A New Job!!

I have a job!  A real, full-time library job!  Since August I've been working at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL), floating as an Adult Research substitute between five branch libraries.  Over that time I got a positive impression of the system, of both the way it is run and the people working in the system.  Everyone made me feel welcome and appreciated and I could see that the employees are very good at what they do.  In October I was trained to sub in the Youth Services department and started subbing in Youth Services at the beginning of November (again, floating between five branches).  About the time I started subbing in Youth Services, a position came open at the Salem Church branch for the Department Head of Youth Services.  I knew that my previous library experience in Minnesota made me perfect for this department head position, but I doubted that I would be hired because the folks at CRRL don't know me very well yet, having been there just three months and brand-new to the Youth Services department.  But I thought "what the heck, you never know until you try" and applied for the position.  I was called in for an interview (which went very well), and got the job!!!  I am super excited.  I will be supervising and managing all areas of the Youth Services Department at the Salem Church Library:  programming (story time, teen programs, summer reading program, and special events), research requests from children and teachers, and selecting books and other materials for children and teens.  This library is large and is the busiest library in the system.  The children's and juvenile section of the library is separated a bit from the rest of the library, so it is almost like a library within a library.  The teen section (which I will also supervise) is another separate section, with it's own selection of books, a lounge and teen "hang-out" space.  This is such an ideal job, I don't know how it could be any better!  Salem Church is the library that is closest to where I live, and my commute will be about 10 minutes; working with children, promoting education and early literacy is one of my passions and being able to have a job focusing on those areas is just perfect.  I will officially start in this position January 1 and I can't wait!

A Day Full of "Ups"

Some days are just good and yesterday was one:

• I am still without my computer, but I found out it will cost only $90 to repair (from a local repair place.  This is in comparison to the $300 - minimum - estimate I got from Best Buy, after which the guy figured that meant I would just junk my computer and buy a new one).  That is an estimate, so we will see how close the actual bill is, and if the repair fixes the problem (fingers crossed!), but $90 is a heck of a lot less than several hundred!

• I GOT MY DRIVER'S LICENSE BACK!!!  Monday afternoon I realized I didn't have my driver's license in my wallet.  After frantically searching EVERYWHERE (including ripping out the lining of a purse after I saw there was a hole in the lining and thought the license could have slipped through there and gotten into some hidden recess of the purse.  If you think I'm crazy about this, please know that I "lost" my keys in that way about a year ago).  I remembered the last place I had for sure had it, so called every place I had been since then to see if I had left it there.  No dice.  You may think that losing a license is no big deal, but this was my Minnesota license.  I hadn't gotten a Virginia license yet (yeah, yeah, I know, but who wants to go to the DMV??).  So, I couldn't simply just get a replacement license because to do that I would have to go to MINNESOTA.  And, oh yeah, I would have to LIVE there so they would have a place to send it.  UGH, big problem!!!   And how was I going to get a license in Virginia without a current license from a different state?  Then yesterday, I got a wonderful call from one of the businesses I had been at on Friday and they told me they FOUND my license!!!  This was one of the places I had already contacted to see if they had found it, and when they were cleaning yesterday there it was!

• I am BACK TO WORK, helping people in the public libraries, and I LOVE IT!  I was hired by the area library system earlier in the month and have been training for the past two weeks.  Training wrapped up on Wednesday and yesterday I worked at the England Run branch.  I didn't realize how much I had missed working and helping people until yesterday and I left work with a skip in my step and a smile on my face.  It is a good feeling knowing I am making the world a better place!

A Job!

I am delighted that I have been hired at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library system (CRRL for short).  I've been hired as a sub for the Adult Reference area and am really hoping it will be the first step to a permanent position.  I started training this week, and have about one more week of training to complete before I can start subbing.  Thus far, I have been very impressed with CRRL (here is their website, Librarypoint.org ).  The library is one of the best in Virginia and has been recognized with national awards as well.  The library buildings are beautiful, and the staff is enthusiastic about their work and very good at what they do.  I'm looking forward to learning a lot from these talented people!



This is the headquarters library for CRRL. 
It is in the historic downtown area of Fredericksburg.