Week Two (ish) - Keirsey Temperament Report

If my answers about myself are at all reliable, it would seem that I am an Idealist.



I have to say, I'm rather pleased with this result. The report lists these as the basics of the Idealist:



Anybody who knows me I think would agree with at least that brief description. But more convincing to me was the report itself. Though brief, I thought there were a few things described that fit me rather well. Here are a few quotes that I think speak of my personality, as best as I can perceive myself:

"Idealists strive to discover who they are and how they can become their best possible self -- always this quest for self-knowledge and self-improvement drives their imagination."

"Idealists are sure that friendly cooperation is the best way for people to achieve their goals. Conflict and confrontation upset them because they seem to put up angry barriers between people."

"...Idealists are incurable romantics who prefer to focus on what might be, rather than what is."

"Highly ethical in their actions, Idealists hold themselves to a strict standard of personal integrity. They must be true to themselves and to others, and they can be quite hard on themselves when they are dishonest, or when they are false or insincere."

"Conscience looms large for you; in almost any situation, you feel compelled to measure yourself, other people, and the conditions of the environment against your personal morality."

Friends and Family, weigh in! Does this sound like me?

Going further, already knowing from previous tests that I am an INFP, of the four sub-sections of Idealist (Champion, Counselor, Healer, Teacher), I can deal myself into the Healer category. Now here is something! Take a look at the paragraph on career choices for the Idealist Healer:

"The most sensitive of the Idealists is the Healer (INFP). While their list of jobs may echo that of other Idealists, they are more drawn to express their own unique vision of the world than all other types, so their work cannot help but be unique. They interpret their visions in the world of music, art, entertainment, or dance. As a professor or teacher, counselor or social worker, they often unlock the mysteries of life for those they encounter. In business they are drawn to organizational development and human resources careers. They may have a religious calling or seek work as a librarian. Their careers need to be in alignment with their personal values."

Seems I've got it about right! And I'm in good company: apparently also belonging to the Idealist Healer category are Princess Diana, Audrey Hepburn, and George Orwell--to name a few.

Anyway, it's good to know I'm looking in about the right place, career-wise. This was kind of a nice confidence boost! Now just to narrow the field, I think :)

Week One Cont'd - Library Blogs

Following blogs related to Library Science is something relatively new to me. I hadn't thought of blogs as a means toward better understanding Libraries, but through some of these blogs I've been able to find insight into almost all aspects of careers in Library Science, from personal blogs detailing the day-to-day, to blogs focused on the improvement and development of the modern library. Here are just a few I've come to follow closely in the last year:

Awful Library Books

This Blog is one that first caught my attention simply for its entertainment value, but which soon led to greater discoveries in the world of Library Blogging. Though it is good for a laugh, this website deals with a very serious issue in the library world today: that is the issue of keeping up with the times in the modern library. How can one expect a library to help educate and help the public when gems like this, though hilarious, pollute shelves? I'm not so sure any teen in this decade looking for a "Survival Guide" would go looking to Dee Snider for advice. The idea of "weeding"--or the removal of out-dated, unhelpful, or just plain silly books from library shelves and catalogs--led me on a search to find out more about what steps people are taking in the library community to keep up with the times--or keep ahead.

Of note: the two librarians who keep up this entertaining blog also keep personal blogs about their own trials within and ideas about modern libraries, to be found here and here.

Librarian.net

One of the first and longest-running library blogs, the blog's author, one Jessamyn West, seems to touch on every aspect relevant to the Library Sciences. Having discovered this particular blog only a few months ago, I've had the fun task of wading through the archives, dating back to September 2003. It is a literal smorgasbord information, the author offering up links to articles, web resources, charts, graphs, and lists documenting--well, anything, really--links to and reviews of library events, and accounts of her personal experiences as a librarian visiting libraries all over the country and further. This blog really is not so much an information engine as it is a deeply personal look into the life of a person who doesn't just make a career out of librarianship, but an entire lifestyle. It is something truly inspiring, and well worth the effort of digging through the archives.

The Annoyed Librarian

Another highly entertaining blog, authored by the library world's leading polemicist. Keeping things anonymous, the Annoyed Librarian seeks, in almost always a comic way, to inform the reader of the latest news in the library world while at the same time giving it a good one-two punch. The AL keeps things light, but very expertly exposes what is problematic about the changing atmosphere of Library Science. It is most definitely a very different (though always informative and hilarious) way to digest library news.

In the Library With the Lead Pipe

Finally, probably the most interesting of the blogs is this collaborative journal from six librarians from all walks of life. The blog itself focuses on the composition of articles by which the authors dispel myths and explain the truths regarding the Library Sciences. For me, it has not only been exceedingly interesting but very helpful, as I make my way through the archives, in understanding libraries and their role in communities, schools, universities, and so forth, with six different voices (and sometimes guest-contributors) to give perspective.

Though these four are the blogs I follow most closely (or rather, regularly), there are more blogs of note, for their educational value or simply for how fun they are. Here are a few:

The Days & Nights of the Lipstick Librarian! - A fun little jab at the stereotypical, silence-obsessed, "Marion the Librarian."
Librarian Avengers - Blog of the author of the famous "Why you should fall to your knees and worship a Librarian." Read it!
Closed Stacks - A quirky and funny collaborative blog with a greater focus on the reading aspect of Library Science.
Library Lover's LiveJournal - A highly interactive LiveJournal community open to all those interested in or simply in love with libraries. Not just for librarians!

These are just a few of the library blogs to be found on the internet, but favorites of mine in the way they have helped me speed up and maintain my interest in Library Science. The entertainment value of these blogs seems key, as these blogs are accessible to most anyone. They are also testament to me that the library world is thriving and moving forward each day! This really is an exciting time to be entering the field.

Week One - Brief Intro

Though this blog may only be seen by one person (hi, Janeanne!), it seems important to me that it be personalized. In this way, the blogging of my exploits as an intern at WOU's Library seems less of an arduous task and more of an exploratory journey. It's important to me that this term be spent understanding all the ins and outs of the modern library--I want to understand every little bit, deeply immersing myself in the world of Librarianship; the ways in which a library functions, the jobs and opportunities to be found in all different environments--just everything. I've spent my life romanticizing the role of libraries in communities; I think it's high time I sought out the realities.

Let's get to work!