Our Graduates: Hayden Sims

If we lived in an '80s teen movie, Hayden would be the one listed as in the credits as "The Perfessor". He would be the one whose extensive knowledge of Mayan history enabled him to guess the password that got the kids into the thing so they could save the day. Or the guy who's too smart for his own good and never has a date, until the supermodel in glasses shows up at the end of the film. He, well, we're going to run out of space, so I'll let him tell his story:

"I thought I had my whole life planned out in high school. I was going to go to my dream college, be a millionaire by thirty, and be the youngest ever President of the United States at the age of thirty-five (the youngest age one can be president according to the United States Constitution, Article II, Section 1). Then my dream school rejected me and my second-choice school rejected me and my third-choice school rejected me. That left IU, a school I never thought I would actually be going to and a school that I therefore initially resented. I gave up on the millionaire dream and realized I might have to suspend my campaign for a year/decade or two. Now, four years later, I am PROUD to call myself a Hoosier and to be earning an IU degree. I cannot even begin to fully describe how grateful I am for my time here and for everyone I have met and everything I have learned.

The highlight of my time here has undoubtedly been my time working in BSIC. I got hired my second or third day in Bloomington freshman year by Teri and Jeri at the jobs fair and I say a thank you every day for that. As many of you may know, I have a very strict and very complex friendship policy and system in which it takes no fewer than ten years to move from the lowest level (Acquaintance-Level One) to the highest level (BFF). However, my time at IU, specifically my time here at BSIC, has forced me to make several exceptions and promote many of you to “BFF” (except Noah who’s still at “Workplace Associate-Level 2).

I will take the combined weight and influence of my experience here with me to Memphis, TN where I will be teaching Algebra with Teach for America. And who knows, I just may find my way back to Bloomington for law/education/public affairs school in two years.

Okay, I’ve droned on long enough and I know that after four years, several of you (especially Matthew Thomas McGee) are sick and tired of it. However, I want to leave you all with some unsolicited advice because I love listening to myself talk:

·         Don’t be afraid to change your major. And don’t major in something that doesn’t excite you purely for a paycheck. Do what you love and everything else will work itself out.

·         College is about finding yourself. The wise Cole Heller once said, “In college, you get the opportunity to create a life for yourself. You learn about who you are, what you like, and what people you are going to be around the rest of your life.” I would add to this, though, that if you leave college and you still don’t feel that you’ve fully found yourself, that’s okay! Life is an experience, not a blueprint. You’ll continuing to discover and learn new things about yourself after college.

·         If you have the opportunity to study abroad, DO IT! Even if only for a week. You will not regret it. And there’s more money/scholarships out there for it than you think.

·       I wish I could go back in time and tell eighteen-year-old Hayden that it gets better. I wish I could go back and tell him that despite his trepidations, despite his pessimism, he would come to love IU, all of the opportunities it afforded him, and all of the bonds and relationships he would forge along the way. College is hard. Between homesickness and numerous existential crises, I came really close to transferring my freshman year. But it gets better. I promise you it does."

It absolutely does. Hayden used to be one of the shyest members of the staff and now look at him. He is also the only one who gets my jokes. It won't be the same without you, Hayden. Your humor, your love of The Golden Girls, and your knowledge of all things obscure will be very much missed.

Our Graduates: Noah Newkirk

Noah brought the awesome. What did you bring? Noah has been with us since he was a freshman and we have been happy to have him here for all four years of his undergraduate education. At first it seemed that Noah's time here could be divided into eras defined by which member of the staff was picking on him. And then it was defined by what young woman the staff wanted him to date (after Noah found a girlfriend I don't think they knew quite what to do with him). The truth is, all of this was affectionately motivated by the same thing: the fact that Noah is one of the kindest and most easygoing people you could ever meet. That smile you see above is who he really is. Here is what Noah has to say about his time at IU:

"All the Stuffs I Did the Past Four Years:

I spent the last four years getting my undergraduate degrees in Kelley. I focused mainly on business technlogy like Office Suite, database design, and data analysis. I also learned coding languages that are prevalent in business programing/software/systems/etc. I worked a lot of fun jobs, with a focus on retail, where I got to manage eCommmerce platforms, analyze data, and create technology solutions among much more. Part of my time I spent as part of the leadership team of IU's Circle K, a community service organization that is a collegiate branch of Kiwanis. In terms of BUSP/SPEA, I worked at our library for four amazing years! I spent the first two years as a PSA at the front desk then the second two years as everybody's second favorite SCA.

Some Advice From A Wise Sage That I Know (I'm Actually The Wise Sage):

Don't get bogged down only doing what's required to graduate. Please try to follow your passions and branch out into other areas. If there's something you know you love, start doing it as soon as possible. I wish I had gotten more into technology YEARS before I finally did. Also, please learn some sort of coding language if you can!

What's Next for Me:

Next year I'll still be at IU to get my Master's in Information Systems. In fact, I'll still be working shifts at our library from time to time! I'm still unsure where I'll be working full-time after getting my master's, but this upcoming summer I will be working an internship at Grainger in Chicago as part of their eCommerce Engineering team.

Lastly I'd just like to thank Matt, Jeri, Gary, Christina for bringing me on to work here and all my close coworkers who became good friends of mine. This library has been one of my favorite jobs ever. Good luck to everyone else who is graduating and everyone else as you work on getting your degrees! :)"

You're welcome, Noah. We expect you to keep dropping in since you will only be one building over next year!

