End of Another Week

We will start with a Jimmy story, from school yesterday. Jimmy, who does little more than "I want" phrases and labelling, was having animal crackers at snack yesterday. He asked for the elephant crackers until there were no more elephants. Miss Debby told him she was out of elephants, that he could have a zebra. He looked at the cracker and said, "Well... zebra." With an air of resignation, no less. I have never heard real vocal intonation from him. I keep trying to imagine the scene in my mind. It makes me laugh.

Well, I survived yesterday's interviews... I think the soon-to-be degree overqualified me in the panels eyes for the paraprofessional position at the administrative office. I still hope to eventually work in admin... I very much like the people there.

The second interview was in the neighborhood library as the children's librarian. I very much like the department, the library and the people at the branch. I was breezing through the interview, confident in my answers, until this question was asked:

"Describe to us a successful crafts program that you have lead in the past."

Freeze... wha... wha... what??? Crafts. I didn't learn crafts in library school. My answer sort of reflected that - one of the ladies stopped and said "do you any crafts, have any hobbies?" I about died. What hobbies? I work full time, go to graduate school and change diapers in my spare time. I don't do crafts! I did mention two things - if you have reference books you use, I can do that. I used to run a summer youth center class when I was in high school. We did crafts there. Got through the question, but somehow I expect the craft thing to be a deal breaker.

What I didn't say is that I think crafts shouldn't have a place in the public library, that we should be focusing our programming around the goals of literacy and information literacy. Maybe the head children's librarian saw the question forming in my mind. She explained that "the mothers like them." Oh. I guess in the days of declining library use, we can't be to picky. To get this job, I would paper mache on a regular basis. I can do it. I can leave the high minded library/information sciences school student thing behind. As long as I can eventually do a session with high school students about how Google and the internet are not the be all, end all for your information needs.

I'll get there.

On the agenda for the weekend - reading for my independent study, reviewing 490 for comps, cleaning, laundry, and a Southern Living Party. I am taking Jacob so Jim can have some focused work time with Jimmy. He has skipped talking and gone to reading and spelling. We figure he'll start writing soon. It is then that he will present us with a list of demands that must be met before he will speak in complete sentences.