'm still single??? A librarian's lot in life is never easy…

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 04:59 PM

Gee, Shane, I kinda think from your response that I'm pegged you pretty close to home, hmmmmmmmmmmm? Well, old buddy, it seems like my wife IS a librarian -- and an attorney. And my girlfriend was this Canadian cop named Dana something-or-other and she even said that she knew some loser hoser who was named Shane, just like you are! Isn't that a coincidence? But it was okay, because she showed me her tattoo. You would really appreciate it if you could have seen it but of course it's usually covered up by her uniform pants, ya know? But of course, you wouldn't be interested in any details. Maybe I could find you some picture of Richard Simmons or Liberace, huh?

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Helen
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 06:01 PM

Bill D,

I heard about a library cataloguing system in a prison library run by some inmates. The shelving order went like this: All the big yellow books, then the little yellow books, then the big blue books, then the little blue books, etc.

Someone would come in and ask for a particular book and then say "it's a red book about this big" and the library person would find it for him.

Clever, huh? Not a big library, though.

Sunnysister, maybe we're related. "Thin tight lips and mean eyes and real pointy glasses and hair tied in a bun". That's me as well!

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 06:23 PM

Helen not as good as what my cleaner did for me one summer holiday. She neatly aranged all 25000 of my books in height order because she thought it would look better on the shelves!

THIS IS TRUE!!!!! Honest!

Sarah

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 06:29 PM

I had a Page once who arranged the books (DDC) with absolute perfection.

Shelf by shelf.

There was only accidental relationship between one shelf and the ones immediately above and below it. But by George, those shelves were IN ORDER!!!

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: rich-joy
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 04:20 AM

When I lived in Darwin, in Australia's Northern Territory (10 years), many members of the Folk Scene were Librarians or worked in some form of Library. I always wished I had been one too, but, they described me as a "latent librarian"!

I'm addicted to books and have always had a SQUILLION at home - probably 90% reference, including a large Music collection.

Until my house grew too small (N.B. one can NEVER have "too many" books!!!), I was familiar with most of them and knew where to find stuff and everything was very ordered. Sadly now, things aren't quite that satisfactory ... sigh ...
:~(((



But I s'pose I sorta qualify, SunnySister?!


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 04:55 AM

Helen, my previous library had a similarly logical arrangement to the prison library you descibe.

First ever book received, first on top shelf, second one next to it, 3rd beside that, etc. From memory there were about 5 or 6 bays of 6 shelves arranged this way

Unfortunately my predecessor, who was the first trained Library Officer to have charge of the library, changed that when she arranged them using UDC. So the staff were halted in their tracks when they came in for the red book on the third shelf!

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 01:36 PM

Many years ago a friend worked in the Washington Bureau of the NY Times. The books were in strict DDC order, and the reporters couldn't find a damned thing. One of them, a very well known reporter of the time who covered labor issues, complained to Bill. Bill put the collection in usable order -- e.g., labor leaders were filed with labor issues and labor history -- took the guy to the shelves, and told him, "Here. This is YOUR area." The man was so grateful that he praised Bill to higher-ups and Bill got a pretty good raise out of it.

Now, more than 40 years later, DDC says to classify nonfiction that way.... Libraries move slowly, but they grind on and eventually figure it out.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Blind River in Blind DRunk
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 10:22 PM

You stupid.,----! You flip! I am gonna find you one day man and then you will wisht you hadda kept yer big mouth shut! So you ARE married to a liberrian. Jeezus. That explains a lot, eh? I give up on you. You are basicly flippin' beyond help such as I or anhyone can give even if you did deserve it which you don't. And her first name AIN'T "Dana" so there! YOu blew it, turkey. Dana is her last name, eh? I know her first name, and you don't so you are just a big liar who don't have a flippin' leg to stand on.

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 04:16 PM

Guess again, Shane. "Dana" is the name all of us who "knew" her knew her by. Just "Dana" and that she was a cop. As for my wife, I'd link to her picture except that you're not interested in women. So here's a picture for you that I'm certain will excite you -- it's a fellow Molson drinker, too!

