Not like the movies.....

The first step in my Rudaí 23 journey is to write a blog about how and why I became a librarian...........I'm going to begin with the ‘why’.......why I became a librarian is something that I ask myself on a regular basis. These moments of contemplation usually occur when I’m being poked by a gaggle of sticky toddlers who would rather reveal secrets about mammy and daddy aloud than listen to me read a story or when I’m handed a book smeared with a questionable substance at the check in desk. If truth be told I had a rose tinted vision of librarianship, during these daydreams I would of course be wearing a pencil skirt, seamed nylons, high heels and vintage glasses perched on the tip of my nose simply for effect . My hair would be neatly styled in a bun held in place with just a pencil thus allowing me to shake it loose in one swift motion should the need arise. In this fantasy my superpower was the ability to silence a reference area armed with nothing more than a withering glare and a ‘shush’, manicured finger pressed lightly to my scarlet lips and I would of course spend my days reading books. But alas the reality of my day to day role is as far removed from this fantasy as computer science is to Arctic Islands (see what I did there?)

I wear a shapeless uniform with a very high percentage of polyester that even Audrey Hepburn would struggle to look glamorous in. My shoes are flat and sensible and the optician assures me that glasses will be essential sooner rather than later. Young and old alike ignore my pleas to be quiet because other library users are trying to study. The manicured nails are chipped from shelving books and I barely have time to read the headlines on the front of the daily newspapers never mind a book.

The library I work in is the same library that I frequented after school and on Saturday mornings when I was growing up. The 1970’s decor has changed but some of the staff remains the same. The polite young man that checked my books in and out is now the county librarian and is still very polite. 

I graduated from library borrower to library assistant back in 2004 having applied for the job which was advertised in the local newspaper. By then the old card catalogues and due date slips of my childhood were gone and computers had taken over. I threw myself into the role; I was going to make a difference children would queue up for my story time à la Meg Ryan in the movie 'You've got Mail'. There would be a waiting list to join the children's book club that I started, I would tell them to make their lives extraordinary through books as Robin Williams did in 'The Dead Poets Society'.......yes I watch lots of movies. They don't queue up for my story time thankfully (remember my opening paragraph) and if I have encouraged a former book club member to live an extraordinary life they have yet to return and thank me for it.

The ‘how’ I became a librarian started in 2007 when I began a distance learning course with the University of Wales Aberystwyth. At this stage I had decided that the library life was for me and I wanted it to be official. Following many late nights at the kitchen table, study schools and exams I obtained my degree in 2011…..yes 4 years, life got in the way. So whilst I am technically a librarian I am currently employed as a library assistant until a position as a librarian becomes available. I will then have to apply for the post, prepare, attend and pass an interview. This process could form the basis of an entirely different blog.

There is never a dull moment in the library we are not just librarians or information providers. We wear many hats; we are daycare providers, IT experts, local tour guides, social workers, security guards, travel agents, doctors and homework helpers to mention just a few; none of the aforementioned were in the job description that I applied for by the way. We provide a safe environment and a warm place to shelter. We don’t judge the people that walk through our doors. Thankfully no two days are ever the same in the library. Trying to catch a pigeon that has flown into the building is not something that I would not like to do on a regular basis nor is ejecting a trio of bleary eyed teenagers in a smoky haze from the public toilet following a suspiciously long occupation. 

The library is no longer just about books, it is a cultural hub. I have listened as poets and authors have read their work aloud, I have been exposed to beautiful artwork hanging on our walls. I have had the privilege to meet people from all walks of life with amazing stories to tell. We hold music appreciation evenings, movie clubs, creative writing classes, Lego clubs and art & crafts sessions. It can be loud and boisterous on occasion and this can result in protestations from some of our older users but libraries are constantly changing to meet the needs of our community and for this I am grateful. True it’s not the job I thought it would be but I wouldn’t change it..............and wearing those high heels day in and day out would have been a killer!