hello, my name is erin and i'm obsessed with nursery rhymes

Things that need to happen:

We need to start a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Holland where we go to their facility and run library programs. I saw a lot of "my" kids tonight, but I saw so many more kids I want to see at the 'brary on a regular basis. 

We need to develop a meaningful volunteer program for 9th-12th graders where they learn job skills: being on time, how to fill out an application, how to write a resume, appropriate dress, etc. 

We need to develop separate programming for our 6th-8th graders. I am jazzed there are 3rd-5th graders who are showing up each week to read out loud under the guise of a theater program, but my 5th graders have nothing to go to once they age out.  Bums me out.

We need to expand our outreach with the hospital. I know we give out books to all babies born in Holland, but no one seems to know who gives out the books or when they get them. I have a friend in the maternity ward who is the one to give out the Holland Resources packet to new parents. She knows nothing about free books. And getting information out to new parents about baby story time is essential.

We need a bigger full time staff. I love my job. Obviously. And we have a great team in my department. But we need at least 2 more full time non-librarians. I can tackle the hospital stuff now. I can develop a pilot program for 3rd-5th graders that I would run at the Boys and Girls Club. But we need more people-full time staff-with a passion for literacy and an understanding of the very real changes we are about to have in public libraries as we continue to change from consumption spaces to creation content spaces.

And we need someone with a camera to show up at Kidz Dance Party next Tuesday at 10am as our director makes his debut leading all the boys in a dance.

That's right. I got our director to agree to do that. 

It's gonna be a hoot. 

Or as my adorable nephew says "OWL!"

so many things

I've been sick for over a week. As I woke up this morning craving coffee for the first time since getting sick, I think the worst is over. My head is still full of nasty and I occasionally have coughing fits that are tear-inducing (always when I'm on a service desk at work, naturally), but I want coffee so I must be on the mend.

I have a number of very close friends who are currently going through some pretty major emotional stuff. Family members who are actively dying in nursing facilities that are atrocious, potentially terrifying financial distress that could be crippling, health news that while not life-threatening is life-altering. While I do go through periods of helplessness and absolute rage over each of their circumstances, I feel so incredibly blessed to have them in my life. Each of them has expressed gratitude to me for being a person who they can call and say anything to because I'm not judgmental (hilarious, really, given that my motto used to be "Some people do arts and crafts, I judge people) or someone who can give them that little jolt of perspective reminding them their lives are not over and that no matter what the future brings I will always be there for them.

While I appreciate their kind words, I honestly don't know if they all realize how I love them all fiercely. And how every one of them has been there for me so many times in the past and I know will be there for me when I am faced with any future terrifying challenges.

I spend a lot of time missing my Vermont family. These people all remind me that I have done what my parents did.

I have created my own family here.