Foreign Librarian in Library Land

2011-04-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

During the month of March, as the President of Maryland Library Association, I participated in the Read across Maryland, where children committed to read 30 days for 30 minutes. The program came to a close at the end of the month. Governor O'Malley read to the Radical Readers who had participated in the program at at Greenbelt Middle School. The governor also handed out certificates to the readers, while the proud parents took photographs. Great collaborative efforts among the Prince Georges Public Library system, Maryland Library Association, The Maryland State Education Association, and The Maryland School Association.

ALA Candidate

2011-04-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

Maureen Sullivan, candidate for ALA president,spoke with librarians in the Poe Room of Enoch Pratt Library Free Library She discuss her goals as President of ALA, and answered questions from the attending librarians.

Margaret Carty, MLA exec. Director and Maureen Sullivan in the Poe Room of the Enoch Pratt Free Library

On the Mediterranean with my library family

2010-06-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ephesus

Librarians and friends of Maryland Library Assoication went on a Mediterranenan Cruise in May. We had a great time. In Rhodes, my feet took me to the Public and the Muslim libraries. In Turkey to the ruins of the library at Ephesus. In Egypt we visited the wonderful library of Alexandria. What treasures!!

Museum Library in Rhodes

2010-05-31T06:02:00.000-07:00

2010-05-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

Library Legislative Day

2010-03-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Maryland Senate in session March 17, 2010

Maryland librarians from public, special, academic, and school libraries were in Annapolis yesterday to meet with legislators. They thanked them for their support while asking them not to cut funding. Mingling with my colleagues and listening to their stories remind me how much I like being a librarian.

Maryland Library Association and Friends

2009-11-14T20:18:00.000-08:00

Maryland librarians and friends visit Jamaica Library service HQ and the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library

In October, a group of Maryland Library Association members and friends visited Jamaica. We had a wonderful stay at the Riu in Ocho Rios. We visited Kingston, headquarters of the Jamaica Library Service, the very place where I began my career. The Director, Ms Patricia Roberts, arranged for us to tour the library and headquarters, feted us with Jamaican cuisine, and presented each of us with gift bags. It was great to be back home, experience the warm Jamaican welcome, and move over my old stomping ground

Maryland Library Association fun time

2009-06-14T19:24:00.000-07:00

This afternoon one of my very good friends expressed her displeasure at the noiselevel and food being consumed in the public libraries . She recently retired , visited early afternoon when the school children swarm the library, and was shocked at the difference between her days and now. She grudgingly accepted my explanation about how we are trying to make libraries relevant and welcoming especially to the teens.

Thinking about our conversation, a picture came to mind of some of our fun loving librarians- a far cry from the perception of bun wearing bespectacled - shusshing librarians of old . Take these photos, for example, of Jim DeArmey, Chair of the Maryland Library Leadership Institute (MILLI), Daria Parry, Branch Chief DLDS, and Margaret CArty, Exec. Director of MLA who seem to be having lots of fun as they prepare to host a MILLI breakfast at the annual conference in Ocean city.

The gloves were to prepare for the food, but Daria and Jim had other ideas. What would my friend say? Maybe she would think they had the right spirits.

Maryland Library Association

2009-05-26T00:23:00.000-07:00

In October group of Maryland librarians and library supporters will visit Jamaica as a fund raising for Maryland Library Association. I am looking forward to sharing my beautiful Jamaica to these friends. We will be staying in Ocho Rios, but hope to visit at least two libraries in Kingston.

Nettie Taylor at 90

2009-04-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

In the Maryland Library community, they call her the "Mother of Libraries" She did a lot for the advancement of Maryland Libraries. In her 90th year, Maryland Library Association, Citizens for Maryland Libraries, and the Maryland library community had a fund raising party at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The proceeds from the event went to the Maryland Library Leadership Institute. This is a section of MLA that is helping to grow future library leaders. http://strangelibrarian.org/2007/11/maryland-library-leadership-institute-some-reflections/

I still

Jamaican Librarians

2008-09-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

l-r standing Stephney Ferguson, Joan Vacianna, Norma Davie, Yoand Mittoo, Glennor

The Partridge Awards brought some unexpected pleasure. Jamaican librarians and friends with whom I had worked, but had not seen for over 30 years heard about the awards and contacted me via email. I usually delete emails from persons I don't recognize, and a few occasions I was about to click the delete button when the mental lightbulb clicked. So this year when I returned to vacation in Jamaica, I had a list of many past coworkers.

