CLA Weblog Submissions
To navigate our archives, please click on a category to the left. Do you have information that would be of interest to the library community? Please send your weblog submissions to the CLA office at rberta@cla-net.org.
Triplet Watch (Plus One!)
I am the mother of triplets plus one. I am also an attorney who works for the Los Angeles Public Library as a part-time messenger clerk. I have always loved books, music, and other media. The library has always been a favorite place to frequent, and now I get to go there every day, for work. I started with this job so that I could still be available to help my children with homework and pick them up from school.
I enjoy working there so much that I decided to apply to library school. I am now in my second semester and wondering "why, oh why, did I think I could so much." What is most interesting is to observe the effect this is having on my children.
My four daughters "play" library at home. They even play library when they have their friends over. I have a bookcase filled with books just for them. It is interesting to watch them tell their patron friends how many books they are allowed to check out, or advise which books they might enjoy better, or to tell their friends to use their "library voice" when talking. They even use the dining room as a "community room" and lead art projects.
I've also noticed an increase in the amount of books they read, the level of books that they read, and the variety of subjects between them. My oldest triplet enjoys fiction as well as non-fiction books about the weather. My youngest triplet enjoys fiction books about animals as well as non-fiction books about drawing, art, and animals. They are eight years old. My youngest daughter, age six, enjoys reading anything and constantly reads above her grade level, "borrowing" her older sisters' books. My oldest triplet will also grab my graduate books and articles from school and attempt to read those. I must admit, she can pronounce all the words properly, although then we have to grab a dictionary and clear the meanings so she will not go past any misunderstood words. I usually keep those books out of reach, as it means more work for this mommy. I am already short on time.
By now, you might be wondering about the middle triplet. What does she like to read? Well, getting her to read was quite difficult. I took her to the library, and she would spend hours picking a book, putting it back, picking another one, putting it back, and finally coming home with nothing. Eventually, after several trips, we found a book that she liked. The end result was well worth it.
She came to me one night with a look of awe on her face. "Mommy, mommy, can I tell you something?" I nodded my head. "I feel like I'm in the book; like I'm there." Goosebumps erupted all over me. My daughter who couldn't stand reading had discovered the magic of entering another world. She is hooked for life.
This is why I want to be a librarian. From my home life to my work life, I am helping people and making a difference. Every day in the library, somebody discovers something, learns something, or has an epiphany. Every day, I am a part of that. I cannot imagine a better career than to become a librarian.
Now back to my studies so that I can make this dream come true!
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Elizabeth Brenda Marshall
CSUN/UNT MLIS Student
Elizabeth Brenda Marshall is the mother of four children, works for the Los Angeles Public Library as a messenger clerk, is a licensed attorney in the State of California, and a graduate student at University of North Texas via the online program, California Cohort, in conjunction with California State University, Northridge. She is a member of CLA, SLA, ALA, and AALL. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Posted on February 18, 2010 9:37 AM | Permalink