Labor Day

Man works from sun to sun, but LIBRARIAN'S work is never done. At least, that's what I tell my staff regularly when we have to open the library on labor day, which we have to do every year! There are some classes that are held, plus our goal is to be open when students are on campus and might want to come in to study, read, or do research.

Labor Day was started to honor workers, but it seems to me that that purpose has almost gotten lost in the emphasis on it being the last fling before school and winter take over our lives. Of course, here in South Carolina, at least, school has almost never, if ever, started after Labor Day, so we've always already started down that fall road anyway!

But, in honor of the true meaning of Labor Day, I waould say there are some laborers among us that don't get much glory, so let's honor them. For example:
*The food service workers in our campus dining facility. How many times do we thank the one who chops the lettuce for the salad bar every day? Do you even know that person's name?
*The student worker who cleans the library restrooms. I know the work has been done because the place is clean when I come in every morning. But with the semester a week old now, I have yet to see that person, much less know their name (they are employed by the Physical Plant, not the library). Thank you, whoever you are!
*The person who loads the paper into the copy machines. What a thankless task, yet if they have not done their job, you certainly know it!!
*The library worker who puts the bar code on the book that you want to check out. Hey, that's one of US!! Thank you, Flor Oamil...
*Keeps the list of electronic databases up-to-date on the library web site. If that weren't done, you might try to log on unsuccessfully. Hey, that's one of US, too! Thank you, Stephanie Solomon!

There are a lot of unthanked workers all around the campus, not the least of whom are (selfishly speaking) librarians. I am appalled at times at the number of students who have no idea who I am! But my reward is in heaven... I'm counting on that. In the meantime, I am going to take Labor Day off.