I might be your future neighborhood librarian

I spent the past weekend delightfully wandering around the American Library Association's Annual Conference here in Chicago (located at the massively confusing and overwhelming McCormick Place). This was made possible by a wonderful friend who happens to work for the ALA and her ability to get me a free pass!

Initially I thought I was going to be getting into the whole kit and kaboodle, but it turned out my free pass just got me into what they were classifying as "the exhibits". When I initially found this out I had to go take a breather (and a smoke) outside. I was bummed. Thoroughly, irrationally bummed. I had gone through all kinds of literature and found what I believed were the most interesting, least likely to get me busted as not an actual librarian forums and panels to attend. But once I had my "fresh" air I sucked it up and headed into the exhibit section, since hey I had taken a train and a bus all the way down here so I might as well right?

And then I became aware of what the exhibit hall meant. It was one of the largest open spaces I've ever seen, filled with rows and rows of booths containing books, authors, guys selling gidgets and gadgets, posters, and all the schwag you could ever want or dream of. And at a lot of those book booths, the books were free. Totally, 100 percent, no strings attached, free. Now truthfully these publishers were hoping that I was an actual librarian or teacher and would read and love their book so much I would order a whole slew of them for my school. But I'm not. But they still handed their precious, uncorrected proofs over to my anxiously awaiting hands. It was beautiful.

Over the weekend I managed to get there (from Oak Park where I'm staying for 10 days) through a convoluted system of El trains, buses, and Metra trains 3 days in a row. I scored probably 60+ books and half a dozen posters. But the highlight of the entire trip was Monday. Monday is when I spent 3 hours in line, spent $10 on my third copy of a book, and got to meet face to face one of my literary heroes. The one, the only, Neil Gaiman. Neil won the latest Newberry award for The Graveyard Book and came to the ALA conference to sign, be presented the actual award, and many other book/library related activities. It was awesome. By the time I got to him on Monday he was looking a bit exhausted but he was diligent none the less and even thanked me as I eeked out the words "I think you're brilliant" - which I'm surprised he even heard I was so quiet.

It was an amazing weekend and I wouldn't change a thing (like staying home and resting so I could get over this cold/ebola virus that has attached itself to my lungs like my boss suggested I should have done). Amongst all the goodies being handed out I also found something else. I found that I really want to go back to school. Badly.

My educational history shows a pattern of work a few years, school a few years, work a few years.... you get the idea, and I am definitely at the end of this current work spell. So I've sent the word out to get some GRE books from friends and asked my mom to help pay for the actual test for my upcoming birthday present. I'm starting to look at all the schools that offer an accredited MLS (no that is not Major League Soccer, but Masters of Library Science thank you) degree to see if I can find one I like. And hopefully by fall of 2010 I will be chucking this work life to the side (or at least to a part time category) and readjusting my back pack straps. Here's to scholarly adventures.