Introduction
Hello! My name is Samantha. I am a Teen Librarian at my home library. I haven't been working there very long but it is a lot of fun and I enjoy working with the teens a lot. I also am in charge of developing the teen collection and programming. I am also in charge of some of the displays in the Youth Services department. I greatly enjoy picking the books to showcase and making the display area look interesting.
I've mainly worked retail before working in a library. I also work comic cons. This year will be my third year working them. The convention I have worked the most for is FanExpo Chicago at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. I try to work as a handler but sometimes I work line management. It is still hard to wrap my head around who I have met and worked with. I attended cons before working them so I have met many people. Even if there isn't much going on, I love talking to everyone and hearing the stories that they tell. I also used to work a horror convention but there were a few issues there that I decided were not worth staying there. I still attend conventions, but it always depends on who the guests are going to be.
I grew up around all sorts of technology. I am in the
generation that had VHS players, DVD players and Blu-Ray players. I remember
ELMO machines in classrooms before the overhead projectors became common place.
My first phone was a Nokia slide phone. I mainly use technology for school,
work and entertainment. For school, I use a laptop or desktop computer that has
the Microsoft Office applications and Internet to complete the assignments. For
work, I use a desktop computer to order for the collection, monitor the teen
public computers and check in on the teens that are in the library, and plan programming.
I have also got our 3-D printers up and running and have been navigating those
applications. I have also been exploring the various forums for tips on using
the printers as well as finding cool things for the kids to print or use in a
program. For entertainment, I have started streaming more than using cable. I
tend to prefer watching older shows and movies so that is the easiest way to
find them. I still use physical media and have a large DVD and CD collection. I
also have an X-Box and Nintendo Switch that I still play regularly. I have a
boombox radio to play CDs and cassette tapes as well as a record player. On my
phone, I have a few games as well as a few social media apps (although those
are more for convention work and keeping up with friends now) and will often
use that to surf the web since it is usually more convenient than my laptop.
I have never really been a big fan of technology. My parents are older so I grew up without a lot of it. If we did have it, I did not have the most up to date versions of it. I still remember dialup internet and having to get off when a phone call needed to be placed. I am now at the age where I try to keep up to date with it, at least in knowledge since the world has changed to the point where you need it to function in day to day life. I had gone several years without have WhatsApp on my phone and now it is necessary for my convention job. While I am not thrilled at the way that it has taken over everyone’s lives, I understand the need for it and continue to learn so I can help the teens I work with when they get confused by it as well as for when I will inevitably need it as well. I am excited to continue learning in this course and finding out new ways to use technology to engage the teens in my programs.
What a fun introduction, Samantha! Thank you for sharing your background. I'm hoping you'll get some new ideas this summer about different "PSA-style" displays you could create involving technology. For someone who says you haven't been around much technology I'd beg to differ- you have a wide variety from throughout the years! I'm looking forward to exploring newer technology issues with you.
ReplyDeleteOh, fun fact. I had my wedding reception at the convention center! My husband and I both worked in the parking lot there for years while we were in college :)
Hi, Samantha
ReplyDeleteI relate to having the outdated technology that you went through. My family put other essentials before technology. We would only get new technology if our computer got too many viruses and wouldn't even turn on or we couldn't make calls on our flip phones anymore. My dad still uses CDs and one of my treasured technologies is a VHS tape rewinder. I commend you for working with teenagers as I do too. I am curious on your thoughts of working with teens that visit the library. Are they more likely to participate because they are attending by their own choice? Sometimes they can be apathetic from my experience as a tutor so I wonder if the events you host are much more lively.
I went to my first convention last year and it was a lot but so much fun! I can't imagine how busy you must be when working comic cons.
It's very nice to meet you!
In our next cycle of programs after the summer, we are going to try drop in programming. This library hasn't done it much in the past but I'm sure we will see more teens stopping in. The one program that is drop in has seen a steady group of kids coming every few weeks.
DeleteWorking them is kind of nice because you get to just stay in one place. But it really depends on who you are with. A big name with create a lot of chaos (mostly because communication on the convention's end stinks) but will also be kind of fun because you get a front row seat to the cosplayers, influencers, and sometimes reporters. A smaller name will be pretty chill and that's when I have the most fun because I just get to talk to them and hear stories. Don't get me wrong the big names will share stories as well but you get more stories in full with a smaller name.
Hi Samantha,
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the old style of technology. I grew up with VHS, antenna tv's and old school flip phones. My dad one time had to go on top of the roof to make sure that the tv signals would come in. Learning about 3-D printers I am still learning about them and how to use them. Having to take a certain software to update and the figure that out is amazing. I have the same thoughts about technology, learning more about it and learning to see what the new age will come up with.
I will have to check out the comic con sometime. I know it's a busy and happening place.
Thanks for sharing and nice to meet you!
Meeting him was for sure a bucket list moment. I highly recommend it to anyone who can afford it.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness. Laminated sheets and scantrons were so much easier. I wish we could have kept them. All this looking away from your screen for more than two seconds will cause you to fail makes me worry about those who are in the middle of a test and just need a second to collect themselves. We never had that issue with scantrons. Sure they were annoying to fill in exactly and a little more annoying to grade but at least they were less maintenance.
I will have to check those out! Thank you for sharing them!