Ouida Rowe, a previous supervisor, visited and brought oranges and mangoes. My mouth is watering as I think of those fresh juicy fruits. Then there was Stephaney, Norma, Joan, and Yolanda. We whispered the number of years apart because to say it aloud would be a reminder of our age, as we ate lunch that included patties. Did we look older? Did we feel older? Not from the way we were having fun.

It was wonderful to interact with professionals from similar ethnic and racial background where the issue of race is not considered and never came up. My friends had reached the top of their profession, travelled to many international conferences, were decision makers for their areas, and some had either retired or would soon retire. I loved it!!

Maryland Library Leadership Institute 08

2008-07-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of being mentor to 24 future leaders from schools, academic, and public libraries. The leadership Institute, sponsored by Maryland Library Assoc. and facilitated by John Shannon and Becky Schreiber was held at the Donaldson Brown Center in Port Deposit.

What a great setting!

Maryland Library Association

2008-05-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

June, Shirley, Glennor, Barbara, Karen, Beverly

At the recent annual conference of the Maryland Library Association (MLA) my library family has a surprise for me. For 3 days librarians from all types of libraries worked together, promoting Maryland libraries. After hours we ate, drank(good wine), laughed, teased, praised, and honored one another like any family unit would.

At dinner one evening I saw Marion Francis, the MLA president with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and wondered idly about the recipient. I nearly choked on the roast beef that going in my mouth when she called my name. I swallowed quickly, conscious of the many eyes that were now in my direction as I walked to the podium, wondering what this was about.

She explained that when I received James Partridge Award, many of my friends were away attending the PLA conference, so this was their way to honor me. I babbled my thanks because it was so unexpected and I was moved.

The conference was a success thanks to MLA's indefatigable Exec. Director, Margaret Carty, It is that lady who deserves all the bouquets!!!.

James Partridge Awards

2008-03-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

Of the Partridge event my friend Ruby said, " I enjoyed the evening. Librarians were cool- no snootiness." That is how I felt too. It was great to see so many of my library friends. Those who could not be there because they were in Mineapolis at the Public Library Conference, told me they were with me in spirit. I hope they drank all that spirits and did not leave a drop in the glasses at the bar!!!

My Library Comunity

2008-03-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

Friends and members of the Board Of Citizens for Maryland Libraries. (L) N. Aldous L. Wheeler, Bill Wilson, G. Shirley, Gerry, Nettie Taylor. Below. The Rindskopf and Nettie

I was surprised and pleased last month to receive the Partridge Award. This award is given to an information professional whose work exemplifies the good work of a former African American librarian, James Partridge. On Thursday, the College of Information Studies, University of Maryland, and the Citizens For Maryland Libraries will hold the ceremony for this award.

I have made many friends in all segment of the the Maryland library Community, and thank them for their support throughout the years. I am looking forward to the next cruise with the library gang where we can laugh like crazy, eat and drink and only have to rush from the dinner table, to the entertainment spots, then end up at the casino, instead of battling traffic for the next meeting!

Future of Librarianship?

2008-02-27T05:18:00.000-08:00

I have just finished reading John Berry's article about the direction of our profession in Library Journal. I am sure the next few years will find us debating about the direction of our library profession. It seems to me that the debate started when the big bookstores began treading on our hallowed ground by conducting children's story times. At the same time we began to discuss that our skills were taken over by the computers. What would be our new role then?

Personally, as a profession, I think we need to think differently. It is clear that business as usual will turn us into dinosaurs. What are we doing to get non traditional customers- those new Americans, the ex offenders, youth at risk, who more than any other group need to understand the power of libraries to make them economically viable in the communities?
Dare I say that our librarians would be more effective if they expanded or initiate outreach services to those populations?

Cruising from New York

2008-01-17T19:19:00.001-08:00

P8250103
Originally uploaded by glennors66

Getting ready to leave NY and spend the next few days with some fun librarians on the MLA fund raising cruise- Novelexploration.

