Amy Pelletier's Weblog
Just another blog
Finally, employment!
Oct 19th
This was my first week as librarian for Remington College, Tampa, FL campus. It’s a small library and I’m the lone librarian; no support staff, just me. I started on Tuesday, October 16th. Very interesting week…I’ve been cleaning the entire library and going through the entire collection putting it in order; they use DDC and there seems to be some issues in the collection. I don’t know who cataloged the collection, but with my little experience, I’ve found some serious problems like two copies of the same text with two different cutter tags. I haven’t figured out the library database yet because I’ve been ‘moving in’. Classes start Monday, October 22nd and it will be good to meet the new students. They will all begin their day by coming to the library where their textbooks will be given to them, so I’ll be able to meet each student.
This is going to be an interesting gig…wondering how much support I have from the administration. There is no budget for the library, so no new books can be purchased. The collection needs weeding, especially the computer books…some are from 1997, WAY TOO OLD for this category. I was told that there is only one computer class and they have to study computer history. In my understanding this is a less than stellar collection. I’m going to try and figure out what I can do to change some of these things…we’ll see how it goes.
The hunt for my professional career…
Sep 22nd
I’m getting so discouraged…it’s been since June that I’ve been out of work. I’m looking strictly for library positions, and I’ve applied for at least 10 jobs all with no responses. I have no real experience other than my volunteering, which I think is a handicap. I really need someone to take a chance with this 56 year old graduate. The last position that I applied for was yesterday, Clearwater public library for a library assistant position…I just need to get my foot in the door. I have a mixed message that was communicated to me…the person that referred the job listing to me has told me that she wouldn’t hire me as a library assistant, because I have my Masters…yet, she passed this library assistant opening to me??? Don’t quite know what to think here. Makes me feel like I’m a problem to her…don’t know, just my low self esteem working here I think.
Lord, I really need a job…I’m beginning to think I’m going to look for just about any job…I’ve been mowing lawns since Bobby is out of commission with his latest spinal surgery that happened on August 30th. I really want him to rest for 6 weeks, so I’ve been mowing his lawns for him, plus we really needed the little bit of money that it brings in. Our finances are really, really tight right now…I’m going without a lot of things that we normally can buy. But one good thing is that we’ve quit smoking…that saves us $27 every 2 days. We’ve been smoke free since August 30th! YAY!!! Feels great!
Lord, I know you have a place for me…make it plain where you want me to be. I’m ready when you are to show me…I’m desperate for a position.
The black hole fight…
Jun 23rd
I had surgery on June 6th and have had a real hard time recovering…pain really pulling me toward the black hole of depression. Then, my job ended June 15th after 13 years with Follett Higher Education Group…I’ve been sleeping a lot.
On the plus side, I submitted an application for the Clearwater Public Library, I’m continuing my internship with West Community Library and I have a new internship with Pinellas County Government in the Real Estate Management Department as an Archive Coordinator. The PCG internship is challenging because I’m unfamiliar with the files and there seems to be no nomenclature to the existing files, tedious detective work…love it!
I just want to start getting my strength back…and I NEED A PAYCHECK; we’re already out of money, which effects our grocery supply.
Post Graduation…
May 14th
May 14, 2012
I graduated last Saturday, May 5th with my Master of Arts in Library & Information Science…a very happy day for me. But since, it seems that I’m emotionally crashing??? I’ve been in school since 1995 and suddenly, I have no pressure of homework…! I really need a job, and I guess now is the time to start looking…except…the week before graduation, April 21st, I was admitted to the hospital and remained there until April 26th…made for a really crazy last week of classes. The pain meds I was on messed me up so I couldn’t really work on any of my writing for class that was due on April 27th…I thank God that my professor allowed me grace to get my assignments in!
Graduated with a 3.76 GPA, two A’s in my last two classes; Materials for Young Adults and Supervised Fieldwork…yay me, if I don’t say so myself!
But, I still have more medical things to take care of, one ‘nasty procedure’ and the other, hernia surgery…which came to light during my recent hospital stay. So, June looks like another month where I’ll be a patient for a time. I got sick ‘out of nowhere’ and it has left me feeling weak and confused about what I should do next…
Just thought I’d post a little tonight…hopefully it will get better from here! (^o^)
“Libraries are where it all begins.”
~Rita Dove
The final weeks to Graduation!
Mar 25th
The last week of March…I know April will zip by…Really enjoying my Fieldwork at West Community Library; love the staff here. Hopefully I will work at this library one day!
Just noticed that I had an email signifying a comment on my blog, so I logged in.
Still amazed that anyone would read what I write!
Now, on to current homework assignments!
COMPS!
Feb 3rd
Well…here we are in the first week of February 2012; Comps drop on the 7th and are due on the 14th. YIKES! I really don’t want to panic about this…I can do this! I’ve prepared by taking time off of work and time away from my fieldwork/internship. Still don’t feel ‘ready’ for the librarian world! I’m loving my fieldwork at West Community Library at St. Petersburg College. I just completed an application for an OPS position (Library Assistant); want to get my feet in the door. Hoping that a full librarianship position will be available soon. The Assistant position is much better pay than what I get now; a few more hours. But I will have to put in some kind of request for hardship on repaying my Student Loans until my income goes up.
What else is happening in my life…well, Bobby had another back surgery in October of 2011. The pain in his leg was better for awhile, but now it’s screaming at him. We’ll be going to the doctors this next week to find out why.
