The grind. I'm back to it.

I had a brief break from school in which I read books, chilled, and basically soaked in free time after work.  My summer semester just started this week (Monday).  I find it rather amusing that I blog when I have homework to do, but don't blog at all when I have free-ish time.  Hmm.

Went to the CLA conference last month which totally rocked and reaffirmed that I'm in the right career.  Phew.  Oh and I got a scholarship!  Yay!  Thanks to the Fairfield Libraries Administrators Group.  

Got my grade back for cataloging: A- omggggggg!  Thank God.  Cataloging is tricky business.  This semester I'm taking my reference course.  Lecture notes are staring at me accusingly from my bed.

I'll make up a recommended summer reading list soon and post it.  Please comment if you read (or have already read) a book from the list.

Finally, if you aren't playing Farm Town on Facebook, I am sad for you and you should add it and become my neighbor so I can get a trophy.  This is also what I did on my summer vacation.  :)

Ex libris,

Marissa

Respect the catalogers.

I have an assignment for my cataloging class due on Sunday and it has been tough. We're collecting bibliographic records for Doris Lessing-- 20 books by her and 20 books about her. Then we have to use the Library of Congress rules to make a shelflist with the items in the proper order. Sounds simple, yes? Not quite. The Library of Congress has these rules, but not a lot of information on how to apply them. It's like an ancient society where the traditions are passed down orally but never actually written down or explained. I've been struggling with it for awhile now, but today I made a breakthrough. I have seen a pinpoint of light at the end of the tunnel. I still have to check my formatting and dates and I need to find out if we're supposed to include subject headings. Then I have to write my commentary on why shelflisting table is tricky to use. Hmm. Because it is totally arbitrary? And there is no explanation? What if the last person who knows how to catalog properly dies? There needs to be a backup person. This could all end in tragedy and misshelved books.

Ex libris,

Marissa