Library work: My first 1,000 hours

Wearing my Hogwarts robes in Bellview library

With the completion of my contract-year in Bellview Elementary School library, I have amassed more than 1,000 hours in my library service career.

My cumulative experience includes 728 hours during the 2014-2015 school year, added to 304 hours in 2013-2014; 158 hours in the Middletown and Lakeport branches of the Lake County Library, 29 hours in Jackson County Library Services and 79 hours in the Sonoma State University library.

And, of course, there’s even more involvement and effort that the total does not reflect, including the combination of “yarn bombing” with social media to promote awareness of libraries, an ongoing focus in columns and blogging upon the value of libraries and administration of a small church lending library.

There is also coursework and an internship toward an Associate’s degree in Library and Information Technology.

For years, I’d envisioned an “ideal” career of being able to work in a library, and am grateful that I invested the volunteer time, effort and schooling that led to my professional work.