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| | Life in Alba: The Past Two WeeksWow, it's been two weeks since I wrote a blog entry! Sorry guys! The obvious culprit for this problem is school, although I'm to blame too. I quite enjoy this whole business of only taking 3 classes a semester (which, by the native's standards, is 1 too many) and so I have been catching up on my sleep, Bible reading, C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, and participating with God's Sheep in more than just Sunday worship (which is really a treat). Tuesday night is Christian Union hall meeting, Wednesday night is either prayer and message at church or church fellowship groups (it alternates every other week), Friday night is Christian Union large group, and Saturday night is the International Cafe (which is sponsored by local churches)! And for the past few weeks I've been invited to people's houses after Sunday morning worship, and we "hang-out" until Sunday evening worship, which is totally awesome! Tomorrow I've actually been invited home with the Millers (I think that's their name), who are an older couple in my fellowship group who live outside of town on a farm that they own! I'm really excited about this (I've heard that Mrs. Miller is an excellent cook) and I'm going to take my camera with me because I find farms especially photogenic!
So today I finally got my application in for grad school at USC for a Masters of Library and Information Systems. I had basically gotten the most of it done these past few weeks in my spare time, but today I bit the bullet and wrote my "personal statement". I somehow doubt that they get many like mine (yes, this is what I submitted. It's a crudely fashioned bit of prose, I will readily admit, but it says what I want it to in a reasonably logical flow of thoughts. And the Library School isn't exactly known for denying people entrance into the MLIS program...*sighs*...so I'm not worried.):
~~~ I have always loved books: old ones, mainly, because of their look, feel, and smell. Handsome volumes bound in leather that give off faint odors of cinnamon and cigars are my personal favorites, although I’m not terribly particular. It was my mother who introduced me to books, or perhaps I should say, “inundated”. That is because when I was a small child she worked in the children’s department of the main branch of the local public library. Sometimes she would take me with her for part of her shift, and I would read for a few hours before dad picked me up on his way home from work. Ever since those days of yore I have loved books. What’s more, I’ve loved the libraries that house them, too. While young I thought of libraries as storerooms for adventures of the mind (because I could use a book to travel to the times of knights in armor, complete with sword, sans maiden in distress), but as I grew older they became wellsprings of knowledge where those seeking Truth could dip their cup and quietly – or, in the case of some libraries, not so quietly – drink. Wherever I have lived I’ve always sought out libraries, whether public or private, to become acquainted with them, and I’ve come to realize that each is as individual and unique as one person is to another. Every one offers a slightly different type of atmosphere and selection of knowledge.
That was how I thought about libraries when I started working on my undergraduate degree in English literature, which seemed like an appropriate major given that I loved reading, books, and libraries. Like most freshmen, however, I was rather uncertain as to what on earth I would actually do with my major. Two years of college passed and then in the fall of 2006 I transferred to the University of South Carolina for family reasons. Within a week I had discovered the Graniteville Room on the top floor of the Thomas Cooper Library. I started using the resources provided by the Rare Books and Special Collections Department whenever possible for both class projects and my own personal research. Early the next spring I had lunch with Dr. Patrick Scott to talk about career opportunities as a special collections librarian, how to became one, what the job itself was all about. And, frankly, I liked what I heard. It sounded perfect compared to other jobs that I had either considered or actually tried out. What’s more, Dr. Scott encouraged me to get in contact with Mrs. Elizabeth Sudduth. When I talked to her she told me that if I wanted practical experience as a special collections librarian that I should come work for her, which I was able to do starting in the summer of 2007. I have loved every minute of it.
However, it isn’t just all about the gloriously old and wonderful books. It is about the people who come in to use them. I have come to realize that an academic library is a sort of laboratory for the Humanities, and I find it a shame when Humanities students do not utilize their workshop for discovering knowledge. I am thus very happy when people – students, professors, the public – do come in and I have an opportunity to act as a sort of lab assistant and help them in their quest for knowledge. Of course, after working in the Rare Books Department now for a number of months I have come to appreciate the behind-the-scenes work that goes into compiling, sorting, and making information – knowledge – readily available to people. And after all this, I still love it.
