It’s October again. Bierocks, Major League Baseball and high school musicals abound!
October represents the best month to be outside, weather-wise, and the first month to enjoy the coziness of the indoors. It’s my favorite month. I met my husband online in October 2011. I got engaged in October 2012. By October of 2013, I was pregnant with my first baby and in October 2014, I got pregnant with my second. This year, I’m not getting married or having a baby, but I do have news: I’ll be leaving the library on Oct. 15 to stay home with my children. It’s the right thing for me and my family at this time.
Being a librarian is one of the coolest jobs in the world. Librarians are human search-engines. We are trained to think about and access information in a way that makes us valuable to our patrons. Author Neil Gaiman says “Google can bring you back 100,000 answer, a librarian can bring you back the right one.” It’s true! I love tough reference questions and I love tracking down the answer. I love helping people fill in the blanks of their research or even their own family history.
The Hays Public Library is a wonderful place to work and I will continue to frequent the library as a patron. Having come from a small community with a tiny library, I am continually astounded by both the collection and the programs offered at the library. It’s an amazing community resource!
Though I am leaving, I do have one program scheduled for October. On Sunday, Oct. 18th at 2 PM, Erika Nelson will be giving a program called “Jackalopes, Hodags and other Larger than Life Myths from the American Road.” Erika Nelson, the curator of the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things roadside attraction and Museum, will talk about roadside monuments dedicated to our fantastical legends. Our legends reflect our culture and this lecture will explore the origins of the legends, the people who crafted them, and how they reflect the regions they inhabit. You may even get to see a jackalope!
The Kansas Room will go on without me. I sincerely hope the community continues to take advantage of the books, microfilm, databases and quiet space in the Kansas Room. It’s a great place to study, read, rest and find out things you never knew. Auf wiedersehen!
The Kansas Room is located in the basement of the Hays Public Library and is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday, and by request. Stop by anytime to say hello!
Lucia Bain is Kansas Room Librarian at the Hays Public Library.