2021: A Big Change Recap

We’re just a few days into 2022 so I think it’s still cool for me to post about my 2021. As I wrapped up my first semester as a department head in a new library, I thought about the Twitter thread I posted at the end of 2020.

Specifically, the second tweet in this thread: 

“This was probably my most challenging year as a librarian. I think most of my frustrations were ones I had simmering but the pandemic simply brought them into focus. Simply put, institutional obstacles (in many shapes and sizes) challenged me this year.” 

I entered 2021 with the intention of making a change. I felt physically confined from the pandemic and mentally confined by the structures I tried to work within my previous role. I had watched so many close friends go through life milestones in 2020 and felt something inside of me saying, “Hailley, it’s your turn now.” I don’t think I realized that change could include applying, interviewing, and accepting a whole new job. But that’s what I ended up doing. As I said to multiple friends throughout the year when trying something, “I’ve gotta shoot my shot.” 

In a lot of ways, the first six months of 2021 flew by. Work had a rhythm, pandemic or not. We decided on interns to hire for the upcoming year, spotlighted our student employees during our annual showcase, and gave out our Information Literacy award at undergraduate research exhibitions. I scheduled meetings, created agendas, met with students, and continued with my daily walks around my neighborhood. 

Outside of the work rhythms, I applied for my current position in April and had an offer by June. In early July, I was driving to Cincinnati to find a new apartment and by late July, I had packed up my apartment in State College and attempted to tie as many loose ends as I could. In the midst of this huge transition, LibParlor got the news we received an IMLS grant, I cycled off an undergraduate research curriculum project I was proud of (and am cheering on from KY), and my first major article on mapping the student engagement journey was published. 

Then it was time to start a new job, as a department head. 

I jumped into an institution full of history, with so many projects happening in all pockets of campus. I learned I’m fortunate to be a part of a team of collaborative librarians, all who bring their expertise and experiences into their positions. I got to spend my first semester learning, collaboratively building out Education & Outreach Services (our department), and conducting visioning work for reference services and our library informatics bachelor's degree program. My day-to-day work definitely changed and I felt challenged, yet able to stretch and grow into the role. I was fortunate to have other new colleagues as confidants and work friends, and we supported each other in our work transitions.  

Now that’s not to say there weren't obstacles. In 2020, I thought a lot about power dynamics; in 2021 I thought about how we often equate experience = years in the profession. When we do that, we have to ask, “What do we lose by focusing solely on that one-to-one ratio?” Experience (for me) is a collection of time, experiences, skills, and perspectives. What I experienced this fall reminded me of conversations I had in graduate school around expertise. What I learned is that part of showcasing your experience is not only being able to articulate what you’ve done in the past, but actually stepping up to the plate and showing others what you can do. 

Beyond work, I leaned into living in a new location. For those that might not know, I love Cincinnati (after a visit in 2019 where I felt like this city was legit). In addition to exploring Cincinnati, I also got the chance to see northern Kentucky. I fell in love with a local pretzel shop and discovered the pros of living in a place where you can walk to get food, drinks, local gifts, coffee, manicures, and more. I got back into dating and used first dates as a way to check out new spots with new people. 

And of course, 2021 was a solid year because of the wonderful people I get to call my friends. Big friendships have been crucial for me surviving this pandemic and I even devoted an ACRLog post this fall around work friendships. Near or far, I had a tight knit group of folks who supported me in the job search, cheered me on during the tough and exciting times, and really made 2021 fun. I even got to see a few of them IRL this year (and hopefully many more in 2022). I couldn’t have done all that I did without them. 

The last tweet in my 2020 recap thread said “I'm not sure what 2021 will bring but I'm looking forward to spending the last two weeks of 2020 away from the work laptop. The work will be there in the new year.” As I get ready to reopen that work laptop tomorrow, I’m also not sure what 2022 will bring. But I know I am calm and ready for whatever might come my way. This afternoon, I went for a walk along the levee and for the first time since moving to northern Kentucky almost six months ago, I felt settled. Walks have been such a crucial part for me making it through this pandemic and it felt good to have a new route in this new year.

Teleworking Diaries: Week Three

Another week in my apartment down, and an unknown number of weeks left. It was a week that felt more routine. Tuesday was once again not a great day, and there was still a sense of relief when Friday rolled around. I got some good news and despite the unknown, there’s now a more defined path with my research agenda. Gotta take the small victories when I can.

