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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Thank you never goes out of style...

Excuse me while I rant just a tiny bit.

Since I started this blog I have occasionally gotten emails from readers wanting some advice. Sometimes it's blog advice, sometimes it's advice on becoming a librarian or choosing a library school. I don't consider myself an expert on any of those things, but I am always happy to share my experiences and help however I can.

And after I've taken time out of my day to write you a thoughtful response, I really appreciate getting a "thank you" email back, even if it's just those two words. Some people have and some people haven't. To the people who have, I thank you for being polite and decent. To the people who haven't, I'd like you to know that it's rude.

I work with kids and we don't always expect kids to remember to say "thank you". In fact, depending on the age of the child, it can be quite a pleasant surprise to hear "Thanks!".

If you are old enough to have email and to read blogs, you are old enough to remember your manners. And if I take the time out of my day to write you a thoughtful response to an unsolicited email, there's no reason why you can't take two minutes to respond and say "Thanks for your advice. It's given me something to think about. And by the way, you are generally awesome." ;)

So if you're considering librarianship or blogging and have questions, I can't guarantee that I can answer your questions, but I will be happy to try. And all that I ask is that you acknowledge that effort with two magic words.