Why library?

Before I add any of the posts that I am supposed to add this week, I thought I would post an explanation of how I got into the library field and, eventually, into grad school despite the fact that I am not a teacher currently.

I began at James Madison University as a music major in vocal performance. After quickly realizing I did not want an opera career, I switched to English, with a music minor. I established the goal of becoming an editor and dreamed of a bookshelf containing the books I had edited. After college, I went to George Washington University to obtain my publications specialist certificate.

I moved back to NJ, got married, and worked in various publishing enterprises in NYC and NJ. In 2000, I was working as a pet books editor (and doing community theater and choral singing as a hobby) when my son was born. Shortly after I returned from maternity leave, I was laid off. I stayed out of work, my daughter was born in 2003, and we moved to Virginia Beach.

In college and afterward, I had developed an interest in adult literacy. In NJ, I was an adult reading tutor for a while. When I learned about the Listening Ears program through the SPCA, I thought that sounded fun, so my golden retriever and I volunteered in our neighborhood school's library for about three years, doing one-on-one sessions with reluctant readers.

I loved the library and I began volunteering while also establishing a freelance editing career. One of the school librarians suggested that I get on the substitute list so they could call me for jobs. I did this in 2012 and began subbing in libraries around the district.

In search of a new career, I entered the Longwood University graduate pre-requisite program for speech pathology--a career that would use both my vocal and editing skills. I completed most of those classes and was thinking ahead toward the VERY competitive graduate school programs, until I had a serendipitous conversation one day. I was subbing and the librarian and I talked enthusiastically about various library issues for a while. Suddenly she said, "Why aren't you a librarian?"

The question hung in the air. I said I did not think the job market was very good. She said she had just exited the ODU program and most of the people in her cohort had gotten jobs.

This was big news. And I thought about it. And thought. Finally, after much consideration of all the options, I applied. That was last spring, in 2014. One year later, here I am...18 credits in.