Renewed Dreams

Four years ago I was searching the Internet for examples of reference librarian goals and objectives and stumbles upon a PowerPoint presentation by a librarian in Miami. The PowerPoint did not really tell me what I wanted to know so I backed up the URL until I got to the librarian's Web page. Her resume was posted and I read that one of her jobs had been with Internet Public Library (IPL) Reference Center. I wondered how I could do that so I went to the IPL Web site to search for a link that would take me to opportunities. Forty minutes later, I was applying. The date was 9/18/03. I applied to IPL to be a reference volunteer but at that time, they weren't taking any applications. I think they were in a period of transition. Flash forward to last week...I was at the Reference Desk with a colleague who has just started library school and he was telling me that one of his classes is requiring that he become a reference associate with IPL. Turns out that IPL is now being run by Drexel University Library School in cooperation with the library schools of FSU and the UofI. Feeling a renewed shot at my dream, I immediately dashed off an email and initiated the application process. On 9/18/07, exactly 4 years after my initial application, I was invited to choose a username to enter the IPL system and answer the practice question, my final step in the training process. "Fairy tales can come true..."

Magical Properties

I would love to know what magical properties I seem to have that allows me to make Web sites appear or library card numbers work to allow patrons access to the computer or to make reservations or to make their print jobs appear on the print release station when mere moments ago, when I was summoned like a taxi, these events were impossible. I'm not talking about the the miraculous "num lock" key, which I swear, some days I wish I worked on a commission for that one. These patrons say they did the same thing I did, but when I do it - poof - like magic. Too bad magic fingers don't work on a slot machine or ATM.