Back in December I received an email which read:
Dear Jennifer,
"I’m pleased to tell you that your colleagues have nominated you as a Mover & Shaker for 2012...."
Since that time, I've been fumbling my way through a series of utterly surreal events including a photo shoot in Dallas and ending with this week's announcement that I had, in fact, been chosen by Library Journal as a "Mover and Shaker." Throughout it all, I've been trying to figure out how I feel about it. And I'm still not sure I know. Don't get me wrong. I'm completely and utterly humbled. I'm honored, thrilled and, in some ways, intimidated and overwhelmed by it. But, truth be told, I don't feel like a Mover and Shaker. Rather, I just feel really, really lucky because a) I get to do the work I love b) I'm surrounded (in real life and virtually) by BRILLIANT and supportive people and c) I live during a time in human history when sharing and learning with others is incredibly easy.
Even though Library Journal has been honoring librarians with this distinction for 11 years, I think I first became aware of the "Movers and Shakers" program in 2010 when Ernie Cox (a fellow NC TL - at the time anyway) was given the honor. I remember reading about him and thinking "holy cow, this guy is a rock star!" Then, last year, three people I admire greatly were chosen: John Schu, Gwyneth Jones and Buffy Hamilton. To me, these people are school library royalty. They represent the BEST of the best. The cream of the crop. The top of the heap. The pick of the... well, you get my point. Then this year... it's me. Seriously, somebody queue Cookie Monster.
What's really crazy is that if EVER there was a week when I've felt a lot like whatever the opposite of a Mover and Shaker is, it's been this week. Even though I arrived at school on Monday, totally excited about what I'd learned at NCTIES the week before, (and super ready to put some of it to use with my students), I ended up spending much of the week either fixing equipment or apologizing for dropping one of several balls. Not exactly Mover and Shaker material, I fear.
And then the announcement came. And suddenly there were all these people (literally and virtually) tapping me on the shoulder to say congratulations or to share some sweet part of themselves. I gotta say, it's tough to feel sorry for yourself when the whole world seems resolved to make you feel like a rock star.
So... in the end, instead of focusing on the how and the why of this, I’m just determined to enjoy it. One thing is for certain, when I became a librarian I never, ever thought I’d be flying off for photo shoots or finding my mug on the cover of magazines. HOWEVER, I'd be a complete liar if I said it wasn't a thrill, because it totally is! That said, I'm so grateful to be a part of the library community and it's an absolute delight to be recognized for the small ways I've been able to contribute to it. I’m still not 100% sure I know exactly what it means to be a Mover and Shaker, but I sincerely hope I can live up to the title.
