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Stepping Back
Dec. 9th, 2016 08:33 amLast night was the board meeting of Quatrefoil Library. Normally, this would have been a Wyrdsmiths night for me, but shortly after I bowed out, a bunch of people chimed in that they had conflicts and/or ENDED UP IN THE ER, (but that's another story.)
The board meeting was fascinating. One of the things I discovered, listening to people talk, is that many of the other board candidates had put in a lot more people-hours into the organization. One of the other board candidates had been an artist in residence; another had helped with an archival project. And, I thought: what am I doing trying to jump in at the top? Especially when I found out that there were a number of committees that a person could join without being a board member.
What I really want to do for Quatrefoil is physically HELP. You know what I mean? Maybe not staffing the desk (because I think the hours might conflict with my existing library work), but maybe to help build/expand content for their social media or review books for their newsletter or other places where I can link back to them to help raise their profile. I can put out chairs for an event. I can set out snacks or help clean-up. I can help recruit writers and readers. Stuff like that.
I made what I felt like was a good connection to the acquisitions board member, and I'm hoping that, though him, I can find the right kind of committee work for me. Ideally, he and I could work together to really raise people's awareness of Quatrefoil's collection... which is HUGE and expansive and I don't know how many people know that much about them, despite how long they've been in the community. So, if you see me talking them up here, that's all part of my overall goal. :-)
At any rate, I just wrote some follow-up emails to my contacts that hopefully made my continued excitement clear, but explained how humbled I was at the meeting and how much I'd like to work my way up to the position of board member... after paying some real dues.
So, that was last night.
Today... today is starting out slowly. Shawn is out with a migraine. I'm huddled under the blankets because it's so cold outside that the radiators haven't managed to catch up. I'm thinking about writing another pen pal letter. I have about four or five left to write on my list. It's been a little frustrating, if only because I'm such a school girl and I run anxiously to the mailbox every day, hoping to find some new treasure from some stranger overseas. I did get the one, but it's been otherwise silent. I wonder if they give you such a big list, knowing that a lot of people aren't going to follow-through? Or maybe I'm just being anxious and I'm the person down on the list, like the last few stragglers are on my own.
The board meeting was fascinating. One of the things I discovered, listening to people talk, is that many of the other board candidates had put in a lot more people-hours into the organization. One of the other board candidates had been an artist in residence; another had helped with an archival project. And, I thought: what am I doing trying to jump in at the top? Especially when I found out that there were a number of committees that a person could join without being a board member.
What I really want to do for Quatrefoil is physically HELP. You know what I mean? Maybe not staffing the desk (because I think the hours might conflict with my existing library work), but maybe to help build/expand content for their social media or review books for their newsletter or other places where I can link back to them to help raise their profile. I can put out chairs for an event. I can set out snacks or help clean-up. I can help recruit writers and readers. Stuff like that.
I made what I felt like was a good connection to the acquisitions board member, and I'm hoping that, though him, I can find the right kind of committee work for me. Ideally, he and I could work together to really raise people's awareness of Quatrefoil's collection... which is HUGE and expansive and I don't know how many people know that much about them, despite how long they've been in the community. So, if you see me talking them up here, that's all part of my overall goal. :-)
At any rate, I just wrote some follow-up emails to my contacts that hopefully made my continued excitement clear, but explained how humbled I was at the meeting and how much I'd like to work my way up to the position of board member... after paying some real dues.
So, that was last night.
Today... today is starting out slowly. Shawn is out with a migraine. I'm huddled under the blankets because it's so cold outside that the radiators haven't managed to catch up. I'm thinking about writing another pen pal letter. I have about four or five left to write on my list. It's been a little frustrating, if only because I'm such a school girl and I run anxiously to the mailbox every day, hoping to find some new treasure from some stranger overseas. I did get the one, but it's been otherwise silent. I wonder if they give you such a big list, knowing that a lot of people aren't going to follow-through? Or maybe I'm just being anxious and I'm the person down on the list, like the last few stragglers are on my own.