[Publib] Monday thoughts on Sunday

[George Hazelton]

I think there must be a balance between   intellectual tasks and manual
work.  My father had achieved that balance; he had a PhD in Chemical
Engineering from U of Michigan.  When he earned that degree engineers got
their hands dirty.  No computer simulations.  As part of the curriculum
nascent engineers learned glassblowing, constructed a pilot plant, made it
run.  As an engineer he was on the ground when one of his designs was
started up.  He could run a new circuit at our home, add rooms in the attic
for my brother and me, fix a faucet.  He and I remodelled a kitchen,
installed ceramic tile in a bathroom, and we all grew gardens.  He taught us
that all work, well done, is worthy.

 

I sometimes envy the trades who can point to a finished job and say, "I did
that."  A beautifully trimmed out room or a neat electrical panel is
tangible evidence of competencey. So often our accomplishments as librarians
are intangible; often we must be content with the knowledge that their value
will be evident in the future.

 

 

(Note new phone numbers)

 

George Hazelton

Assistant Director

Henry County Public Library System

1001 Florence McGarity Pkwy

McDonough, GA 30252

Phone: 678-432-5353

FAX: 678-432-6153

email: grhazelton at mail.henry.public.lib.ga.us

 

  _____  

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Mary Soucie
Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 12:13 PM
To: Backwage at aol.com
Cc: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Monday thoughts on Sunday

 

I love being a librarian and I was a teacher before that. My dream job, when
I retire, is to become a personal shopper for other people. Best of both
worlds- get to shop to my heart's content and spend other people's money
doing it! 

 

My dad was a route salesman for Hostess cake for over 30 years. My mom was a
reference librarian. One of my grandpa's worked in the steel mills in
Chicago and the other was a janitor at city hall in Chicago. I have great
respect for the trades, for truck dirvers, etc. Even though I don't
personally want any of those positions. 

 

When I go out to eat, I always tip very well because I wouldn't want to be a
waitress but an very thankful that others are willing to be. 

 

I did hire someone to put a garden in for me- and to maintain it. That's
because we had wooden flowers wilt at our house! :-) However, my son and I
mulched the front yard, moved plants around, and other yard work for the
first time in the front yard. 

 

I think there can be a happy medium between doing it yourself and hiring
someone to do the parts that you're not capable of.

 

My son wants to be a carpenter- at the moment anyway. (He's 15 so it's open
to debate.) We are encouraging him to go to college to have something to
fall back on. We're also encouraging him to shadow a carpenter that we know
to get an idea of the options available. I believe that having a degree is a
smart thing today- it always helps to have a backup plan.

Once we had masses of people demanding jobs; now we have masses of educated
folk demanding jobs that won't dirty their hands--and also that these jobs
be located in clean, well-lit offices among others of their kind.  Tell me
the truth:  would you work at something other than librarianship for the
same money or better?  And why don't you now?  

 






-- 
Have a great day!

Mary

Mary J. Soucie, MLIS 
Library Director 
Three Rivers Library District 
Channahon/Minooka IL 
25207 W Channon Dr     PO Box 300 
Channahon IL  60410 
815-467-6200 x303 
815-467-4012 Fax 
Yahoo IM: trldirector

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