Happy 8th Anniversary Stand-Up Librarian!

Library before (2015) and after (2018). 

In this eighth year of Stand-Up Librarian, I am wrapping things up at the library and trying to decide how to move forward.  I admit to being slightly lost and confused as I have gotten away from performing and writing – things I always thought were pretty important to me – and instead, allowed my on-again/off-again job at the library and my on-again/off-again relationship with my boyfriend to both occupy most of my time. It’s understandable I guess, you think something is done and you start to shift gears and then they pull you back in for one reason or another.  However, now as I sit here for my once a year post, I am ready to put myself first again. I’m just not sure how to do it anymore. I guess I will get back to you next year with the results.

Completing the Gracegate Library this year was quite the accomplishment for so many reasons - most of which weren't included in the two articles written about us (but thanks again to the Tampa Bay Times and Tampa Bay Newspapers for their wonderful pieces.)  After all, the library was my work – every item catalogued, labeled, shelved and loved by me - so as a result, I had become pretty attached to the place over the past three years.  But despite my hopes to have a future here with the place full of people - ideas and plans I offered my boss numerous times as my background is in public relations, event planning and literary/library programs! - he reminded me over and over that he only hired me to catalogue and assemble the library, making it clear to me my work was done...or until he calls me to catalog more things he bought.  Not exactly a gig you can build your life around, right?  So as I put the signage on the walls and made sure all 10,873 items were perfectly in place on the shelves, I took a few photos and walked out the door.  What happened to the place wasn’t up to me anymore.  Like a lot of things in my life right now, I needed to put the experience in the archives and move on.

Thanks to having pretty consistent work for several years, I finally had enough money saved to take my dream vacation to London to celebrate my birthday last October…and I did it alone and it was literary awesome!  I had gotten my Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play ticket almost two years before and booked a tour to visit the film sets in person and both were as magical as this muggle anticipated.  The British Library launched their exhibit Harry Potter: A History of Magic the day before my birthday and as a aspiring writer, what a thrill it was to see J.K. Rowling’s manuscripts and handwritten plans in person.  Of course, I visited the Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickens museums and had drinks, dinners, and walking tours at so many literary spots. Tea parties at Claridges, Browns and Mr. Foggs were must dos as was seeing my favorite British comedian Ricky Gervais.  It was all a reminder that being alone really isn't so bad after all.

 

Two other things that have brought me incredible joy over the past year are my cat Finnegan and scuba diving.  

Finn continues to be the best cat ever as he loves the outdoors walking on his leash, spending time with his dog friends and tolerates me putting him in costumes at the holidays.  He truly is a model cat and not just because he works as one showing off my pet harnesses and bow ties at my Etsy shop (my best seller being the Fantastic Beasts harness – thank you my fellow Harry Potter fans!)    

Getting certified in scuba back in March of 2017 was something I had wanted to do for years and now I wonder why I hesitated - I absolutely love it!  In the past year, I have done some twenty dives all around Florida and found beautiful seashells and swam with sharks, sea turtles, and even a Goliath grouper larger than me!  I hope I can continue to explore our oceans for many years to come.  Maybe someone is looking for a Scuba Diving Librarian?  Now that would be cool.

So for now, I will get back to applying for library jobs, sewing my literary (and scuba diving) fashions, and writing a new book (not to mention, editing the one that has been done for years...what a procrastinator, huh? haha)  

As always, thanks for joining me on this journey and as the great Charles Dickens' wrote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

Meredith

Happy 7th Anniversary StandUpLibrarian.com!

Seven years has gone by since creating Stand-Up Librarian, and did I celebrate? No. I worked at the library and went to bed early. Now I know how married people must feel. In the beginning, it's all champagne toasts and blog posts but after seven years, you are just grateful to still be around. 

And I am!

I've been working at the library for over two years now, spending the past year cataloging DVDs, Blu-ray discs, vinyl records, and as of this week, I start working on the CDs.  That's like over 5,000 items!  And the cool thing is I have done most them from home on a laptop computer.  Oh, the perks of technology.

Stand-Up Librarian Designs is going great as well.  Thanks to adopting an adorable cat that likes to walk on a leash (more on that below), I started making pet accessories!  And my Finn is the perfect model.

