Learning to tie library knots.

Last week, as I mentioned, I had an interview at a library here in Austin. On Monday I was offered and accepted the position, and yesterday I started as the serials Graduate Research Assistant at the Kuehne Physics, Maths & Astronomy Library here at the University of Texas.  I’m super excited to be joining the team there, and to be continuing to get lots of valuable practical library experience.

This week I’ve also been oriented, advised and registered for my fall classes.  Thanks to the way the “alphabet discrimination” worked out for me, I was able to register in the second time slot open for new students and was lucky enough to get into all three of my first choice classes:

Information in Social and Cultural Context: Examines the role of information in human activities, particularly how it shapes and is shaped by the social and cultural context. Considers how individuals, groups, organizations, institutions, and society at large create, find, use, understand, share, transform, and curate information.

Perspectives on Information: A multi-disciplinary and historical examination of information as a primary and foundational concept. Contrasts key literature from information studies with perspectives from other fields.Three lecture hours a week for one semester.

Studies in the Book Arts: An elective seminar course intended for those who wish to develop their understanding of books and manuscripts as physical objects. The course will explore the role of these primary source materials in archives and special collections libraries. A major focus of the course is hands-on examination of rare books and manuscripts at the Harry Ransom Center. The course seeks to foster a sense of connoisseurship in the Book Arts in the broadest sense; participants will examine, study, and discuss printed books and manuscripts from the Medieval to the Modern Era, including early printed books, Gothic and Renaissance bookbindings, illustrated Books and illustration processes from the 15th-century to the present day, Victorian publisher’s bookbindings, Americana, Artist Books, and much more.

I’m sure no one will be surprised at the joy that elective brings to my heart. :)  When I met the instructor at orientation, he warned me about how difficult it might be to get a copy of the advanced readings for the first class and was amused when I told him I already owned a copy of both.

Between studying full time, working part time and volunteering, it looks like this is going to be a busy first semester.  All the busier as I continue to raid with my Warcraft guild and join the local MINI driving club!  My poor Cowley Eyston looks reproachfully at me every time I pass him now that I’m commuting by bus or walking and not driving him daily.  To give him some love, I’m going to take him out tomorrow on one of my favourite roads towards Hamilton Pool which is full of switchbacks and twisties.  Soon I’ll be joining the Austin MINI Motoring Club for their Sunday morning coffee meet-ups in Wimberley and other scenic Texas Hill Country towns, but this weekend I’m joining the Special Libraries Association student chapter for brunch at Caffé Medici.