Sit-in at the Library

I have been a librarian for a very long time, but today I have checked off a new item on my "Before I Die" (BID) list--I have seen students protesting at the library for a good cause, complete with guitar and bongo drums:

More people are on the floor inside, so don't think it's a totally lame number of protesters. For the size of this campus, I'm really impressed with the turnout.

So, why are they here? I am excited about this as more than a cultural phenomenon, because they are protesting for a really good cause. The participants are asking the campus to divest of fossil-fuel investments. If you read Donald Gould's article, "Why We Said Goodbye to Fossil-Fuel Investments" in the Chronicle of Higher Education a few weeks ago, you understand the points of discussion. Other colleges are doing this. You can see one list here: http://gofossilfree.org/commitments/. The movement is international, and hundreds of colleges and universities are exploring the idea of divesting.

You should be able to find out more about the event from WLOS and WYFF tonight.

Is it a good first date?

As I write this post, I am in the middle of my first week as the new library director at Brevard College's Jones Library. The last month and a half, since I accepted the job, has been a flurry of packing and preparing as I finished up my work at East Tennessee State University and moved here.

I feel a bit like a girl on a first date with someone she likes a lot, but doesn't know very well. "I hope they like me. What should I say?  Will they find my quirks charming, or should I play it safe and try to be less geeky? Please, please, please don't let me embarrass myself right away..."

But I get ahead of myself. Most of you haven't even met me yet.

I have high hopes for the coming months at Jones Library. We started the year with new staff members and some exciting ideas for the library. Follow this blog and my Jones@Jones feed on Twitter or the library's Facebook and Pinterest pages to learn more about activities and resources in the library.