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 04:25 PM

Yeah? You still lie like a rug. He looks like a Moosehead drinker to me. That guy looks like he got a real good nukkle sandwich from somebody...just like I am gonna give you, you flippin' bolthole. When I find you. I know you are somewheres in the USA. That is a start. When I make my first flippin' million, which I figger will be in...say...make it five years or less..then I will rent a big Winnabagoe and drive all over the USA till I find you. Then you will get yours, dipwad. In the meantime I am washin' my hands of you, eh? I have inportant things to do here. If you only knew, eh? You would croak. I am on the move, man. Better flippin' believe it. I am a pubalished auther and I have fans. I do. So kiss the glove and flip off.

Tell yere wife I am real sorry for her...even if she IS a liberrian. Nobody deserves what she musta put up with livin' with you, eh? Nobody.

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 04:34 PM

Perhaps her name is Dana Dana.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 06:20 PM

Dear sweet Helen,

Thank you for coming to my aid about my unfortunate librarian looks. Very kind of you especially since I have heard that you are a near look-alike to Rachel Welch (in her younger years). You are a dear for standing in solidarity with me and trying to share in the sad female librarian burdens I must bear with fortitude and silence.

Although, did I mention the pesky squint I have? Sadly, due to reading all of those tiny little titles on the books I've had to shelve through the years, the thick-lensed glasses I wear don't often do the job... hence the beady-eyed squint. Oh, and Helen, I KNOW you don't have the unsightly varicose veins I do. Thank goodness for the support hose and orthopedic shoes! Ooph! And the bunions!!! The hard life of a female librarian!

I'll stop with that... saying too little is a blessing so I'll end this post now.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 06:55 PM

Sunny, don't let ol' Shane get to you. His idea of the ideal librarian is the horse that used to pull the bookwagon. Yes, when he was growing up he actually READ a book, a book that even had WORDS in it instead of being all pictures! True, the words were like "Run" and "Spot" and "See", but real words nonetheless. He got the book from the bookwagon, which was pulled by a somewhat decreipt old horse -- he fell in love with that horse and in his youthful way decided that the horse was the librarian instead of the very friendly woman who was the actual librarian.

Well, ever since Shane's been "into" animals and, more recently, has been seen in the company of Certain Others -- none of them remotely female.

I think that the death of Dobbin, the bookwagon horse, was a deciding point in his so-called life from which he never recovered.

(I'm in Idaho, Shane. That's south of Alberta. Alberta is a province in Canada. Canada is a big country just north of the United States. If you're in Canada and start walking south you can't miss the United States.

Oh, sorry. YOU probably could miss it. Even sober.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 07:11 PM

Idaho, eh? Yeah...I know where that place is. That is the state that they named after a whore..."Ida the flippin' Ho"! That was back in the days of the, like, Wild West, eh, when they had a lotta whores all over the flippin' place. Too bad them days are gone..ha! ha! Now we just got liberrians and wet T-shirt contests. Well idiot-boy Rapaire you are livin' in the one state that got named after a whore. Way to go, looser! Now that I got a good idea where to go you have saved me looking all over the other 53 states down there. YOu have saved me a lotta time. For that I will go easy on you, eh? Only 3 good kicks in the mungoberries for you!

Where I live if you walk south you end up in the flippin' lake, man. Unlest you are on a snowmobile and the ice is froze. I do a lotta that. I have lost 4 snowmobiles through the ice in the last ten years but it don't matter too much cos they werent' mine and I don't even know for sure who three of them did belong to. The forth one belonged to a guy who lives a coupla streets over from me. He is still buggin' me about it but it was his fault because he left the key out and he shoundna done that, eh? It ain't safe. A kid could start 'er up and get hurt!

When I am rich and even more popyular than I am now I will drive out to Ida the flippin' Ho or maybe even fly out in one of them Leer Jets and I will give you a piece of my mind, eh? Figger 5 years or less.

This is if you are still alive in 5 years or less. If yer not, then I will play air guitar over yer flippin' grave and sing Ozzie tunes and drive yer deeparted spirit totally nuts.

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 09:32 PM

Ah, Shane. Should you die first, I will pour a liter of the absolute BEST whisky I can find on your grave. I will do this so that it will trickle down and your poor body can again feel what it felt so often in life. Or, if you prefer, I'll do the same thing with beer.

