Friday, May 29

that rural librarian look


Harris Tweed jacket and tattersall shirt. Elbow patches optional. If available, I say yes.
Yes also to a bow tie. Not all the time but definitely not afraid of them.
Often go for the hi/low, so here going with well worn older Carhartts. These from an amazing selection at workers.
No salt water for 3 hours in any direction from southern Vermont, but that doesn't stop the nautical theme; monkey fist keyring.
No fuss belt. Under $60. Orvis shot-shell, or maybe farrier's style or Narragansett Leathers or similar.
Quality pocket square/bandana. This is Japanese dyed chambray from The Hill-Side (found via Secret Forts).
Liking these JCrew/Sperry chukka creations.
Estwing axe. Just because. It is a thing of beauty anyway.

Box of donuts. From Mrs. Murphy's Donuts Manchester Center, VT. Blueberry cake for the win. (Image via RoadFood, a new find for me.) What do donuts have to do with being a librarian? The inspiring reference tutor Allen Smith was fond of saying; "Show me a town that denies funding to a library, and I'll show you a librarian who stays in the office. Show me a town that funds its library, and I'll show you a librarian who takes donuts down to the fire department. Who goes down to the city hall and goes into offices asking if they need anything. You have to be proactive. It might come as a shock to some of you, but a large part of the success of that library is your personality and the way you treat people." Take that to the bank.

Airstream Bambi equipped with a satellite internet access set-up like the Datastorm G74 or similar (download speeds of up to 1MB!) Stay with me folks... rural libraries do not all have internet access, forget about access being available to all rural homes (take Vermont for this example, Vermont has 182 public libraries, 174 of these libraries have Internet access; 160 of these have high speed access. That’s 14 libraries with dial-up and eight with nothing, more detailed info from a post at librarian.net.) So, load up the internet-enabled bookmobile and head out to serve the community.

Reading list if you need something.
Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky.
Where the Rivers Flow North by Howard Frank Mosher.
Tall Trees, Tough Men: A Vivid, Anecdotal History of Logging and Log-Driving in New England by Robert E. Pike.
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (read today via Gutenberg Project.)
Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie