Archiving Hate
Posted June 2, 2012 by Katie Olivo
Just a word of warning – this post is not going to be very cheery. As I wrote a few weeks ago, my current History class is on Race & Media. We’ve talked a lot about the subject of lynching and there is some important information that I’d like to pass on. First of all, I learned that lynching was not just an activity that occurred to slaves before the Civil War. Actually, it proliferated after the Emancipation Proclamation. When African Americans were slaves, sadly enough, because they were someone’s property, they were protected more than after they received their so-called freedom. When they belonged to a white farmer, other whites could not harm them without suffering penalties. But, of course, once they were considered freedmen under the law, white mobs could accuse a black male of any number of crimes and subsequently lynch them. Thus, lynching was most frequent in the early 1900s, especially during Jim Crow laws. If that isn’t disturbing enough for you, here’s the kicker: people sent postcards of lynchings. It…
Time Off
Posted May 30, 2012 by Danielle Geller
I have to admit, I havent been doing many productive things since class has been over. A lot of my activities have been geared towards heading down to Washington, D.C. for my internship, which is now only a week away! Im really excited, but Im also worried that Im forgetting something. I opted not to sublet my apartment, though it would have been an option, so I dont have too much more to get ready before I leave. Ill miss my friends and my cats, but its going to be a really fun summer. I wish I had more to write, but Im sure Ill have plenty once I actually start at the NMAI!
The Post-Semester Life of an Unemployed Aspiring Librarian
Posted May 29, 2012 by Sarah Barton
The calendar tells me that the semester ended three weeks ago. Instead of harping on how that does not seem temporally possible, I will briefly detail the post-semester life of an unemployed aspiring librarian in all of its glory. The day after my final final I started volunteering at the Somerville Public Library. I had the opportunity to shadow the library director, and came away with all kinds of clichéd what they dont teach you in library school-type knowledge and insights about what goes on behind the scenes in a public library. I sat in on meetings, met interesting people, and did research for a grant proposal. In less glamorous news, I spent four days going through random documents that past library directors had left in the office. Im pretty sure that experience solidified my lack of interest in archives. I also spent some time helping at the Friends of the Somerville Public Library Book Sale. On the last day of the sale, all VHS tapes were $0.25 each or five for $1. A little…
Vacation
Posted May 26, 2012 by dunhame
After I finished up my classes a few weeks ago, I found myself in somewhat of a depressing predicament: I didnt know how to spend my time without having homework to do. I would find myself sitting at home bored after work and on the weekends. It took me longer than I would be comfortable admitting to remember, Wait a second I live in Boston! Thus began the rediscovery of my touristy agenda. I was able to get a lot of sightseeing done last September before classes really got going and even throughout the academic yeara trip to the Museum of Fine Arts makes for a fantastic study break. Before the school year ended Id seen that, the Boston Commons, a good chunk of the Freedom Trail, the Boston Public Library Architectural Tour, Salem, the North End, and the Sam Adams Brewery. The task this month was to determine what was left and see all I could before classes started up again.
School is NOT Out for the Summer
Posted May 24, 2012 by Katie Olivo
Spring 2012 flew by! Seriously, where has the time gone? I remember when I went off to college as a lowly undergraduate and my mother told me – “Soak it up. These four years will be over before you know it.” I scoffed in her general direction. I guess this is another one of the times when I realize Mom is usually right. Not only did my undergrad years vanish like Speedy Gonzalez, but my first year of graduate school is already gone. Wow. Last week, my boyfriend graduated with his Master’s degree in Taxation (scary stuff!) and I couldn’t have been more proud to see him walk across that stage. Now he’s going to take his CPAs this summer and then he starts a full-time job in the fall. Somehow I feel like I’m falling behind since I’m still in school and only working part-time. And yet, I don’t want to rush. I have the rest of my life to become a slave of society’s standards and live day-in and day-out doing the same…
The Birth of My First Semester…
Posted May 17, 2012 by Julie Steenson
My first semester with nine credits (all required CORE classes) bore striking resemblance to pregnancy. Being a new student (and an older one), not knowing what to expect, reminded me of the excitement and anticipation of being a new mother. I was so thrilled to be embarking on this new chapter of my life, redefining myself, but it came with some anxiety. The question, Would I be a good student and librarian? felt a lot like Would I be a good mommy? The first trimester (first month of school) came with a little nausea (butterflies), followed by the euphoria of the second trimester (2nd month of school) where I felt great no more morning sickness and a whole lot of confidence and excitement for what lay ahead. Then, as any new mom will tell you, came the hard part — the seemingly never-ending last trimester with its accompanying feelings of being overwhelmed, exhausted, and wanting it to be over. I would like to see my feet again or in the case of school, I would…
Suggestions for a Disgruntled Patron
Posted May 15, 2012 by Sarah Barton
My hometown newspaper published a letter to the editor from a woman who thinks that the public library budget could use substantial cuts. She writes that high school students should replace the six gossiping and squawking librarians with master’s degrees who are checking out books on any given shift, and that the library director and assistant director are grossly overpaid. I am in no place to comment on the library’s budget or staffing structure (although I find it hard to believe that six librarians are constantly manning the circulation desk), but I was glad to see that community members have commented on the letter itself and written their own letters extolling the library and its services. I don’t know what side of whose bed that woman woke up on before writing this letter, but I would like to think that she is an anomaly in a world full of grateful library users. Fortunately, I woke up on the right side of my own bed this morning, so I will offer her some things to consider:…
/Spring 2012
Posted May 7, 2012 by Danielle Geller
With only one last class and one last presentation to give, Im facing the end of the semester, and I cant believe it went by so quickly! Ive had a great experience in my Introduction to Archival Methods and Services class, and I learned so much from my internship with the Cambridge Historical Society. The finding aid I created should be up on their website soon, and its given me a tremendous sense of accomplishment to process an entire collection from start to finish! This summer Ill be looking forward to an internship with the Repatriation Department of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indians Cultural Resources Center (phew, thats a lot of words). My internship starts on June 4th and lasts through the 10th of August, and Ive been doing a ton of reading and research on my own before it starts! I believe quite a few of us here intend to blog over the course of the summer, and Ill have a lot more to say about it once it starts! For…
Opportunites at Simmons
Posted May 6, 2012 by Maya Bery
One of the amazing things about Simmons is the people it puts you in touch with – faculty, students, and visitors. For instance, last week, Susan Ballard happened to be on campus. If you don’t know who Susan Ballard is, she’s the president-elect of the American Association of School Librarians. Susan was on campus because she’s also an instructor at Simmons (and an alumna!), involved in the post-graduate, online instructional technology program that launched this past January. While she was here, she asked to meet with the SLTP and IT students, which is how I came to be in a classroom with about ten other students and faculty members discussing the future of school librarianship with the head of my national organization. That’s pretty amazing, if you ask me.
Semester over | Now get back to work
Posted May 3, 2012 by fox32
Have to admit I am feeling a little lift of pressure after this last semester. Final projects and papers can be tense and working collaboratively (online) adds another dimension that tests your time-management, in a good way. So now that most of us have finshed it is time to do something for your community, your constituents, and yes for yourself. Join a local volunteer group (library or otherwise) and give of yourself a little. If you are a Somerville/Medford/Cambridge type volunteers are still needed for the upcoming S’Ville Library Spring Book Sale (May 17-May 20, set-up day May 12th). Email me at [email protected] for more info. We have also partnered with Somerville’s PorchFest to have a few performances in the forecourt of the library that Saturday.