From a philosophical standpoint I, as a confirmed academic, believe that Knowledge and Truth are the most important things in life. It is thus vitally important to provide knowledge to people, and that it what I wish to do in life. To a very great extent, therefore, it is that which compels me to be an academic librarian, preferably with an emphasis on rare books and special collections, partially because I love old books and partially because I want coming generations to have access to old books in a way that the digitization of media will never be able to provide. Thus, I expect the School of Library and Information Sciences to give me a thorough education on library science – with a special emphasis on academic libraries and special collections – so that I will be well equipped to provide knowledge to people in their quest for Truth. In fact, after I graduate with an MLIS it is my intention to pursue a Masters of Theology, an education whereby I would be well qualified to work in a seminary library – which I see as a type of special collections library – serving God by helping future ministers be as competent in knowledge of theology, which is in my opinion the most important type of Knowledge leading to the most important type of Truth, as possible. ~~~
There, that defines me and books and libraries. I was thinking about saying something to the effect that over the years I've lived so many places that I could be considered a connoisseur of libraries. My favorite of which I am quite happy to say that I have been able to introduce to people over the years: the Webb Memorial Library in Morehead City, North Carolina (http://www.geocities.com/webblib/). No joke, that is my most favorite library in the U.S. of A. If you're in the area when it happens to be open (biz hours are listed on the web-site) you HAVE to go in and just peek around. They even have a Secret Garden! And the absolute BEST classics room, complete with hard wood floors, comfy chairs, and golden sunlight streaming through the blinds (only on certain days - check www.weatherunderground.com for availability).
*munch munch* Yum, frozen pizza. Baked, of course.
So Wednesday my history class (Holland in the Age of Rembrandt) took a field trip to the Queen's Gallery at the Palace of Hollyroodhouse, the Queen's residence in Edinburgh (http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=37). The current exhibit, "From Bruegels to Rubens" (http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/b2r/), is rather relevant to the class, and I'm supposed to write a review of it, which I will post here sometime this next week. So more info on this visit following!
*munch munch*
Last Saturday International Cafe wasn't a cafe - it was a Burns Night Supper, in celebration of Robby Burns' birthday (which, for you unfortunate ignorants who weren't in Scotland last week) is a really huge celebration where the Scots celebrate their national poet, the majority of them by eating haggis and getting smashed, the rest of them by just eating haggis. I, incidentally, was among the latter group. Haggis, for as bad as it sounds, isn't so bad. Actually, the flavor sort of reminded me of beef jerky, which I happen to be a fan of. Before the haggis, however, a boy played the bag pipes for a bit, which was really cool. And then after the haggis a girl pulled out a fiddle and played a few tunes. Tim, one of my cafe friends (who happens to be a native, but he likes to hang with us international people. He's the same guy who said that he likes US accents, actually, if you've read that post) was friends with the girl and talking to her, so I went over. Well, I had told Tim a few weeks ago that I played fiddle - he remembered this and asked me to play a bit. Which I did. And then was promptly commanded to play some more. Actually, an informal ceilidh (Scottish dance) started up - the guy with the pipes came out and played a dance, and then I played fiddle for a dance (because the original fiddler wanted to dance!). I quite enjoyed myself, fully as much as the people on the dance floor.  (yes yes, most of you know that I do NOT dance - so you are correct in thinking that this was a perfect situation)
Well, time to finish my pizza, and then head off to cafe. Tonight is pancake night! Hooray! (if you've never had Scottish pancakes, I feel sorry for you. They are awesome, and served with jam - the last one's had rasberry jam, which is my favorite!)
Cheers! | | | Posted 2/2/2008 1:41 PM - 2 comments
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