Librarian-ness ahoy...part two

Yahoo! I got an email today from the San Jose State graduate school admissions...and they accepted me! I start in January, but I don't have to move to California or anything. I am beyond excited. I feel really blessed and can't wait to start!

Librarian-ness Ahoy!

About a month or so ago I applied for a library class (kind of like professional development) through University of North Texas. They actually have a Masters Program in Library Science and while this isn’t one of the Masters “classes”; it is still an opportunity to learn more about working in libraries, and, let’s be honest, a great resume edition. Well, today I got an email saying I had been accepted to the course! It’s not the hugest deal, but I’m pretty pumped about it. It lasts for a few weeks during October and I start tomorrow!

I should also note that I applied for Grad school at San Jose State. It is their Library and Information Science program. Yikes! I'm pretty excited. I didn't really think about doing it until the second to last day before it was due. One of my co-workers was accepted into the program and she really got me thinking about it. The program didn't require the GRE so I plunked down my 50$ and said "here goes". I would really like to get in, but if not I'll just apply again for Fall semester. woa.

Library Perks

I think I'll start sharing some of the funny/wonderful/puzzling things that happen to me at the library on a daily basis. Max has to put up with them all the time, so I thought I'd share the love.

Yesterday a little girl of about 9 came into the stacks on the second (nonfiction) floor and asked for help looking for some pretty grown up books about remarkable women in history. We talked for a while and she told me that her mom would only let her check out 6 books at a time and wasn't that so lame? I looked down at her and said "you are a little bookworm aren't you?" She immediately responded "Bookworms turn into Butterflies...it says so on one of my bookmarks." Is that so cute!

Book Review: The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner: Khaled Hosseini: Riverhead: General Fiction: 352

This aching exercise in redemption and self-knowledge centers around two young Afghan boys. Amir is the wealthy son of a prestigious man in Kabul and Hassan is his racially inferior servant. Though Amir has all the bounty that life has to offer, it is Hassan that has all of the courage and character of nobility. When Amir's cowardice stops him from intervening in a brutal attack on the ever innocent Hassan, the shame of the haunting memory permeates his whole life - even after he moves to America. Amir finally finds redemption when he travels back to war torn Afghanistan to face his demons and the characters from his past.

This book was as sad and epic as I wanted it to be, and then some. It did all of the standard "literary" things beautifully: Christ figure, mirroring characters, self discovery, the return home, issues of redemption and forgiveness etc... I thought the story was thought provoking and heartbreaking, not to mention an insightful view into modern Afghanistan. I guess what I liked the most about it was the idea that people have both parts to them; good and bad, and even the bad can "make it right again" as the book suggests - but it won't be easy.