Graduation and Goodbye...for now

It's hard to believe two whole years have gone by, and on May 10, 2013, I received my Masters in Library and Information Science from Simmons College on a beautiful Spring day at a ceremony by the water at Boston's Bank of America Pavilion.  As my family looked on (yes, they ALL came!) I walked across that stage and accepted my diploma thinking of all the hard work and long hours I've put in.  I felt proud, appreciative and lucky.  Not just for myself, but for all the people who have supported me during these sometimes long and trying two years.  My parents whose constant support has allowed me to reach for my dreams; my husband, who made it possible for me to get this far; my friends, who probably know more about library science than they ever thought they'd learn from proof reading many assignments; my supportive co-workers who pushed me to reach for this goal and made it easy to balance work and school;  the library board of directors who awarded me with the Karen Carter Scholarship Fund for Continuing Education; and the patrons of the Ames Free Library, who have become my own special family.  Without all of you showing interest and encouraging me day in and day out, I don't think I could have made it this far.  This degree is a shared effort, and a little piece of it belongs to each one of you as you helped me trek to the top of a large and difficult mountain.

As many of you know already, I have been honored to be promoted at the Ames Free Library as the new Youth Services Librarian, in charge of Children's and Teen services.  Words cannot describe my happiness at staying in a place I know and love so much and focusing in an area that I feel knowledgeable and passionate. As my chapter as a student ends, a new one as a librarian is beginning and I look forward to sharing that with all of you.   I hope you have learned with me as I wrote this blog, and please stay tuned for a new blog focusing on Youth Services.

As A.A. Milne wrote in Winnie-the-Pooh, "“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”   Thank you, thank you, thank you.