Monday, September 20, 2010

September 20, 2010 - Sitting in a Silo

Today was the first day of my annual book fair. Thank goodness my mother (who has been volunteering at school libraries since I was in junior kindergarten 34 years ago and hasn't stopped) will be coming the entire week to run it. I couldn't do it without her. I'm also lucky to have a former student, a stellar librarian-in-the-making, traveling to help after school.

Despite all these people around me, I was feeling a bit alone in my role. Our board has a new electronic communcation system and the conferences where I used to virtually meet my fellow teacher-librarians is due to close. In the past, if I needed a book to borrow from another library or a question to ask (as I did about Google Educational Accounts), I'd send a quick note and several people would reply with advice or directions on where to find answers. In my attempt to wean myself off the old system, I've avoided logging on there, and I'm unaccustomed to this lack of immediate connections. I got the chance to talk on the phone with a colleague and it was so rewarding that I'm sure I talked longer than I usually do.

Even with this new blog address, I feel like I am shouting in the wind or sitting in a silo, surrounded by grain but only able to hear the echo of my own voice. In the old blog provider, at least I'd be able to see that I had 6 or 12 reads - right now, I have no followers. No need to join this pity party of one - but it does make me realize that you can have all these marvelous means of interaction around but if no one interacts with you, it's for naught.

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