Of course, I'll filter both of them first through my kidneys.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 09:43 PM

Awww man, you almsot had me cryin' there. I was touched that you would do that, eh?

Then I read the part about the kidneys!

I ain't stupid, eh? I will remember what you said, you flippin' hosebag. I will outlast you. Wait and see.

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: saulgoldie
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 09:55 PM

Quick, all librarians (and libertarians, too, for that matter, and even libertines) if the FBI comes 'round, DON"T TELL 'EM A DAMN THING! Stupid Patriot Act!!!

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 10:06 PM

And Shane? Know what? You're right about the origin of the State of Idaho. Really. I've looked it up and you're right. And you know what else I found out? Your great-great-grandmother has a STATE named after her! Bet you didn't know that, did you? And they named that State after her because she was really, really friendly to the stagecoach robbers, politicians, pimps, and other people like those. If you haven't guessed which State it was, I'll give you a hint: it's not VIRGINia!!!!

And while you're out this way looking to call upon me, remember that the days of the Wild West and today aren't that far apart out here.

To make it easier to find me, here's my picture. I look forward to your visit.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 10:10 PM

I've read about signs that are up in library entrances that say to the effect:

The following federal agencies have not visited our library today: and follows with a list. If the FBI isn't on that list, you have a heads up without being told anything official. I kind of like it.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Helen
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 04:24 AM

Sunnysister,

I still wear sensible, flat shoes even though I left the library 10 years ago and have worked in a dozen other types of job since then. Once a librarian, always a librarian.

And Raquel Welch, no!

Pointy head, thin hips and tight buns, nope, that's not me either.

"Thin tight lips and mean eyes and real pointy glasses and hair tied in a bun"

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 09:01 AM

Well, I posted MY picture. I look like every other male librarians you've ever met -- right down to the .45 and the quick draw. And I also play chess.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: JulieF
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 10:45 AM

Hi

Not a librarian but have resposibility for the Library system at the college. I get to go to Librarians meetings but also to hang with the technicians.   What more could you want in life ?

J

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 06:21 PM

Did anyone else hear the NPR story on Morning Edition to do with the Patriot Act and the FBI complaints about librarians? I don't remember the quote (should have written it down) but it portrayed them as belligerent activist librarians.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: robomatic
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 06:25 PM

Not a librarian but I pace myself by reciting fragments of the Dewey Decimal System.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 14 Dec 05 - 08:43 AM

I'm the Oriental librarian of the Giessen University Library (founded 1607). Before this I was head of the library of our Oriental Institute for 32 years, since 1971. It was a One Person Library which I reigned with an iron rod to keep patrons at bay and the books clean and safe. I also taught propedeutics for the discipline with special reference to how to use special libraries and collections.
In 2002 I was transferred with my books to the University Library due to a general reorganization and am now working all Oriental media from Rabat to Ulan Bator.
I never thought of quitting the job because I am a book addict, and nobody is able to replace me with my special knowledge of languages and literatures. Sounds proud, but so it is.

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Dec 05 - 08:53 AM

Sure wish I spoke languages other than English; a bit of French; less Spanish; even less German, Russian, and Hebrew; Profane, and Obscene....

Subject: RE: BS: How Many Mudcat Members are Librarians?
From: SunnySister
Date: 14 Dec 05 - 05:27 PM

Dear Wilfried Schaum and the others who have posted here-

Sounds like you all have done things to be proud of, except for Mr. Blind DRunk in Blind River but then he adds color to the group, doesn't he?

I've been swamped with finals and my day job workload (not library-related at this point), and haven't had too much of an opportunity to comment and ask questions. I look forward to getting to know all of you in the future and want to thank you for your time in posting here.

BTW, Helen, I think you'll always be a thought of by me as better-looking than Rachel Whelch. A woman who will join me with the "Thin tight lips and mean eyes and real pointy glasses and hair tied in a bun" line, is definitely a beautiful woman in my eyes.

I am proud to be a fledgling member of the librarian/library worker/personal library collector/book lover contingent.   I know that are A LOT more (as Rapaire says "can o'worms…)

Thank you all for posting,
-- SunnySister- who needs to get herself back to work..