Maryland Library Association cruise

2008-01-17T19:14:00.001-08:00

P8260105
Originally uploaded by glennors66

I am an active member of the Maryland Library Association, so could not pass up an opportunity to have fun with other librarians. Alas I could not keep out the casinos, so returned much poorer.

Anita and I kept saying we would not go back, but the musical sounds of the machines kept luring us in!

Cruising with my Library Friends

2007-12-16T06:16:00.001-08:00

Karen & Jim Trennepohl, and Anita Ditz

When the Maryland Library Association (MLA) announced a fund raising cruise on the Carnival to Nova Scotia and Halifax, I was in. This would be my first cruise and was a great opportunity to mix with my professional friends in an informal setting and at the same time earn some money for MLA. Speaking of funds- Me? I returned much poorer because I could not stay out of the casinos! Aye aye!!!

Not to worry though I hope to recover my losses at the next MLA cruise to Bermuda in 2008!

Post script October 08. Sigh, sigh, sigh Alas, alack :( Wonderful cruise. Great time with my library friends. But the casino went home laughing after it cajoled me into depositing first my dollar bill, then my quarters, then my five cents, and then my 2 cents into its hungry beguiling mouth.

Mentor at Maryland Library Leadership Institute

2007-12-16T05:36:00.000-08:00

I was one of the early members of the Maryland Library Leadership Institute Task Force. http://www.mdlib.org/leadership/index.htm We need to grow leaders to take over when we retire. In July I was one of 6 mentors at the week long Institute. It is encouraging to see and interact with 24 bright young professionals who will shape the future of libraries.

My reading habits

2007-11-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

I will read anything but tend to prefer autobiographical or historical novels. I read the usual "fast food" stuff, like Grisham, Turrow, James Patterson etc. Recently it has been taking me longer to finish a book. I tell myself it is not that I am getting "old and tired" it is just that workload is increasing. Sounds better eh?

I am currently reading Crazy, by P. Earley. Since he is writing about mental illness and the prison system, it is of great interest.
When I have mastered how to do links, I will post a list of the books I have recently read.

A perfect library day

2007-10-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

The weather was perfect for a lunchtime stroll to Enoch Pratt Free Library to return my audiobook, The Plot against America, by Phillip Roth. Loud music from inside the lobby greeted me as I entered. It was their Live Jazz lunchtime program.

I stood near the bank of catalogs listening to the music and watching the reactions of patrons as they came in. Their faces were camera moments.

Some looked confused as if they had entered the wrong place, others stood near the musician who was a Pratt staff member, yet others went about their library busines as if the loud music was a regular feature of their visit. By the bank of comptuers, one young man clicked on the web site, turned towards the musician, moving his body in rythm to the music as he waited for the site to download.

A group of kindergartners, herded by 3 teachers entered. 3 of the children covered their ears because of the unexpected noise. Several others began snapping their fingers, their little bodies moving to the music as without missing a beat, they followed the teacher who guided them towards the waiting librarian in the children's department. I smiled thinking that these children will grow up thinking their library is a cool place.

As I stood listening to the music, my eyes were drawn to the books on display on the piano. It was a banned books display whose caption was FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY. I glanced at some titles, Censorship; Little House on The Prairie, Dr. Seus ABC; Rene Descarte, Meditations on 1st Philosophy; Holy Bible; Clock work Orange; Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows.

To my right the librarian at the Job Center desk assisted 2 patrons, while the librarian at the main information desk, swayed to the music with a smile that said, I am loving this. The circulation clerks were busy registering patrons, and checking books in and out.

A patron saw me greet some librarians and ask if I worked there. I said no, but admitted to being a librarian. He said he would like to work in the library, and would look out for vacancies. I told him I was looking for a bookmobile driver and gave him my card. All this during my half hour lunch visit to the library. It was a feel good librarian day.

cultural sensitivity part 2 . Jews are not Syrians

2007-09-30T19:21:00.000-07:00

In Jamaica, as a multicultural society, we lived in harmony with the various ethnic groups. Stratification was by class, the focus being on education. Every child was told that if they "took in the education", no matter, their looks or humble beginings, they could aspire for the highest position in the country

The Indians, a small group of storeowners, we addressed as Mr. or Ms Singh, no matter what their real name. The same for the Chinese people who to us were, "Mr. or Ms Chin." Often the Jamaican born children of these immigrants chided us to call them by their proper name.