What I learned this week was that I like to have control over aspects of my days and weeks. There are moments in all of this uncertainty that I can define. For me, that’s starting my day with a Sydney workout, drinking Canoe Creek coffee while munching on an English muffin, and easing into my work day. The work day itself is its own can of worms, sometimes full of meetings and other times, an opportunity to dive deeply into projects. But at 5 PM, things are done, and I close my laptop, move my monitor off my table, and go for a walk. Each day I notice something different about my neighborhood and the walk makes me relax and leave work stress behind. Which is key these days since work is in my apartment. Once I’m back home, I can tackle dinner, dabble in my embroidery project, or prepare for a Zoom chat.

I’ve also started some regular hangs, Bachelor night on Mondays, stitching on Saturday afternoons, and early morning Sunday walks. Each time I add an event to my calendar, it helps to make my apartment feel less contained. Connected and optimistic that one day we’ll be hanging out in person.

This weekend I had to cancel my two trips in April. It was tough to admit that I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. A year ago I was traveling every weekend in April. It seemed so tough to be away, but that’s hindsight of course. In some ways, I feel each week represents the emotional spectrum I dealt with in winter 2018 when I spent 20 hours in my car, alone, on I-80. There are moments of clarity, moments thinking this will never end, and always a hope that you’ll get to move your car a little further down the highway. I hope those moments of clarity will continue, and perhaps begin to overshadow the doubt that we’ll never leave

Teleworking Diaries: Week Two

Last week, I blogged about my first week of teleworking over at ACRLog. The goal of that post was to document a moment. I figured I could keep documenting teleworking here on my blog. Plus, with all this time on my hands, blogging regularly gives me a chance to update my website. 

10 days of teleworking complete. My picture of the day continues, and it gives me a reason to try new outfit combinations. Tuesday was the low point of the week, and reminded me of 2 AM that one time I was stuck in my car on I-80. On Wednesday, in an effort to renew my spirits, I put on my favorite jumper and wore tights. For me, putting on my normal outfits keeps me as focused as I can be at this moment. If I wear sweats, I am guaranteed to just pick at my work, like I might do on a weekend when I need to get a few things done. Part of my mindset for this telework is having boundaries and I’ve realized that my work outfits can be a boundary. 

I also ended each day with a walk around my neighborhood. It’s something to look forward to, a time to listen to my favorite tunes, and to create some distance after work. I felt surprisingly busy after work, catching up with friends, going to virtual clarinet choir, and stitching. Tonight I’m doing virtual bingo, which is an experience. I mean, I love bingo, but usually I think of bingo in early June, in a big tent on wooden benches with corn kernels as our markers. Not something I play in my apartment. But these are weird times. 

What was the most calming this week were the moments where things felt normal. For example, the LibParlor gals are already used to being long distance friends over technology. Sure, our Marco Polo videos are a little more frequent, but we know how to communicate. There’s something comforting about that and it helps to keep all the non-normal stuff in perspective. 

Today, as we bantered in Zoom rooms before meetings started, the question of “What are you doing this weekend?” came up. Everyone grinned at that question, “Nothing” was a common answer. This feels like a common response for the next couple of weeks. I’m trying to find ways to add excitement to these days, aka I’m going to build a fort. Stay tuned. 


See you in another Zoom room! 

2019 Recap & 2020 Intentions

On January 2, I went back to work. The library was quiet, since it didn’t open until noon. I made a handful of lists, checked off some tasks, and got use to writing 20 instead of 19. It feels good to ease into this new year. Classes didn’t start until this past week, January 13, giving me far more time than the past few years to gear up .

2019 was a decent year. My top nine Instagram posts are below, mainly of me, in various parts of the United States. I leaned into taking selfies: on the beach, with my new embroidered shirt, and in Cincinnati with a cup of coffee. I felt like I wanted to document me. I did more travel this past year, to places to see friends, to grow as a librarian and researcher, and to celebrate good things. My little sister graduate from college and got a job! I got more comfortable with doing life by myself, but usually in the pursuit of meeting up with close friends. Or, sometimes, I got more comfortable going to things by myself because I want to see a volleyball game or see a movie. 2019 was about feeling less reliant on others to do things I wanted to do.

2019 also brought me to embroidery. It’s a hobby that taught me to be still and to hold space for doing something I enjoy. And my walls are decorated with my hard work. It’s a hobby that brought me closer to my friends and to my grandma. Embroidery also pairs well with baking, my well-established hobby. I made my signature Andes Mint cookies, for the 15th year, so I’m definitely in it to win it.

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Of course, 2019 had it low points. Some death, some heartbreak, and some soul searching. I made big strides in the midst of all of that, and I’m happy where I am as we enter 2020.

