the book; liaising

On the book: I talked to the reporter last week & she provided me with some helpful insights about interviews. I also made my 1st choice in authors to ask to write a foreword and sent a note out. After I hear back, either I'll need to approach others, or can start soliciting blurbs. One retired prof graciously offered to edit the introduction & conclusion (free of charge!) & I'm grateful for that. I have another person in mind to ask to review the entire manuscript, based on another colleague's recommendation. Plus, one of the profs to whom I had sent the mss is very excited about it & wants to chat. It's all very exhilarating.

On liaising: today I attended the start-up meeting for the School of Communications--did my 2-minute spiel, handed out cards, answered a myriad of questions, met new faculty, & lunched with photography colleagues. They're entirely willing to work with us on putting student capstone "theses" into our repository. In fact they have been wondering how to get these already-digitized photos & essays online, so timing is everything.

preparing for interview questions

I am preparing to market the book (this should be done well before it is published) but I felt so much anxiety about the question, "How did the book evolve?" that I just sat with the anxiety for awhile. I realized that I hate answering questions about myself. The good thing about being a librarian is that questions are rarely personal. As an academic librarian, I haven't done book talks or even reviews, so this is a new area. So a change in perspective: take a step back to look at the book as a librarian, academic or public, might. Oh, time to ask a librarian to read the mss and write a review! I have the names and contact info for reviewers in the spiritual memoir genre but I'm not at the point of asking for formal reviews. Volunteers or suggestions?

Back to the topic at hand. Can I talk about myself as if I were talking about an author (not me) yet not in the 3rd person? What are the things which might interest readers and which I'm willing to divulge? Oh, I know a reporter. It's not her area exactly, but maybe she'd be willing to help me out, since again I'm not at the point of asking for a newspaper article to be written. And who knows, maybe she would write an article when it is time. Are there other hints/helpful advice?

library instruction assessment options

Pre-instruction: ask students a week before the session what questions they have about library research (in BlackBoard or by way of the faculty member). Use this in the conversation with the faculty member about the learning objectives and to structure the activities.

Post-instruction: ask students & faculty, "Should this session be taught for this course in future semesters?" and "In which other courses should a library research session be taught?"

(This would be to supplement the minute questions of, "What was the most important thing you learned in the library session?" or "What will you do differently in your research process now?" and "What questions do you still have about finding information to support your paper?")

Gall

Yes, I have a few gallstones, but after the blood tests & ultrasound, the Dr. had the gall to tell me that no treatment will be pursued & I can go back to eating what I want. Huh--I don't know what to think. Well, I've lost a couple of pounds eating low-fat, which I think is a good thing--since I don't fit into most of my work pants since sabbatical. Hold the fries, please.

UP travels

We went to Tahquamenon Falls which were roaring tannin-brown & I spotted a Blackburnian warbler & a yellow-rumped warbler. I went back the next morning because it was so beautiful--giant ferns in the woods, 8-foot-tall thistles, multiple falls, etc. At Seney National Wildlife Refuge, spotted Sandhill cranes, a yellow warbler, ospreys (flying & nesting), loons with chicks on their backs, trumpeter swans & cygnets, a kingfisher, cedar waxwings, an Eastern kingbird, & a Northern Flicker. We also heard a Hermit Thrush singing away, saw a beaver swimming, & spotted a ruffed grouse sitting just outside the preserve. Gorgeous. I also enjoyed driving through the Keweenaw Peninsula, including Agate beaches, Brockway Drive, the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, & Canyon Falls (wow, flat rocks in MI, & maple-syrup-colored spume). Visited Ed Gray at his studio in Calumet & some other art galleries. Enjoyed the views & architecture in Marquette.

It was neat to see lots of bedrock, stamp sands from the copper mining, white birch & cedars in abundance, thimbleberries, fireweed, harebells, & wild parsnip amongst other wildflowers blooming. Oh, & to eat baked goodies from the monks at the Jampot!

Now I'm home, with the recurring gut pain waiting to be diagnosed officially as gallstones. What next?!

NOT clerking the GRFM

Sunday, Joy & I decided jointly that we were not able to take up the responsibility of co-clerking the GRFM at this time. Speaking on my own behalf, I have just returned to work after a 6-month sabbatical & am finding my energy in short supply. I don't have the emotional energy to do justice to our Meeting. Before Sunday, I woke up dreading the idea of clerking, dreaded attending meeting for worship, dreaded the idea of extra phone calls, snail mail, & emails. I don't think dread indicates a leading. I wasn't nominated but was on the Nominating Committee & said I would clerk when I saw that no one else was stepping up as I talked with people about their committees. I think I have some skills which would be helpful to the Meeting but...just not at the present moment. Not now.

Co-clerking the GRFM

Along with Joy, I'll be co-clerking the Grand Rapids Friends Meeting for the year starting July 1. Here are the questions I believe we need to start with as a Meeting.


• Who are we as a meeting? (& my own addition/take on this:) What spiritual belief [if any] do we hold in common?

• What does it mean to be a member of this meeting? What is the responsibility of the meeting to its members? What does an individual or family have a right to expect of their meeting? What is the responsibility of the member to the meeting? When there is disappointment of expectation on either side, what is a creative way to deal with this?

• Are we satisfied with how we are there for each other in times of need? Does each of us feel comfortable in sharing his or her need for help and support with the meeting community? If not, why not? How can we as a community grow toward greater trust in dropping our masks and in sharing our vulnerabilities?