Despite the fact that I’ve been a bit slow-moving into 2012, it is, in fact, here. It’s another new year, and for me, that always means time for reflection and planning.
I’m kind of sad to say that in 2011, I yet again didn’t write as much as I wanted to write. Not even on my food blog, which normally, sad but true, gets a lot more attention from me than this space. 2011 was a big year for me, with a lot of huge changes, so I’m feeling a little more forgiving of myself. But it might also be time to give myself a reprieve on that goal. Maybe I’ll want to write more if it doesn’t feel like such an obligation? Either way, I’m moving into 2012 without making the empty promise that I’ll have more to say.
That being said, I did just submit my first scholarly article for potential publication. I don’t have high hopes that it will be accepted, but I’m glad I went through the experience. It was a far more difficult process than I expected, but it was totally worthwhile: I learned a hell of a lot about linked data (although I still have SO MUCH more to learn), and I got the chance to think through some complicated problems and propose some potentially innovative solutions. I’ve always been more of a big picture person than a details person, so I think I could have done much better at laying out the actual work that would be involved in achieving this vision of mine, but still. I’m glad I had the chance to spend a few months imagining something and problem-solving in big, long-term-future ways. If the article isn’t accepted, I’ll probably share at least parts of it here. And I have to say that I’m extremely grateful to my organization for allowing me the time and space to work on this article, and for considering this kind of work as part of what I’m here at CDL to do.
We wrapped up a major project milestone right before the holiday break at work, which was awesome. We loaded 106 sets of MARC serials records into our database, and are ready to get to number crunching. I learned way more than I ever thought I wanted to know about MARC and holdings records in this process, and while I still wish MARC nothing but a quick and painless death, I’m so glad I had this chance to work so intensely with so many records from so many different institutions. I feel like I have a unique perspective on serials cataloging now, thanks to this project.
In 2012, I’m hoping to find the time to polish my PHP skills and learn more about application development. I’m looking forward to seeing the WEST archiving process play out, and to wrapping up the registry website component of the PAPR project. I’m looking forward to taking on new projects at the CDL, and to meeting more UC librarians as I start serving on CAMCIG (Cataloging and Metadata Common Interest Group). I’m excited for ALA Midwinter in a few weeks, and I really hope I get to see some of the people I met at Annual last year, and to meet more awesome librarians.
And here, at the end of 2011, I want to extend another “Thank You” to the wonderful people at Whitman College. I loved working with all of you, and appreciate every thing that you did for me as a new librarian. In many ways, I wish I could still be with you, working to push the library into new directions and building a great team to tackle all the challenges the future brings. Leaving was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, because you were one of the best groups I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. Thank you, again and again and again.
Here’s my late toast to 2012, and to all of you fellow librarians out there. I look forward to meeting even more of you this year, and to continuing to be inspired by all of you.