Mad crushing

I am completely crushing on the public library.

Three-ish weeks ago, I started my new job as a Circulation Clerk at Fayetteville Free Library, one of the awesomest public libraries around. It's been fantastic so far. Made me realize that I've finally found "my people" and that this is definitely what I could enjoy doing for the rest of my life.

Fabulous exterior of the former Stickley Furniture Factory
turned Fayetteville Free Library

I think the biggest perk (besides getting to work with awesome people & doing something I enjoy) is how it facilitates my reading addiction by parading a steady stream of new titles in front of my eyeballs. While checking in books, I'm discretely making a pile for myself of those that catch my fancy (such as the tantalizing volume below), so I can check them out (on the library card I now wear conveniently around my neck), and bring them home.

Example of eye candy with a wicked cover

Now that the semester's over, I've already (guilt-free) thrown myself through half a dozen new teen reads, and books I'd been wanting to start, but never come across in the used book stores or book sales I frequent. I had a "What-have-i-been-doing-all-these-years?!?!" moment the first night I brought a bag of books home from work. Not that I don't LOVE buying books to have them for myself, or lend/give away to friends. It's just that so often I buy books I've never read and they turn out to be just OK, or I never even get to them. I've probably read 2/3 of my fairly large collection, but that may be too high an estimate. I'm a fast reader; I just usually buy them faster than I can read them, so there's a backlog.

The current pile (well, actually,
I've finished two of these since Friday morning)

This is what is so magical about the public library system. I have fifteen books and four movies checked out to me right now.  I spent a giddy half hour the other day transferring books from my Amazon wish list onto my holds queue with onlib (I currently have 17 holds in process). Cancel the Netflix subscription! Save up your spending money, Sarah! Let's reap a tangible benefit from those taxes!!! It's amazing! Internet access. Books. Magazines. Newspapers. Audiobooks. FOR FREE!!!

It's incredible to see what a well-funded, well-loved, and well-supported public library can accomplish. Especially with great staff who intentionally recruit from SU's LIS program as a means to inject fresh ideas. I think it will be a hard act to follow, but am ready to learn as much as I possibly can in the time I'm given there.

I'm still forging ahead with my school media plans, in part because I think it will make me more marketable to be a certified teacher. But I could be just as happy as a child/youth services public librarian.

In a side note, I'd been contemplating doing book reviews on the blog, but dunno if I have the patience for taking the time to write them. It might be nice to keep a reading list here, though. Sort of like a mood bar: Status: Just finished Fire by Kristin Cashore. LOVED IT!!! Reminded me of The Green Rider Series by Kristin Britain<3 the fourth volume of which I've had on pre-order for months now. Hurry up, February 2011!