 

I am also very proud to share - in honor of this 7th anniversary - my first ever jewelry item! A personalized open book sterling silver pendant that I designed and made in the library jewelry workshop. Yep, my library is very special in so many ways, this being one of them. It is now available at my Etsy shop.

I've still been working on the book but not as much as I hoped with having a full-time library job and fashion business to keep me busy. I did however go back to the Eckerd College Writers in Paradise Writers Conference in January and work on my manuscript with the incredible author Ann Hood. I learned a lot from her and my classmates and from their input, I hope to make some changes that are necessary to prepare it more for publication.

Finally, the most important thing I did in the last year is adopt my sweet cat Finnegan Butterbeer C.K.  named after authors James Joyce (Finnegan's Wake) and J.K. Rowling (butterbeer being my favorite thing in Harry Potter), and my fellow ginger comedian Louis C.K.  Finn has truly added to my life in so many ways from inspiring me to create new things in my accessory line (and many costumes for us to wear!) to teaching me the responsibility of being a parent and most importantly, giving me the unconditional love, companionship and laughter that I so desperately need.  That's not to say that I don't get that from my on and off boyfriend that I have had for almost two years, but when you work mostly by yourself and from home cataloging, sewing, and writing, it can at times be extremely lonely and isolating.  Finn has kept me company by either sitting next to me at my sewing desk or in the box of library materials as I catalog.  Of course, he spends most of his time in the library, sleeping in his book box under my card catalog and even has his own special section where he keeps his book scratching post and all of his cat books. He has absolutely become my muse and I hope to incorporate him in future library events when I have the time to do them again.  Yes, I miss performing very much and I hope when the time is right that I will be back to doing it.

 

For now, I am just so happy that after seven long years, I am still here. If only once a year on the blog but always, always standing up for libraries. I am grateful to be a librarian but nothing makes me prouder than being a Stand-Up Librarian. A word I created seven years ago for a job that just didn't exist until I decided libraries needed one. Thanks again to those who believed in me when nobody else did.  

To stay in touch with what I am up to, you can find me (and Finnegan) on Instagram (Me: @standuplibrarian Finn: @finneganbutterbeerck )which is where I spend most of my time online these days.

Have a great summer!

Meredith
Crazy Cat Lady & Stand-Up Librarian

     

Happy 5th Anniversary StandUpLibrarian.com!

“I look at all of the things I have accomplished over the past four years as the Stand-Up Librarian from performances and events to literary purses and parody songs, but the two things I wanted more than anything else was to be hired as a librarian at a library and to finish writing my book!”

–  Me, last year on this exact date.

Me today:

Professional Librarian!

Finished writing book!

I should have also said “...and win the lottery” because here I am one year later with both dreams accomplished and all it took was a little patience. 

Okay, a lot of patience! 

Five years after graduating with my Masters degree and I was finally hired and started working last week as a professional librarian.  And the best part of all was that I didn’t have to fill out a lengthy online application or submit a resume.  I just answered an email, took a tour of the library, and said yes.  It was that easy.  Oh, and spend the last five years busting my ass so I could be ready when the opportunity eventually presented itself.  You see, I got the job not because I was a librarian, but because I was also the Stand-Up Librarian!  Or just had cute bookmarks, I'm not exactly sure.  Anyway,  I was approached at an event over a year ago about this job & it turned out the guy was serious!  Which makes me realize that wearing an outfit made entirely out of books doesn’t make me look crazy at all, but in fact, qualified!!!  But seriously, every single experience from the start of this idea I had five years ago to working as an intern, volunteer, assistant and library page, has led me to develop the skills that would prepare me for this very moment.  My job is to catalog the most beautiful library I have ever seen.  Thousands of books, DVDs, and other materials, sit in boxes waiting to be cataloged, covered in plastic covers, and shelved by call numbers, all without a staff!  Huh?  Wait a minute...  Still, to help build such a library (and be employed), is a dream come true.

Well, one of them, anyway.  The other dream is to be a published author.  And I am getting very close! 

Last September, I finally finished writing a book filled with all of my crazy stories since deciding to become a librarian ten years ago.  Only now, thanks to my new job, I finally have my ending!  As I edit the manuscript and target agents for representation and publishers for publication, I really hope that perhaps next year, I can again be writing on here that yet another dream has been realized.  Having dreams is what truly keeps me going.

