You know you want me, R-Squared.

This isn't your ordinary blog. And I am not your ordinary Library Lady.

Yeah, I can rock a bun and chew on the corner of my studious glasses looking thoughtfully across the book stacks.

But I rather not.

I prefer to be surrounded by my peers: being creative and passionate...discussing how we are actively contributing to our library community in fun and innovative ways until we are all giddy and giggly, rolling on the floor like little children. And if you know  (or may be one of them - you know who you are!) the group of Library Peeps I hang with, you would know - we totally rock it.

I started to hear buzz about the R-Squared conference some time ago. It was SO EXCITING! I was one of the first one to jump on that band wagon! They want people who are creative, innovative, passionate, and willing to take a chance and do something out of the box...hey, I am your gal! I threw my name in the hat to volunteer...and quickly found out how much the conference was. For this paralibrarian, a wee bit too much of my conference allowance. Boo.

Then the scholarship showed up. On blogs, on Facebook pages, in library list serves. It was like the R-Squared Gods were calling to me.

"You must do this, Ruby! You are our only hope."

Okay, I lie. That last part was a quote from Star Wars. But you get the picture.

I decided to create this blog and take a stab at the scholarship. I owe it to myself and my peers to make the effort to get to this conference. Over the last several years, I have found myself embracing the path I have chosen more than I ever thought I would or could. For someone who fell into libraries by "accident", I have had the great fortune to meet so many people, do so many things, and collect on so many opportunities it is almost too much to believe sometimes. In turn, I have made it my mission to share my knowledge, express my thoughts and ideas, and gather friendships and colleagues along the way. That is "Continuing Education" the best way it can be earned - an interactive and engaging way of learning and teaching. You can't do that sitting behind a desk shushing people. You have to talk to them.

And it is only the beginning. I am constantly moving, changing, adapting. I want to be the best Library Lady out there. I want to be the one that implements new and exciting changes..who encourages others to step out of their library comfort zone. And to share that knowledge and passion to others.

So I want to go. Pick me, pick me!

What do I have to do? Stand on my head? Juggle? Yeah, I can't do that. But I know that I can use the opportunity to better myself , bring it back to my peers, and share it with my library community. Because let's face it...it is people like me that inspire others to become brave.

Innovative. Creative. Passionate.

LEADERS.

I know, because someone like me helped encourage me...to become me.


And being able to rock a bun and glasses doesn't hurt either.