First Impressions and What Brought Me Here

I was nervous about starting something totally new but, after having my first 2 classes, I am sure that I am in the right place.  It seems that I'm not the only person in my cohort with a non-education background which makes me feel less like a "fish out of water."

After finishing my undergrad work in architecture and starting to work in the field, I knew immediately that I could not do that for the long haul.  Design school was so interesting and "hands-on" but the field of architecture was SO different. I spent my long 10+ hour days staring at a computer screen drawing shower details and wall sections.  When the economy went crazy and I got laid off a few years later, I was upset but also subconsciously relieved.  I unenthusiastically looked for other architecture opportunities but, in the back of my mind, was already thinking about what else I could do.  After moving back to our hometown with my husband, I accepted a job with Wentworth Elementary school teaching visual art.  I immediately loved the job and looked for ways to advance my non-licensed teacher assistant position within the school system.  I was immediately drawn to the library.  I've always loved children's books - when I was having my daughter, other friends of mine who were also pregnant were buying diapers, clothes, "practical things".  I was buying books.  She was going to have the most extensive baby library in North Carolina.  After finding out that the librarian at our school also went through Appalachian's MLS program, I began looking into my options.

I do not regret my original decision to go to architecture school.  I think that it gave me a very diverse education and taught me how to thing creatively - something that may be able to help me bring something new to the field of library science.  I actually see a great deal of similarities between the "minds" of architects and librarians which is very comforting.  I feel like both fields require a certain balance of left brain and right brain thinking.  Creativity and logic seem to be equally important.  I am definitely very balanced in my thinking - whenever I've taken those quizzes that are supposed to tell you which side of your brain is dominant, mine have always been almost exactly equal.  My 2 favorite subjects in school were math and literature.  I guess what I'm getting at is that it takes a certain kind of person to do any job (there's no way that I could do ANYTHING in health care - I'm not wired that way) and that I think I've finally found something that fits my personality and strengths perfectly AND gives me the opportunity to be "hands-on," to build something tangible and usable by a diverse, collection of people, and to make a difference in people's lives.  I am beyond excited to see where the next few years takes me!