It's the first day of classes and I am BEYOND EXCITED to finally open our new space to students. There are still things we need to finish up, but at least we can open. People are already using our space! It makes my heart soar to see students feeling welcome. I had the first reference desk shift of the semester this morning. On top of the usual printing and textbook questions, there were a lot of people just wanting to see the renovation. It was great!

Here's what I've been working on:

1. Other Duties As Assigned: We didn't want red tape or departmental slow downs to get in the way us opening. So, my colleagues rolled up our sleeves (read: wore workout gear to the office) so that it was easier to move furniture, unpack boxes, and dart all over campus. Just now, I finished deconstructing some weird sliding privacy walls on two workstations that we didn't want. I even brought in my own screwdriver from home to do it.
2. Onboarding: Our team is overjoyed to welcome a new colleague. We've been onboarding him to both the University and the library. This morning, he shadowed me on the reference desk and it was a great way to show him how things work.
3. Laundry: While I'm home solo, anything that can be machine washed is being machine washed. It's so much easier to tackle things like dining room chair cushions when you don't need to worry about drying time.

I'm keeping this short because, this morning, I dropped my husband and kiddo off at the airport. They're on their way to Myrtle Beach for the week while I stay home for work.

After I finish some laundry, the rest of the day is to treat myself. I'm going to luxuriate in home spa goodies while eating way too much from a charcuterie board. Then, I'm going to watch some bad TV while loafing around on the internet. It's the perfect way to relax before what is sure to be a crazy week at my library.

*pops open a bottle of bubbly*

To say I am excited to finally be in our remodeled library space is the understatement of the year. It's so nice AND we welcomed a new librarian onto the team today. I'm using that giddiness to stave off the tears that today is my kiddo's last day at her amazing daycare. They've been so wonderful.

Here's what made me smile this week:

• Setting up my (private!) office
• Built a bookcase while listening to podcasts
• Talking to my brother about his trip to the Olympics
• Cooler morning weather AND low humidity
• Bama Rush social media as TV
• Talking to all of our new students
• The daycare class dancing and singing to their graduation song
• Kiddo's squeal of delight when her dad won a narwhal stuffie from the claw machine
• Hiring professional cleaners today so I can have a spotless place to myself next week

Girls of Storm and Shadow
Natasha Ngan

I'm still reading but am approaching the end of this book. It's been very much a travel novel. Lots of getting to different places and encountering drama along the way. I will say, I know that I am picturing the characters different than the author intends. I see stuff that is far more Zootopia than human-animal hybrid. But, it's fun to spend some time in a world that is so beautifully imagined.

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We started moving into our remodeled library this week! I'm still nervous about being ready by the start of the semester next week, but at least we are here. Our team is scrappy so I know that we will make it work. Finishing details will still need to happen, but at least we will be able to serve students in our new space.

Here's what I'm working on:

1. Student Orientation: Our University is holding a ton of new student orientation events this week. Today I'm tabling at our flagship campus, tomorrow I will be at our workforce development campus. On top of this, I've got a colleague presenting at a jumpstart session. I had to scramble to update those slides with as much info about the new space as I could. In between these events, lots of students are wandering campus and I'm answering questions as they come up. Plus, I gave an interview to our marketing office to help them develop material to share about the new library.
2. Family Friendly Study Space: For whatever reason, the room to this space is locked. (The University is working on it.) In the meantime, I built a bookcase and a little kid activity center. I've got a box of books and small toys ready to go. As soon as that doors open, I'll be ready to set up everything. We've still got stuff on order to arrive, but I can futz with all of that as things arrive.
3. Back to School: I still cannot believe our kiddo is starting kindergarten at the end of the month. Our public school system is not as communicative as our daycare. We've been reading everything we can get our hands on in order to prepare. Emails from the school are starting to trickle out, and I plan on attending as many events and meetings as I can in the next few weeks. This is a big change, but kiddo has been pretty good with those in the past. 

I just submitted a proposal to speak at LibLearnX in January. The conference is in Phoenix. I've never been to Phoenix. Fingers crossed it's accepted and doesn't cost too much.

Here's what made me smile this week:

• Baking with the kiddo
• Tissues with lotion
• The energy and vibe around VP Harris announcing Governor Walz as her running mate
• Packed up my office to move!
• Kiddo being super excited to hear thunder
• Watching some new-to-me Olympic events
• Using pizza as an analogy to describe hurricanes to the kiddo
• Figuring out and fixing a weird proxy link issue at work
• New office plant
• Being asked by two separate organizations to present at their conferences

I read a lot of books with my kiddo. Kid Reads is a biweekly look at what we've enjoyed recently. 

Summer classes end on August 10. Faculty are due back for Fall semester PD on August 16. If we do not move into our renovated space before then, I am going to be one cranky librarian. LET ME IN!

In other news, I bought a new office plant today because I can't seem to keep them alive. This time, I got one from Whole Foods because it was already bigger and healthier then my last one. I'm going to need to buy a plant light for it because my new office will not have exterior windows.

Here's what else I'm working on:

1. Common Read: I finished the book and updated the guide. I sent the link of said guide to all the faculty who will be using the book in their course. One of them sent me back some good ideas for content to add. I'll be working on that this week.
2. Move Prep: While we haven't moved yet (ARGH!), I'm preparing as much as I can just so I can pivot on a dime the second we do. I even packed up most of my cubicle today. I know which office I'm moving into. At this point, I just may move myself over there next week because it's ridiculous that we're not there yet. 
3. Watching the Olympics: Every day - as many events as I can.

This summer, our family opted to get a membership to a local hotel pool. Our kiddo adores being in the water and we thought it would be a lot of fun. We were right about that. What I was not expecting was how interested I would be in the poolside reading choices. Since this is a hotel, there are a ton of folks on vacation or simply spending some time away from "real life." When I'm not supervising our kiddo, I keep peeping the book covers. (Call it a professional hazard.)

First, I'm struck by how few e-readers are at the pool. It's possible people are worried about being splashed but given the amount of phones I see, I'm not entirely sure that's the case. I think there's just something about reading a physical book at the pool that feels leisurely. Plus, I've seen some folks set up Instagram shots with their chosen titles. A kindle is just not as photogenic.

I've also noticed that a lot of the books are hardcovers. That's surprising! Paperbacks are easier to travel with and not nearly as heavy. I always find it quite daring when people get into the pool with their book so they can cool off while they read. This pool always has splashing kids and it amazes me that these readers can keep their books dry.

Next, in terms of what titles I see, the vast majority of books - easily over 75% - are fiction. It's a lot of your typical beach reads, romance, and easy fiction. Weirdly, I have yet to see a YA book. How I've gone an entire summer without spotting Iron Flame​ is beyond me. I figured that would be all over the place.

Here are some of the books I have spotted:

• Tigerman by Nick Harkaway
• People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
• One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
• Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• Something by John Grisham (his name is always bigger than the title)
• Best Short Stories (the rest of the title was too small to see)
• One by One by Ruth Ware
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
• It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Of all the reading I've spotted, the one that tickled me most was when a heavily pregnant woman had her feet propped up with towels on a lounger and a snack on her belly as she read Bringing Up Bébé. 

What would you read at the pool?

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