Summer Plans

As a librarian, it is a given that I love to read.  When a story really gets to me, I can immerse myself in that fictional world and get lost in those pages and pages of prose.  Some novels are just so good that I am sad when I reach the end and I have to bid adieu to the characters and the world that I have come to love.  The most recent instance of that came when I read and finished The Iris Fan by Laura Joh Rowland.  This was the final title in the Sano Ichiro mystery series, and it was a bittersweet moment when it finally ended.  For years, I'd been reading that series of mysteries that took place in feudal Japan.  It was like saying good-bye to old friends when I got to the last page.  This photo is a small sampling of my summer reading list.  In the summer, it is customary for me to choose novels that I want to read, as opposed to stuff I should read (for making sound purchases for the library's collections, or for recommending titles to our public library patrons, for example). Not pictured but definitely on my reading list this summer are also tons of manga titles.

Also on my reading list but not in the photo are the titles I picked out through my Kindle app on my phone, and downloaded e-book titles from the library's Overdrive app.  I have to admit that I am a reluctant e-book reader.  I think it's a great idea in theory, but reading all those words are hard on my eyes.  I can't read e-books for very long, so it takes me much longer to finish a downloaded e-book on my phone.  Maybe I can read an e-book for 10 minutes at a time versus hours for a print book.  I'm sure staring at a tiny screen for a long time isn't healthy for one's eyes anyway.  My optometrist told me that the use of smartphones and tablets is the reason why more and more younger kids these days are needing glasses.  He said that  staring at small screens changes the shape of your eyeball, so doing that for long periods of time each day isn't such a good idea.  I have bad vision, I'm really nearsighted, and I like to read, so I'm sure there is some truth to that.

My supervisor at work is temporarily assigned to another branch.  She voluntarily took the transfer, it is unknown how long she'll be out there.  I'm a little upset about this because we are now to cover the loose ends she left behind.  We're short-staffed, I'm busy with the library's summer reading program, and just generally irritated with this.  It was a sudden transfer, we weren't given enough lead time to prepare--she only informed the staff two days before she left for the other library.  So we weren't adequately trained on what we need to do.  It's very much a learn-as-you-go and wing-it type of situation here.  My co-worker is temporarily assigned to my supervisor's position and he's getting more pay now, however...he's not doing any additional duties.  I'm expected to pick up more of the duties that he's supposed to do but isn't and I just don't see how that's fair.  More work but no additional compensation?  Hmmm.  I'm nice up to a point, and as long as things are fair, I will work hard.  If you take advantage of me however, my teeth and claws will come out.