But now it’s a new year and of course, the normal wave of resolutions, goals, intentions, and whatever else we call our plans. I’ve got a couple brewing that I wanted to share.

Leave the work laptop at work

I’ve never been one to hold firm boundaries. Things bleed from work into personal life and vice versa. I have never been good at estimating the actual amount of time it will take me to do something. Recently, I’ve told myself all these things about how if I take my work laptop home, I’ll get more work done, after hours. But usually I lug the technology home and never take it out of my backpack until I’m at work the next day. Work can wait and I think the more I leave my work at work, I can maintain that boundary.

Learn how to be a better teacher

This semester I get the chance to teach a full-semester, credit-bearing class. I’m excited to learn this semester, both from the students in the course, my co-teacher, and from myself. I know I’m not a perfect instructor and I look forward to strengthening my practice. I’m also curious at how this sustain teaching will impact my one-shot instruction. I’ve wanted to teach a full class for a long time, so I’m happy to have the chance to do that in 2020.

Travel for fun

I’ve got a few trips on the books for 2020. I’m so thankful to be at a place in my life where I can travel to see friends. We’ve scattered ourselves across the United States and while we are good with phone calls, Marco Polos, and Facetime, it’s nice to be in the same place every once in a while.

Hold space for hobbies

In respecting boundaries like leaving my work laptop at work, it gives me the space to pursue my hobbies. Beyond embroidery, I’m playing the clarinet, baking, reading, and starting soon, learning improv! Giving space for these things allow me to use my creative side and problem solve in a new way.

Itching to stitch

Did you know that July 30 is World Embroidery Day? I stumbled across it on Instagram, and with a little digging, learned a bit more. The first World Embroidery Day was in Sweden in 2011, started by the Swedish Embroidery Guild. In my research process, I discovered the manifesto for World Embroidery Day. While only a single page, I think it really sums up why I’ve been drawn to embroidery. There’s a sense of calm when I work on a project, a way time passes so quickly, and also a camaraderie, since I started it alongside friends and my grandma.

This seems like the perfect day for a post about getting started with embroidery. Showcasing my projects on Instagram and Twitter has garnered some attention and I wanted to more widely share how I got started, people I look up to, and resources if you want to give it a try!

My first embroidery project, a little more than halfway finished, June 2019.

My first embroidery project, a little more than halfway finished, June 2019.

Getting a kit is a great place to start, if you’re interested in trying out embroidery. What’s great about a kit is that it will give you the necessary supplies (fabric/pattern, floss, a hoop, and a needle) along with an instruction book that will introduce to you the basic stitches. Etsy and Instagram are great places to discover kits. I’m partial to Cozy Blue, since she provided my first pattern. What I loved about the Be Still pattern is that when I opened the kit, it felt achievable and I felt welcomed to the craft.

As I got started, I relied on YouTube videos to learn some of the more complicated stitches. I’m a visual person, so it helped to have a video to watch how the needle moved. Not everyone might need the videos, so there are plenty of great blogs out there with images on stitches.

Now you might be thinking, how on earth do you not lose your needle? That’s where the infamous needleminder comes in. A needleminder is simply a magnet that you can put on your fabric and it keeps your needle close. Etsy has so many shops that sell needleminders; I found a cute little bike from Flamingo Toes that I adore. While this probably isn’t a necessity to getting started with embroidery, it is a handy tool to have.

My first four embroidery projects, July 2019.

My first four embroidery projects, July 2019.

Once you get started and have your first project under your belt, many possibilities exist for next steps. Many shops sell either PDFs or printed patterns that you can purchase; DMC has a robust selection of free patterns, just waiting to be stitched on something. Floss can be purchased at a craft store like Michaels or through DMC directly. Instagram has kept me and my gals very inspired; we have high hopes for future tote bags and denim skirts filled with satin stitches and other floral arrangements. For me, I loved Cozy Blue so much, I signed up for her monthly stitch club. At the start of each month, I get a new pattern and a set of floss. So far, it has been nice to have a pattern coming each month, and gives me a goal to work towards. There’s also a nice little community on Instagram, so it’s fun to see how other people interpret the pattern and what stitches they choose!

Finally, every good project needs a way to be displayed. I’ve relied on books like Hoop Dreams to help guide some of that post-project work. I also recently purchased some beautiful frames from Stitch Life Studio, which have been a lovely addition to my apartment wall.

My new wall, filled with my embroidery projects.

My new wall, filled with my embroidery projects.

Even though I started this hobby a few months ago, I feel like I’m stitching for the long haul. If you stitch or get started with embroidery, let me know. I really love to see what others create in this community.