February 1st, we became grandparents to our first grandSON. He’ll have 3 big sisters to deal with, but Bobby is so happy to have a grandson! He’ll be leaving on the 10th to go up to North Carolina for a visit so he can meet his newest grandchild; me…well, I’ll be staying here as usual…working on my Comprehensive Exam this time. Hopefully soon, I’ll be able to go visit them!
Momma…well…she’s declining. We had Hospice for awhile last year, but they ‘discharged’ her since she was doing so well. Now they’ve had to come back since she’s not eating very well and she’s losing a lot of weight. I HATE ALZHEIMER’S! This is such a difficult disease to cope with…I miss my Momma already. She’s here in body, but her mind is gone. Brother, sister, and Poppa are all praying that she goes soon. I can’t do that…I’m not sure why. Although I know it would be better for her, her suffering would be over, and ours as well. Momma…I still feel like I need you! But you cannot respond to me at all.
I wonder if I ever posted my website? It will disappear along with my blog, once I graduate…anyway, for anyone interested, here it is: http://www.ampelletier.myweb.usf.edu
It bothers me that I’ll no longer have access…I have to find another server to upload it to…but, I don’t remember how I did it! lol
So, it will exist for a short time now…until May 2012.
Back to my homework…finishing up my Week 3 Log for my fieldwork.
Ciao!
Will it ever end…
Oct 25th
wow…where have I been? I guess this blogging thing takes more discipline than I currently can muster…last post was Spring semester last year…here it is the end of the Fall semester 2012…October 25th, 2011. So much has been going on, that time seems to be melting away…and I keep struggling to get through each next day…tired of pain, tired of need, I want to be freed from this existence, and the pressures of this life…Jesus, please come soon…this world is a mess, and so am I. I need you.
Supposed to graduate this spring…feel so very, very unready…I need a job, but I’ve been caring for everyone else’s needs…now I have to look at what I NEED TO DO FOR ME…interviews, Fieldwork appointment…have to keep the ball rolling. I’m fighting the feeling that I want inertia…I feel like I want to quit everything! I have no strength…but the definition of inertia is laziness…
in·er·tia [in-ur-shuh, ih-nur-] noun
1. inertness, especially with regard to effort, motion, action, and the like; inactivity; sluggishness.
2.Physics.
a.the property of matter by which it retains its state of rest or its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force.
b.an analogous property of a force: electric inertia.
3.Medicine/Medical. lack of activity, especially as applied to a uterus during childbirth when its contractions have decreased or stopped.
Origin: 1705–15; < Latin: lack of skill, slothfulness. See inert, -ia
Related forms
in·er·tial, adjective
non·i·ner·tial, adjective
Synonyms 1. torpor, inaction, laziness.
I don’t want to be lazy…so I fight on…have to break it into moment by moment a lot lately…trying to “keep my chin up”! Can’t do it without the strength that God gives me…I’d be dead if it weren’t for my Heavenly Father…so I can rejoice in that purpose He’s given me. I’m laying down my life for others right now…never realized it until now. 
I’ll try to look at this thing here more often…can’t believe that people have actually read my random rants!
~Amy
Spring 2011
Jan 14th
Well, it’s my 5th semester and I’m taking Introduction to Library Administration and Materials for Young Adults. I’ve allowed my brain to become mush by playing games all during break and now it’s time to get back in gear and start reading and writing for my classes. I’m only able to do reading of textbooks in one class because my Professor didn’t turn in their adoption at the bookstore and I won’t be getting my books until next week sometime…I seriously dislike the first few weeks of school…between rush at work, and confusion from the first weeks, trying to get acclimated to classes. I’m usually in meltdown mode.
So tired, but must study…plan on writing more later.
Been a while…
Aug 9th
Well, here it is, the beginning of the Fall Semester 2010…I made it through my first year!!! YAY! All A’s!
This semester (Fall 2010), I’m taking Organization of Knowledge I and Materials for Children. I’m going to try not to freak out at the beginning of the semester and go with the flow.
My classes are up on Blackboard TWO WEEKS EARLY! I guess I should start my folders and copy all my documents ahead of time…ugh…I want these next two weeks to play!
We had a fantastic vacation in Islamorada, Florida from July 24, 2010 to August 1, 2010; we stayed at LaJolla Resort (http://www.lajollaresort.com/). It was beautiful and very restful. I took clothes, but I stayed in my bathing suit the whole time! We went fishing on the last day…$80 for 5 Lane Snapper…expensive fish, but the boat ride was fun. We saw dolphins for a while at the bow of the boat, we saw a lot of flying fish; they’re really cool…look like birds skimming the water. We had the fish for dinner, yum!
Now it’s back to the grind of rush at work and the beginning of the new semester of classes. I’ll try to keep up with this blog better.
the home stretch…
Apr 25th
Well, we had our poster presentation yesterday…I felt stoopid…mine was the BIGGEST ONE THERE!!! I used a 36 x 48 template, didn’t think of converting it to a smaller format…went nuts trying to get it printed by SGCS, but they graciously printed it, spent $20 to mount it, now I have a huge poster on the Public Libraries and Homeless People…
I have to go finish the paper now, clean it up. My mind isn’t in the groove yet…gotta get to my other computer…
More later…the 8th is 13 DAYS AWAY…Chelsea and Nathan arrive to move into their new home in extreme Northeast St. Petersburg, Florida…we live West St. Petersburg, near the beaches and the Gulf of Mexico…CAN’T WAIT, MY BABY’S COMING TO ME! YAY!