As a librarian, I recognize the importance of lifelong learning, which is one of the ALA core values of librarianship, and this occasion is a good opportunity to reflect on my own learning, even as my career is about helping others learn.
Much of my learning beyond school is a matter of considering new perspectives, which is in line with how my MLIS classes were filled with opportunities to gain new perspectives on information and knowledge. Recently, at work, I was seeking to assign a call number to a book of recipes from Arab countries. The Arab world includes countries in both Africa and Asia, but it wasn't easy to find a call number to encompass a region that spans two continents. As I flipped through the book to see if I could uncover anything about its content that would help my decision, I saw the author discussed this very subject I was pondering toward the beginning of the book, and his long thought process to creating a suitable title for the book. So the author's mind, and mine, were thinking pretty deeply when it comes to considering, in our respective work, the scope of the book.
That same day, I had to assign a call number to a book about working mothers and how they can handle family and household responsibilities while working at home. I wasn't sure at first if the call number should reflect telecommuting or family responsibilities. I sided with the latter, even though another cataloger could decide differently.
In fact, I sometimes check the SWAN or WorldCat catalog and see what other libraries use as a call number for a certain book, and in some cases, they can be quite varied. It all comes down to the cataloger's judgment.
A couple of years ago, I was back at Julian giving a presentation for 8th graders on my work as a librarian. Toward the end of the class period, I showed the students a copy of the book Whistlestop: My Favorite Stories from Presidential Campaign History. I asked the students if they thought this book should be cataloged to be with books about political campaigns or US history, or perhaps even a different subject area. I directed them to stand in a certain part of the classroom based on their response, and then talk with their classmates about their choices. It was a great thinking exercise that I thought of almost spontaneously, which helped them get in the mind of a cataloger and how to make these decisions.
And while catalogers have rules to follow, there are instances when we deviate from rules to make materials more accessible. Recently, a Youth Services librarian asked me to make changes to a collection of movies that had "Dragon" as the call number, because that is based on the item itself, and is reflected in their bibliographic records. When I checked in with the librarian about her reasoning for requesting the change, she said that these movies were connected with the How to Train Your Dragon movies, and she wanted them to be kept together. So ultimately, there was good reason to change the call number so that patrons could locate them more easily.
Indeed, cataloging work is a type of art, with approaches as varied and numerous as the catalogers themselves, and there's a constant ebb and flow with how to apply the rules to ultimately make the resources accessible to the patrons.
After having spent time studying the theory of librarianship and its practices in classes, I continue my learning by applying them.
And I sense something similar happens with my faith. I have important experiences with sacraments like baptism, first Holy Communion, and Eucharist. Furthermore, I attend Mass on a regular weekly basis, and often on days during the week. But there's so much more that I do with faith that extends from those experiences.
I am incredibly grateful to the ministry of Relevant Radio for helping people like me continue to learn about faith, especially by engaging with new perspectives on timeless principles of faith.
Sheila Liaugminas had a great program on Relevant Radio called A Closer Look, and she would often interview people in academic and government about faith in the public square. While it was sad to see her go, someone just as amazing took her place last summer.
Cale Clarke has a program that airs at 5 PM CT that I listen to regularly, especially as I drove home from work. He was born and raised Roman Catholic, but became lukewarm in practicing faith by his college years. He was reignited in faith when at Illinois State University through a series of interactions with Protestants and became a born-again Christian. Eventually, he became a Protestant pastor. But then, he reverted back to Roman Catholicism. All the time on his program, he talks about our Sacred Tradition as Roman Catholics and gives thoughtful explanations, with topics including the intercession of the saints, especially the Blessed Mother, the papacy, and the Eucharist. I have so many lightbulb moments when I heard him explain something. And it may not be that I'm learning something totally new, but I'm learning nonetheless because I understand a topic in a new light.
Aligning closely with my professional work as a librarian is my work as a Religious Education catechist/teacher. In both roles, I am accompanying people to help them access the information and resources they seek to live more meaningfully.
As part of teaching the 8th grade class, I accompany my students in preparation for Confirmation, and then in their continued formation afterward.
Classes this year mostly met online. In the weeks leading up to the start of our year, I spent time with webinars learning tips for how to effectively teach class in the online format. Despite what is obviously a less than ideal format, I actually really enjoyed teaching class. That may have had something to do with how I've used technology so much throughout my years teaching RE that I already had some structure in place to transfer much of the content of class into the online format. And I'm so grateful that Zoom gives me the ability to share my screen, which allowed me to use so many tools that I felt would make class engaging. From there, I strived to find ways to make class interactive. I know from the feedback I got from the students, there was a generally positive response, especially from one particular student who made it clear that he enjoyed class.
To extend the learning beyond our hourlong weekly classes, and to also encourage them to develop habits for continued spiritual growth, I would have the students complete a short activity outside of class time each week, especially since they needed to complete five faith-related activities, called Faith Boosters, as part of the preparation process, in addition to a couple of compositions and service hours. I often drew from Relevant Radio resources as options for activities they could do.
At one point getting close to the year's end, I offered the opportunity to listen to a segment on The Cale Clarke Show in which Cale talks about the faith of Jackie Robinson. Even though he was Protestant, his faith was deep, and an important part of his life. Cale spent about 20 minutes discussing his faith and how it influenced his life and his baseball career. Hearing this program segment took me back to the first class of the year, when we met in person at Church. Two students arrived in their baseball outfits, which left an incredible impression on me about their passions in life. They, along with at least one other person in class, mentioned their passion for baseball in response to a short series of questions I posed during that first class as a way to get to know them.
When I listened to that segment, I knew that this story would connect with these two students in particular, and would be a wonderful way for them to see the intersection of life, sports, and faith. Along with the others who took up this option, they had some wonderful and in-depth reflections they shared with me about what they learned from that radio show segment.
I'm greatly heartened by how these circumstances came together, especially in how I could reach them by affirming their interests and giving them new insights about the connections with faith.
Indeed, lifelong learning is a wonderful opportunity to build upon the foundation of learning we gain early in life and to continue making connections by applying our knowledge.
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