Recently a friend asked, "Do you remember in Jamaica how we referred to everybody from the Middle East as 'Syrians'. because we never knew there was a difference between Jews and Syrians?"

There was a Rabbi who hosted a radio talk show. His program dealt with social problems across all strata so we did not think about his religion, only the advice he gave. One of the elite prepartory schools in Jamaica, Hillel Academy, was run by a Jewish group, although most of the students were affluent middle class Christian Jamaican children.

Living in my adopted country has taught me many lesson on cultural sensitivity. I have learned that Jews are not Syrians, Arabs are not Syrians etc. although they may come from the same region of the world. I now wonder why more Indians and Chinese did not protest when we called them Mr. Chin or Mr. Singh.

Of course, in my adopted country I have also learned that Americans do the same with Caribbean peoples. They make no distinction among Guyanese, Trinidadians, Jamaicans, and Barbadians. I find myself constantly saying I am not Trinidadian, Barbadian etc. when they say they like my... accent. One surprising factor for me is how frequently I am mixed up with others persons of color even though the person may look nothing like me.

Faux pas or cultural sensitivity?

2007-09-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Our motto in Jamaica is, "Out of many one people." Majority of Jamaicans have brown or black skin tones. The minority groups consist of Europeans, Chinese, Indians, Middle Easterners.

In my first public library job in the US, among the sea of European Americans, I was unable to distinguish one individual from another. Everyone looked alike. The first few months, the only person I could identify was the branch manager. She had dark, short, curly hair. The first few weeks, I tried to identify my work mates, by voice, clothes, or any distinguishing feature other than skin color. Clothes identification definitely worked best when I left the information desk to find something for a patron and there are 3 or 4 of them standing around.

On the flip side, there were 2 other librarians of color on the information staff and on a few occasions I got called by the name of one of the other 2. Not even my "accent" gave me a unique identity then.

As my colleagues and I developed a warm relationship, I told them of my initial difficulty in identifying them. They were amused and would tease me with, "We know, Glennor, we all look alike."

In our discussions on the issue, however, we concluded that it was not unusual for individuals to have difficulties in identifying others outside their racial groups.

Small change

2007-09-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

In Jamaica generally, if one borrows money under one dollar, it is considered small change, and friends or close coworkers brush you aside if you make an effort to return it. In some cases counting out and returning pennies is insulting.

A Jamaican friend warned me to remember to return small change. At first I thought it was funny until I saw the lunchroom transactions where they were even counting the pennies!

I know that initially I forgot to return small change, but I learned fast and kept some pennies in my purse! Oops, I mean in my pocket book.

Cultural awareness

2007-09-04T18:21:00.000-07:00

As a person of color I envisaged a strong cultural bond between myself and African Americans. I was surprised to discover that it was not easy to forge this bond.

I'm no sociologist so I will not be analysing the reason for this phenomenon. I now have many friends among African Americans, but frequently hear comments from African and the Caribbean immigrants who say that they were more readily accepted by European Americans. One African American friend explained that it was because african and caribbean people had an "attitude" and thought they were better than African Americans. I in turn explained that the immigrant, whether they were middle class or poor, had to be risk takers to leave their native land and family to settle in a foreign land. This means they have a high motivation to succeed in order to help those left behind, and to prove their worth to the doubting host country. I also pointed out that since most of us were from countries where we had the same skin tones, we were not subjected to the same racist issues that confronted African Americans, thereofore our attitudes would be different.

Another African American friend said that European Americans were more accepting of the foreigner because once they hear our accents, they did not have to feel guilty or defensive, or fear us, given the history of racism and enslavement in this country.

From my observation, European Americans and African Americans, as American peoples,have more in common than than African Americans, Caribbean, and African immigrants. In the latter communities, social class is the big divider, while in the USA, race and class

significantly inhibit social progress among African Americans.

Where am I going with this? Trying to understand the social underpinnings and to explain that migrating to this country had many more layers of adjustment- inter racial, class, ethnic, economic- than I had anticipated.

What it feels like being a foreign librarian

2007-08-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

Lunch break at the Jamaican Broadcasting Corp.

where I was chief librarian.

