Why We Remember the Alamo

I find myself on Monday afternoon with just a bit of in-between time after the BITE WITH LIRT lunch. I trudge up the staircase from the RiverWalk my backpack heavy with notebooks and files. I find myself face to face with the facade of the Alamo. Why I cross the street to enter the shrine, I'm not sure. I didn't plan to. A small sign outside requests respectful silence from visitors while inside. The day is hot; the adobe coolness washes over me. I wander over to a large bronze placard mounted on the wall, a reproduction of a letter of someone who was at the Alamo. The first person voice eerily places me in the shoes of the embattled. As I roam around the sanctuary, reading bits and pieces of my history, unexpectedly my eyes well up. I'm embarrassed. I'm hoping no one notices my emotions leaking out. I learn bit by bit that many of the men were volunteers, committed to a cause and to its leaders.

Causes and their volunteers are the bread and butter, the great and the small of our traditions. As members of LIRT we support the cause of library instruction in school, public, special, and academic libraries. Granted, we sometimes feel under siege, yet we remain committed to our cause. LIRT depends on its members to further the cause everyday in their own unique ways, mostly unheralded for their efforts. LIRT depends on its volunteers to hold offices and committee appointments to further our cause. We are grateful for the diligence and fortitude of LIRT volunteers.

WHAT? ME VOLUNTEER FOR ONE MORE THING?

"Why LIRT?" I ask myself this question from the first Steering Committee meeting on Saturday morning, through the All Committees meeting, and up to the final Executive Board meeting on Tuesday morning. I am feeling completely overwhelmed by all I must do as Vice-President/President-Elect. "My time is a precious commodity," I remind myself. "I have oodles of obligations and numerous tasks I must do," I chastise. So again, I ask, "Why do I choose to devote my time and energy to the Library Instruction Round Table?"

The resounding answer is that LIRT provides me with a connection to my instructor community. It is where I feel I can make a difference. LIRT members are friendly and helpful. I have grown very fond of BITES WITH LIRT lunches at conferences. I usually attend two. I enjoy the lively conversation and sharing experiences with colleagues from all over the country. Afterward I feel revitalized for the next round of meetings. I get to work on useful tools for front line instruction librarians such as Evaluating Library Instruction; Sample Questions, Forms, and Strategies for Practical Use. I feel great pride in providing this kind of tool for the membership. I hope you do too.