But dreams are not enough. 

It is because of so many people over the past five years that my dreams for Stand-Up Librarian are coming true.  Thank you so much to the librarians and book lovers who have hired me to perform my literary comedy shows at your libraries and bookstores, and to host your events and fundraisers.  Thanks to the fabulous folks who have purchased my literary fashion accessories at my shows and my Etsy shop.  Thank you to the press people who have shared my story and promoted my shows and appearances, making me grateful that not every media outlet wants to cover the Kardashians.  Thanks of course, to my awesome editors at Creative Loafing Tampa for enabling me to become a better writer as a result of my reporting on such awesome events as the opening of Universal Orlando’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – DiagonAlley.  Seriously, that was one incredible week of free butter beer!  To my family and friends who have stuck by me during the struggles and heartbreak of the early years by offering me places to stay when on the road or needing a shoulder to cry on when it seemed so many people just didn’t understand what I was trying to do – THANK YOU.  Lastly, to the unemployed librarians who feel lost, hopeless and want to quit…don’t.  I’ve got just the book for you if you can wait a little longer for me to get it to you.  If you can’t, start reading this blog from the beginning.  My advice is this: don’t doubt yourself.  The adventures ahead of you are endless if you just stand-up and try.

Stand-Up Librarian Meredith Myers 2015
Professional Librarian. Comedian. Designer. Writer. Publicist.
Advocate.

DIY - The Power of YOU!

It was just last month that I celebrated my one year anniversary with The Home Depot.  I had originally applied there because they were one of the few companies that offered part-time employees health benefits (plus the single girl in me thought it might also be a great way to meet some dudes! ha ha)  So while the men turned out to be either crazy or already married and the health benefits went away at the end of the year due to Obamacare, I found that the one thing The Home Depot kept giving me was the opportunity to work as a librarian!

 

Starting out as a Cashier was like working the circulation desk, making sure each patron found everything they needed in the store and giving them great customer service. 

Circulation Desk, Los Feliz Library, 2009

Cashier, The Home Depot, 2013

Then as a Greeter, it was like working the reference desk, assisting patrons with information and helping them find certain products in the store.  Then if we didn't have it, showing them how easy it was to use the in-store computer to find it online.  Plus I was able to wear all of my fun outfits!  I actually got my first Homer award because a woman wrote in saying how much she loved them. 

Reference Desk, Los Feliz Library, 2009

Greeter, The Home Depot, 2013

In leading the Kids Workshop on the first Saturday of every month, I was like a Children's Librarian doing fun arts & crafts with the kids, while teaching them how to hold hammers and express themselves through paint. 

Children's Program, Los Feliz Library, 2009

Kids Workshop, The Home Depot, 2013

As Captain of the Do-It Herself Workshop, it was like book club but instead of books, we discuss how to use power tools to build storage trunks or the purpose of grouting tile for that fabulous floor.  In place of free bookmarks, the ladies get DIH gift bags and are able to take home all of the projects they make - for free!

Book Club, 2012

Do-It Herself Workshop, The Home Depot, 2014

Now as a Paint Sales Associate, I've not only learned more about the differences in paint and stains, but I've applied that knowledge to my library renovations at home!  Thanks to my experiences at The Home Depot, my card catalogue is truly one-of-a kind...a checkerboard effect to represent both the librarian and the comedian, and holds all of my sewing supplies for my literary fashion business.

Card Catalogue - Before

Card Catalogue - During

Card Catalogue - Today

The point is...I am a librarian and I will always be a librarian no matter where I work.  In addition to my job at The Home Depot, I am also a librarian promoting libraries and literacy in my literary comedy shows.  The audience are my patrons and the stage is my reference desk.  When you open yourself up to experiences outside of your comfort zone, you will always see the results in ways you never imagined.  Just last week, I performed my first non-literary parody song "The Power of Tools" and told jokes inspired by my experiences working in home improvement.  I certainly never imagined that would ever happen!  But if there is one thing I have learned over this last year it is this - YOU HAVE THE POWER so stop waiting for others to help you or realize your potential, just DO IT YOURSELF!   

Performing some home improvement comedy & "The Power of Tools" 

live at ARTpool Gallery on April 12th. For a direct link, click here.