Speak Out With Your Geek Out: Library Style

Readers of this blog know that I fly my nerd flag high. I'm a comic-book-reading, video-game-playing, Chewbacca-obsession-having kind of gal. So, when I learned about "Speak Out With Your Geek Out," I knew I had to get in on the action.

Here's my contribution to this event, a list of 10 things I love about being both a nerd and a librarian:

I love it because...

1. I'm in good company. A lot of librarians I know, both in person and online, are big nerds just like me. For instance, a colleague of mine has a Games Workshop poster up in his office.
2. Being a nerd gives me another way to connect with members of my community. Just this week, Cthulu (specifically John Kovalic's My Little Cthulu) and James Hance's "Wookie the Chew" helped me win over a senior communication major.
3. It's part of my job to manage a graphic novel collection.
4. Being in charge of a graphic novel collection has gotten me some fabulous swag from comics and manga publishers.
5. Further, I got to vote in the Eisner Awards since I'm a librarian who manages a graphic novel collection.
6. I regularly run programs at my library that are nerd-centric. Video game tournament? Done it. Humans vs. Zombies? Done it before and planning to do it again.
7. While planning for Humans vs. Zombies, I get to say things like, "Don't forget to bring your freeze grenade," in meetings and nobody laughs at me.
8. I'm in the process of writing a paper about one of my nerd-centric programs. I'll be presenting at a conference later this year.
9. The dungeon master for one of the regular games on campus comes to me for advice on designing his campaigns. (I showed him The Dictionary of Imaginary Places and his eyes almost popped out of his head.)
10. Finally, the best thing about being both a nerd and an academic librarian: owning my nerd publicly on campus sets an example for the students with whom I work. I am who I am, and I'm obviously happy being who I am. I know  it helps some students let their nerd (or whatever other qualities might embarrass them) show.