JollyLibrarian

There was a general sigh of relief when we read this week’s assignment: Carve out some alone time. If there is something that library folks know how to do, it’s being alone. Let’s face it; many of our habits are solitary: reading, writing, looking up esoteric facts to share with uninterested friends, etc. Even Pam, [...]

This is a nerdy admission, but here goes. I often watch television with my iPad by my side. Now sometimes I play Words with Friends during commercials, but just as often I use it to look up things.  I see a guest star on a television show I’m watching; I do a quick search to [...]

A recent New York Times article described the eccentric behaviors of people who live alone. This, of course, was not news to me or my friends who are solo dwellers. Our quirky behaviors include but are not limited to the following: falling asleep in a chair with a bowl of ice cream or can of [...]

Last night I was trying to use an app that would allow me to scan in an ISBN and avoid the work of looking up a book and adding it to a list. In theory, this is a good idea; I like saving time as much as the next person. It turned not to be [...]

There is a vicious rumor going around that The Jolly Librarian does not like vegetables. This is not true. Just last week, I put a photo on my Facebook page of me eating a salad. And I’m a huge fan of the potato: baked, fried, roasted, and boiled. Still, I have to admit I do [...]

I was hesitant about my title today, afraid that it would turn people away. But I decided to stay with it because it’s a basic truth. Research is hard. But it is also exhilarating and just plain fun. I fear we faculty may forget this as well. After all, I am probably representative of most [...]

Yesterday, I received an angry email. The sender was not particularly angry at me. But it didn’t matter; no one likes to be at the receiving end of someone else’s anger. Still, I answered the email, ignoring the anger and the accusations and simply dealing with the problem at hand. Within in two minutes, I [...]

Our assignment for this week: Keep the dirt outside by taking off your shoes the minute you come in the door. This not only keeps your house cleaner but prevents you from tracking in allergens. Not the most thrilling of assignments, but still if you hate housework and have allergies, it is a useful one. [...]

A colleague is taking a math class.  Although this is her second math class, she still doubts her ability, and each homework assignment, quiz, and test make her more and more anxious. She is not only struggling in the course, but she is letting those struggles take over her identity as well. She has started [...]

Last week, I was buying tickets to a comedy club for a fun group night out. I went to the website and put in my order. Everything went well until I got to the pay page and couldn’t find the submit button. So I started over. And that’s when things went really wrong. I’m still [...]