Tomorrow, tomorrow

In library speak, I was hired to plan and carry out a retrospective conversion of the entire library, getting everything onto the computer according to MARC standards, and provide a more automated library system. Of course, my boss doesn't actually speak library speak, so I was just asked to "update the library" and "get everything on the computer". I was shown around for a day or so and then let loose.

After three long years of planning, self-training, hundreds of questions, cataloging, item building, shelving, sweat, tears, and yes, blood, it's completed to a level satisfactory enough that I'm ready to start letting teachers use it. I'll be unveiling it tomorrow during the annual fall inservice meeting.

The library system may be ready, but I'm certainly not. I am little worried about the 15 minute (except I was asked today to keep it to 10 if possible) 40 slide Powerpoint library instruction presentation, naturally. I'm more concerned about the system. I'm still doing a lot item building (getting the circulation system to point to the catalog records) on the fly, so requests are taking a little longer than usual and not everything is going to show up in the online catalog yet and my phone is going to ring off the hook and everyone is going to hate me.

Except they won't. Everyone is on my side. Library catalogs aren't exactly rocket science and most of them won't really be learning anything new tomorrow. The teachers have known this is coming for as long as I've been here and have been just fine with little changes I've made along the way. It won't be a seamless transition, not by a long shot, but it should still be rather smooth.

This project is my baby, and now it's time to trust other people with it. And it's going to be okay.

Of course, it would be great if I could have another month before school started, but that won't happen. Also, it would be really helpful if I could get a good night's sleep tonight, but that probably won't happen either because two things that keep awake at night are stress and knowing I have to get up really early in the morning. Both at once? Could be interesting.

Now, while I'm having a stressful work week, I'm having a great music week. I spent a lot time last week cleaning up my personal music collection, and even found some great things I'd either forgotten about or didn't know I had in the first place. I'm rather pleased about that. I've also discovered a new station on Pandora (Glee Cast Radio) that's just delightful.

And this song, Aicha by Penn Masala. I love vocal a capella and they do it well. Plus, there are even some Hindi and/or Arabic verses here! As always, I hope you like it as much as I do, though I apologize for the poor quality.



So, if you could think positive thoughts for me around 9:00 AM EST tomorrow, that would be swell.