After practicing as a librarian in Jamaica for almost 15 years, I was uncomfortable with this new lower ranking status of "Library Associate", but took a philosophical approach since I needed to pay the bills.

In practice I did the same things on the information desks as I did in Jamaica. Many of the reference tools were the same. I recommended the same titles for patrons in the United States that I had recomended in Jamaica. There was, however, a difference in the patron/librarian interaction. USA patrons were much more demanding, sometimes confrontational, more needy, and often revealed much of their personal business. In Jamaica, patrons and people in general, were more likely to help themselves and were more reserved about discussing age, sex, and medical conditions. If a Jamaican asked questions about the latter, we avoided them because they were "nosey".

On the information desk we record patrons' questions, and share the ones that are most frequently asked. My FAQ was "Where are you from?" followed by the comment. "You speak English so well."

My sense of humor came in handy. I adapted quickly to the new culture, and made friends with my colleagues and the patrons. A librarian from Iran could not make the adjustment. She complained about her lowered status, she felt demeaned about having to do some tasks that she would have delegated to others in her country, and she hated working on the bookmobile. We shared stories, but public librarianship with all its vagaries was not for her. She left for academic library world where I guess she could delegate student workers to take care of some of the tasks that she found distasteful.

How different is the cultural gap? Vast difference. Next time.

Glennor

Glennor

Job interiews US style

2007-08-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

I held many library jobs in Jamaica, each progressivly upward. , most through networking, with almost no formal interviews. In the Jamaica Library Service where I began, promotion was often based on seniority and a willingness to pull up roots to transfer to the location of the vacant position.

I started as a school's bookmobile librarian, where we travelled to the rural areas every six weeks and delivered books. I was the professional who did the communication and the paperwork, the driver lifted the heavy boxes.

In the US after a few unsuccessful interviews I learned to prepare, and "promote myself"- a difficult concept concept for one coming from a culture that promotes modesty.

I accepted my first professional job in the USA as a bookmobile librarian, not fully grasping that I would have to drive the bookmobile. I had just received my Maryland driver's license, came from a country where I drove on the left side of the road, and would now be responsible for navigating this giant vehicle!

Need I mention the galloping of my heart as the books crashed down to the floor the first few times I saw another big vehicle approaching on a narrow road, causing me to slam on the brakes?

Or the time I instinctively started driving on the left side of the road wondering if the cars coming opposite me had crazy or drunken drivers? When I noticed they would not get out of my way, it suddenly occured to me that I was the crazy. Fortunately, there was a left turn and I flung the bookmobile to the left, parked, got my nerves together and reshelved the fallen books .
I never had an accident and passed probation with a good evaluation. About one year later, when everyone was really comfortable with me, and I was no longer on the bookmobile, I confessed to my supervisors, what had happened.

What could they do but laugh then?

The Librarian with the foreign accent

2007-08-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

I do not have an accent, I constantly protested when someone with an America accent remarked on "my accent". It is amazing how many Americans express surprise when I say English is my native language.

Of course I had to translate some English terms into American because of the laughter or blank stare that accompanied.
For example, I learned to say "eraser" instead of "rubber". " turn signal" instead of "indicator. "bank deposit" instead of a" lodgement", and "napkin" instead of "serviette"

At the information desk,many times the information transaction took a longer time than usual because patrons would keep talking to me. At first I was flattered that they kept asking me questions, but then they would say" I am talking to you because I just love to hear your accent."

Of course there were those who claim they could not understand me because of my accent. Did I mention those patrons who describe me as the librarian with the German accent, the Indian accent or the French accent? HMMM

A librarian in the USA

2007-08-11T08:07:00.001-07:00

My two Jamaican Librarian friends Marlene and Ruby, and I at an event in Maryland.

I was a professional librarian in my native Jamaica, so thought it would be easy to get a similar job in the United States. Wrong. Your degree is not ALA accredited they told me. I began my library career in the USA as a library technician filing catalog cards- a job that I would delegate to those in the lower ranks when I was in Jamaica.

Later I did retrospective cataloguing for a library contractor. This job had a high turnover rate. I hated both jobs.

I survived, worked evenings to supplement my income, went on to get an MLS, and now am a prison library adminsitrator. In future blogs I will describe some of my real life experiences as a librarian "with an accent"