Chapped Hands, Broken Nails, And A Successful Afternoon

Today I did my first shift at the library as a volunteer. "Kerry! How are you putting your MLIS to work?" Dear readers, they do not let you do professional work as a volunteer. That is why the whole "Can't get hired? Volunteer!" advice that gets handed to library school graduates is such bullshit.

I am shelving. Which I knew getting into this gig, and am perfectly fine with. I get to shelve the nonfiction, which has the advantage that it's tricky in terms of Dewey and keeping the numbers in order, so a book cart took me 2 hours. Also as I was shelving, I was straightening shelves and shifting, and reshelving anything I noticed out of place. I told my supervisor that I was happy to love on my section.

I checked out only one book out that I found of interest. Such restraint! And I broke just 2 nails. I should have polished them before heading over, but I forgot that even a little exposure to books and paper chemicals sucks the moisture out of your hands and nails.Then I came home and had a huge drink.

I'll be there every Thursday morning, 11am-1pm. May this be the catnip to employers that I need to get some interviews.