The end of school

American schools end this month and next.  We'll be off for the summer--until September.  In Minnesota, we do not start prior to Labor Day in most districts.  This is because of our awesome State Fair.  I, too, am done with university for the semester.  Several of my classmates are graduating this next week and I wish them well.  I will be arranging several clinical experiences for the fall semester and will graduate in December.

I have developed a philosophy of education over the years.  Some of it is based on my education and some is based on my experiences with learning.  I believe that American schools do not run long enough.  Now hear me out.  When our country expanded, we were very much an agricultural society.  We had fields of food that needed to be prepped and planted early--April & May--each year.  Throughout the summer, different crops are put in, depending on the growing season.  Then, in late September the harvests start.  Keep in mind many fruits and vegetables are harvested throughout late summer, so again, depending on the crops, harvest may have started sooner than September.  When we were not automated, we needed all hands on deck to work the prep, planting and harvest.  Even after the harvest, there is further prep for the coming winter.  Our farmers worked well into November.

With the advent of automation and farms growing smaller, we do not need the large families and society has demonstrated that over the generations.  We also do not need to hold up school for the planting and harvest.  Put the kids back in school.  Our future generations have moved from agriculture through industry and into the information age.  Their best ally is education.  Many European and South East Asian countries are passing us by in the way of technology and information usage.  We need to catch up and if possible surpass them in order to reclaim our spot at the top.  I don't think we need to be on top, but we do need to be in line with the other countries or we will sink.

GO EDUCATION!!

Jamie Larue, master Librarian

Jamie Larue is a library director in Douglas County, CO. He has written many, many articles and several books about librarianship. One of his many strengths is writing responses to material challenges.

Check out his blog by clicking on the title above. Specifically, check out the articles he references on Oct. 7th. As many know, libraries are once again under attack by the budget monsters. I have colleagues and classmates whose libraries have either frozen salaries or $.00 budgets in schools in MN.

Here is something to think about: are the budget monsters' hearts made like the Grinch's? After reading about an attorney castigating an 11 year library patron and knocking highly educated professionals in the librarian arena, I have to wonder just why another educated person would make such accusations and bold, yet false, statements. Perhaps Shakespeare was right; first kill all the lawyers.

I aspire to be as thoughtful as the librarians I have met. I hope to be as intelligent, well rounded and needed as the ones described in the articles. I hope I'm indispensable to the budget monsters when my time comes around. It's too bad that librarians need to not only do their job, but the jobs of the lawyers--advocacy.

MN Authors & More

Some of my favorite authors write mysteries. In college (undergrad) I discovered Sara Paretsky. GO V.I.!! (She's a lady detective with a 'tude) After college I found many, many other authors--Connelly, Sandford, Patterson, Cook, etc. My mother goes to the bookstore more often than I do, so she's passed along most of the recent authors. Kent Krueger, Sanders, Reichs, and others.

I really prefer the ones that give details on the things behind the scenes. I also like the local authors. Krueger and Sandford are two local authors. I have read John Sanford novels since undergrad. One of his main characters is Lucas Davenport, a Minneapolis cop and eventually a BCA agent. Lucas, unlike most mystery protagonists, has a human side and is less likely to get even. He can swear like a sailor though! Krueger's main character is Corcoran O'Connor, part Anishinaabe, part Irish. He is full of spit and fire, but also has a human side. The humanism in both is integral to the stories, as both men are family oriented, married with children.

This is not to say the other authors are less exciting. Sanders has written since the 1960's. One of his main characters is Edward X. Delaney, Chief of Police NYPD. He is an old time cop, always dressed in full uniform or a formal 3 piece suit. For those that don't know what 3 piece is, it's a matching trouser, suit coat and vest. He also added a pocket watch with fob. Delaney knew his NY and knew the people. He was a thinker and would often put himself in the mind of the criminal to recreate the events and the motives. Paretsky decided on a lady investigator--V.I. Warshawksi, aka Victoria to her family. V.I. worked in Chicago and readers enjoyed her many trips around the Loop.

The appeal of these characters is the place setting and the idea that they could logically deduce the crimes. They knew the people and the cities they worked within. Many of the protagonists are highly intelligent and, like Sherlock Holmes, THINK their way to the conclusion. There are clues and there are coincidences that aid in the solution, but inherent in these characters is the thought process.

Check out some good mystery authors this weekend:
William Kent Krueger's Iron Lake
Lawrence Sander's The First Deady Sin
John Sanford's Rules of Prey