Please listen to this, if you can, while reading.
When I was a kid, I traveled fairly extensively in the summers, because my parents were both teachers and had the travel bug. We went to England, Wales, Italy, France, Croatia (Yugoslavia at that time), and Germany. I hated it, because we would be gone for sometimes 6 weeks and, being an only child (although with adult half-siblings), I was lonely, missed my friends and all I wanted to do was to have a “normal” summer at home watching TV and eating popsicles. I didn’t care about stately homes or old castles (although the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace are SUPER cool). I have vivid memories of listening to Tiffany and Paula Abdul on my Walkman in the back of the VW Camper van Dad picked up from the factory in Munich (with the romantic idea of camping throughout Germany–we camped one night in rainy weather and that was enough for everyone). I refused to go out for dinner when we arrived in Paris, so I ate “MacDo” and watched Euro MTV in the hotel room (I must’ve been pretty persuasive…or spoiled…or neglected, because I was only 9). However, of course as an adult I’m thankful for these experiences. They provided a widened lens through which I could see the world and its history.
As I’ve begun my journey through librarianship, I’ve admired those I’ve encountered whose paths have been varied and many. It’s tempting and understandable to want to stay put after having found a library system that provides stability, is close to home and serves my community. But I have to admit, one of the major attractions I had toward this field is the fact that you can practice library and information science anywhere and in many different applications. I want to use this spirit to inform the kind of librarian I want to become. I wish to be able to “choose my own adventure” (wink and nod, Module 6!), whatever that looks like and whichever form it takes. I am open to a varied path. The library world is my oyster.
Taking Professor Stephens’ example from Global Communities/Librarianship with Parker’s (1974) definition of “International Librarianship” as “activities carried out…to promote, establish, develop, maintain and evaluate…librarianship and the library profession generally, in any part of the world,” this library oyster thing seems really real. How cool would it be to take a class field trip to Dokk1 in Denmark? It is one of the most prolific examples (especially in this class!) of libraries turning the definition of libraries on its head. What a leader in innovative, community driven hyperlinked environments. Or how fun would it be to go to Milan and take part in Next Library’s Occupy Library Conference, with its theme of “Libraries as spaces for digital transformation and community wellbeing”? They’ll be focusing on topics such as using AI for good and how libraries support their communities in times of crises. Examining what libraries are doing globally, and (even better) experiencing them first-hand, contributes to our “Personal Learning Network” and adds to one’s “full-stack” (Stephens, 2019) professional goal of creating and striving for “global librarianship.”
I would love nothing more than to be able to travel the world, gather layer upon layer of wisdom and ideas from others to be able to form a pearl of library goodness. And maybe also really go out to dinner in Paris this time.
The Author, putting the “fun” in funicular, on the Rhine River, Germany, 1988
References
Legacy Recordings. (February 9, 2017). People make the world go round: Freddie Hubbard. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5li0DxQ6PPM
Mærkedahl, L. (2024, January 11). Occupy library / Stelline conference 2024 in Milan – new date! Next Library. https://www.nextlibrary.net/occupy-library-stelline-conference-2024-in-milan-call-for-proposals/
Parker, J. S. (1974). International librarianship. Global Communities and Global Librarianship. https://287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu/course-modules/module-6-hyperlinked-environments/global-communities-global-librarianship/
Stephens, M. (2019). “Dream. Explore. Experiment.” Wholehearted Librarianship, p. 60.
@lauraw Lovely post, I really enjoyed the background music option. What a great idea! I enjoy your manner of storytelling in the blog posts. I strive to be more of a story teller, but I always wind up being more on the scholarly side. But that is kind of why I am in this class, to learn how to craft my social media voice.
Why thank you, @emmizo! I love music and always have it going (much to my husband’s chagrin sometimes).
Ha ha ha! Yeah, I would have music on nonstop if I had my druthers. But I seem to have misplaced my druthers as of late!
Funny how that happens 😏…
Hi Laura,
Love love LOVE this. I’m doing study abroad this summer (14 days, 28 GLAM organizations) for this exact reason.
The first time I went to Paris, I lived on pain au jambon — ham sandwiches — the whole time. Food in Paris is so much better when you have both a more mature palatte and money, so yes — get the escargot and the truffles this time. Well worth the wait.
Thank you and OMG, how fun and amazing! Where are you going to be?
I did study abroad in college for 5 weeks in London–it was a Theater and Philosophy program and we got to go see a play that we studied each week. It was way too short!
You are adventurous with your palette–I’d definitely try escargot but in the right circumstances and avec du vin!
Laura, Wonderful post and love the reflections as a kid just wanting to do kid stuff. Also, I would jump at the chance of taking a library adventure to Denmark, Dokk1. I’ll sign up with you!
Thank you, Christine, for the understanding and kind comments! Yuk yuk yuk : p
Sign me up for that field trip!
Let’s go!! ; )
@lauraw I love this post. My husband and I did this to our oldest child, as we took 6 months to travel throughout Europe in our 20s. My daughter got to attend part of her kindergarten year in Amsterdam where my husband was doing his law internship. We spent the time visiting France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Czech Republic. We dragged our poor kid along with us everywhere! I love this idea of going on a library tour to visit and learn how international libraries approach their work (my book group had already fantasized about this idea). Thanks for sharing this post!
Thank you, @roya! Wow, that is so cool and great that you guys took that time to take advantage of world travel and share that with your daughter. How did she feel about it?
Hi Laura, she appreciates it now as an adult, but I think it was a bit rough on her as a 5 year old .. She did become quite adept at making quick friendships. there were humorous moments where she would be talking in English to other kids who spoke other languages. yet they managed to figure out how to play together.
Yes! I have a story about that too. When we were at this German campground, I was playing on the slide with another little girl (we must’ve been 6 also) who only spoke German. But we figured out that we could each count to 10 in the other’s language, so we would take turns standing at the top of the slide, counting to 10 in German for me, English for her and then laughing and sliding down. 😁
@lauraw I ❤️ this so much!
The picture of you on the funicular was delightful. Thank you for that.
I really appreciate what you shared about your travels when you were young. How wonderful and I can see how it can have an impact on you now and also be amazing memories. If I could, I would take us on a field trip to Dokk1 for sure.
Thank you, @Michael 😊.
@lauraw 👍