School Year Reflections

Well, it's mid-April and my first school year is beginning to wrap up here.  While a lot has happened the past year, it sometimes still feels like I just got here.  I've been here for 10 months, so some things are beginning to feel very natural.  I am able to jump in more when I see things that need to be done because I have the background to be able to identify those situations.  Every once in a while, especially with annual events like parties we host or campus-wide festivities, I think it is easy for my colleagues to forget that I've not done these things before & I don't know what to expect or how to plan for the event.  Most of the time, though, things go smoothly.  I've really enjoyed how much contact I have with students & how many are starting to think of me as "their librarian." Part of that comes from the embedded relationship I have with several classes, and part of it is just from seeing me and interacting with me outside of classes at the library.  (And another small part might be the candy jar I keep on my desk for students who come visit my office.)

While my colleagues told me spring would be less hectic than the fall semester, I found it a bit hard to believe (having taught in the public schools before this).  I was right to doubt.  While we likely teach fewer one-shot sessions we are still heavily involved with embedded classes and, in the spring, students are more likely to tackle more intensive research.  March was beyond hectic, even with spring break thrown into the mix.  Though it was a bit stressful, I continue to say I'd rather be too busy than not busy enough!

We've also started to look ahead to fall semester.  We will begin implementing the new core, in which information literacy is an explicit outcome, starting with the first year "Core Seminar I" (Core Sem I) classes.  Core Sem I courses must incorporate information literacy, critical inquiry, and written communication. With the implementation of the new core comes a set of completely new courses--Core Sem I. Each librarian is partnered with four sections.  While the desired outcomes are common through the entire course, each section covers a different topic ranging from life in rural America, to images of mythology & heroes, to drugs, to nursing & caring, to exploring the idea of happiness, to local/green food initiatives, to electronic media.  There are also two sections of honors freshmen who take part in the LOGOS program, a different, more intensive version of the Core Sem I.  I will also be working with one section of LOGOS.  That means I am already embedded in 5 courses for next fall--we've not yet discussed with the professors we're currently working with in an embedded capacity whether or not we're continuing that relationship for next semester/year.  I hope to be able to continue embedding in some of the courses I've worked with this year in addition to those I'm committed to for the fall, bit it depends on scheduling and how we, as a whole library staff, adapt the way we approach library instruction to fit our new needs.

On a non-library note, the fantastic summer-like weather in March made me antsy for those things that go along with summer: sandals (which I started wearing as soon as the snow melted), skirts, sunblock, running (well...I'm not necessarily antsy for it, but I'll do it anyway), and summer camp! I'm so fortunate to be going back for summer no. 9--which means I'm already thinking about recitals, door decorations, Orange Day, and laughter & shenanigans! I also have a neat opportunity this month to return to my music teacher roots & clinic for a day with elementary, middle, and high school orchestra students in Fort Dodge! I just hope I'm not too rusty!