[Publib] Monday thoughts on Sunday

[Deborah Shepherd]

My father was a machinist who repaired the machines that make the gears
that make cars go He was never ashamed of what he did, and he expected
all of his daughters to go to college.  This is what he taught us about
work: "Do what you do do, well."
 
 
 
Deborah Shepherd
Assistant Technology Coordinator
Southfield Public Library
248 796-4351
dshepherd at sfldlib.org 



>>> "George Hazelton" <ghazelton at mail.henry.public.lib.ga.us> Monday,
July 06, 2009 12:46 PM >>>

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
HenryCountyPublic 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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