Our Graduates: Jeff Kerlegrand

Jeff came to us from the Fine Arts library after its doors were shut, coming highly recommended by his former supervisor. There was a brief interview, a firm handshake to seal the deal, and the legend was born. Jeff spent the next two years as the fastest trigger in the Midwest, picking up shifts as fast as his co-workers could post them. As with all legends, myths sprung up around him. He didn’t sleep, some said, spending all his time staring at his phone. Others speculated he had a time machine, which he used to go back before anyone else could grab a given shift. Instead of the other things you could use a time machine for. I don’t know if any of those things are true, but I do know it’s been great having him around. Here is the man in his own words:

“I honestly don’t know where to begin. Luckily, I have been fortunate enough to call the SPEA library home for the last two years.  I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing people one could meet. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better job. During my time here at IU I have been able to make countless memories that I’ll look back on for as long as I live. I will miss the amazing scenery, friendly people, the free food and just all the energy and school spirit of everyone on campus. As far as next steps, I have been fortunate enough to earn a degree in Accounting from the Kelley School and will be working full-time for EY who happens to be a Big 4 Accounting firm. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my many friends including many of you here at the SPEA library. In some way shape or form you have contributed to my success here at IU and I’d like to thank you all for that and the great memories we were able to create!”

Back at you, Jeff.

Our Graduates: Cole Heller

It’s hard to believe Cole came to us as a mid-year replacement just last spring, because it didn’t take any time at all for him to seem like a Business/SPEA veteran. Cole’s easygoing presence, subtle humor, and knowledge of the sportsball will be missed. Here is Cole’s experience at IU in his own words:

“My time here at IU has been extremely valuable in terms of personal growth and perspective. When I got here I had no clear plan for what I wanted to do except get a degree. I took some classes I hated and some I enjoyed before pursuing a degree in Environmental Management. I plan to use this to... well I'm not sure yet, but I'll figure it out as I go. I am actually pretty comfortable saying this because my college experience has been so much more than getting an education.

In college, you get the opportunity to create a life for yourself. You learn about who you are, what you like, and what people you are going to be around the rest of your life. I am a vastly changed person compared to who I was 4 years ago. Before coming to IU, I thought you were supposed to know who you are and have strong opinions. Now I know that the brightest people are constantly changing and learning about anything and everything they can. This can be done by joining a student group, taking random class, reading a book, listening to a podcast, talking to people, and an endless list of other options. My point is, never be 'just fine' with who you are now. Keep looking for new information and experiences that will help you grow.

I think the most important thing I've learned in college is that it's all about the people. As a freshman I thought I was on a mission to make the grades and get the degree. While that is usually important, the most crucial part of school and life is the people. At IU and SPEA I have met lifelong friends and acquaintances. These are people who make it fun to be here. These are people I can always reach out to if I need anything. These are the people that help push you to grow as a person in a variety of unique ways. The people you meet through your life are the ones who will provide opportunities, not a degree.

Finally, a list of random tips:

• meet as many people as you can and build meaningful relationships
• listen to said people
• have as much fun as possible without getting yourself into trouble
• explore anything and everything
• start traditions with your friends (play flag football every year, go out every Thursday night, etc. etc.)
• Get a job at Bus./SPEA Library
• Get an internship after your sophomore and junior year, volunteer, learn skills, build that resume up fast
• challenge yourself constantly
• recognize if you need to change something in your life and then change it while you’re young
• Eat healthy as much as possible
• your roommates are not maids, take care of your stuff
• call your family members, they love it
• steal as much of your mom’s food as possible
• You'll be alright, just keep workin' ”

Cole may not be exactly sure where he’s headed next, but I know he has some leads, and he’s the kind of guy who always lands on his feet. Best of luck, Cole!

"The most important asset of any library goes home at night - the library staff." --Timothy Healy

Today is National Library Workers Day & we would like to THANK all of you for being so awesome and for making the Business/SPEA Information Commons such an awesome place. We are grateful for each of you and for your contributions to the success of our library.

Have a wonderful day!

--Christina, Gary, Jeri & Matt

Popular Business Books Collection

Christina wanted to make a special collection & space highlighting POPULAR BUSINESS BOOKS. This blog post is to let you know about the collection, where it's located, how to recognize the books and how to shelve them.

WHAT IS IT?   It's a collection of books that Christina has considered popular and wants to highlight. Even though it's small now, there may be books added to the collection from time to time.

WHERE IS IT?   At the very beginning of our stacks in the first few sections.

HOW DO I RECOGNIZE THEM?  The books have a piece of green tape on the spine to let you know they should be shelved there.  By the way, they can still be checked out as usual.

CAN THEY BE CHECKED OUT?  Yes, they can be checked out just like any other book.

HOW DO USERS FIND THEM?  In IUCAT & Workflows, the books will have a special shelving location to let you know that they belong there. When users are looking for them, please direct them there. The books should be kept in call # order on the shelves.

If you have any questions, please ask a supervisor.

Thanks so much!

Hello, hello! The blog is back to wish a very special group of people happy birthday and everyone else a Happy Halloween. Our October birthdays are:

Jeff Kerlegrand (October 1st)

Marsha Jean-Baptiste (October 19th)

There will be cookies and candy for the celebration.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!