5: Reference: The Chase Calendar, Pyramids of Sandwiches, and the Fear of Public Speaking

I had one general reference class and it was taught by a local library director. She was so dedicated, so knowledgeable, so wise, so hardworking, and so kind, that I feel affection for her to this day.

She brought tome after tome after tome of heavy, glossy hardcover books to exemplify her points. She hauled them in multiple wheelie carts class after class. A little bit of everything: the Chase Calendar which is an endlessly entertaining list of things such as National Pickle Day and every anniversary under the sun, Chiltons – a car repair and maintenance guide in a gazillion enormous volumes, the Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, World Book (which we would compare with Encyclopedia Britannica), a collection of dictionaries which we examined for minute differences. AND WE CARED ABOUT MINUTE DIFFERENCES AMONG DICTIONARIES.

Yes, these books are almost all online now. In 2004, we were still using paper, at least in class. I only had a few library classes in a computer lab.

Like many of my courses, the students were made up mostly of people like me: adult women going back to school. We had spouses, children, jobs, homes, and the other responsibilities that come with being a part of our communities. But that winter, for three hours every Monday night at 6 pm for 20 weeks, we came together to learn reference. Many of us had already worked a full shift that day. It was dinner time. None of us was going to get home before 9:00. And we were determined to make it as pleasant as possible.

Maybe the prof started it? A tray of candy, perhaps? It quickly ballooned. Shortly after the semester began, students were bringing in food to share.

Every week, week after week, an entire table was devoted to the food we brought. There was no sign up sheet. Nothing was organized. And we all ate dinner together while Laurie walked us carefully through the finer points of reference service.

As part of our education, the director of the program, Dr. Mika, and the staff at Wayne State, had determined that all students would have public speaking experience. I learned about this requirement early and decided to cowboy up. On the night that I was due to give a solo presentation, I was nervous but prepared. Walking in that night, I saw a classmate who was due to present as well.

“Are you ready?” I asked her.

“I can read my slides as well as you all can,” she replied casually.

Casually? I was appalled.

I respected the prof and the department. And I’d literally sweated over this presentation. I had practiced it down to within 10 seconds of our five minute assignment by getting on an elliptical trainer and resetting the timer with each run-through. In fact, it was memorized. That was the only way I could get over my nerves, stand in front of my classmates alone, and not dissolve.

I made a point of practicing public speaking throughout my three years at Wayne State. And that practice was essential experience for my professional life. I’ve gone on to make a lot of presentations, to groups large and small. It wouldn’t have happened without the push from the department at WSU. I wouldn’t have gotten over my fear.

Secret? Just between us? I still memorize my presentations. I even memorize day-long workshops. I even memorize my jokes. Hey, whatever it takes.