Aug. 31 - Sept. 3 (1st week)

My first week at the Katrina Research Center (KRC) was an initiation, and set the theme for the rest of the Fall semester. I realized immediately that Shugana Williams, my practicum advisor, was a very talented and multi-faceted individual who was involved in a balancing act of about 6 or 7 current operations being conducted at the KRC. I was glad to jump right in and help as much as I possibly could.

Dr. Deanne Nuwer, who I had previously known from USM while getting my BA in History, works with Shugana as the director of KRC. I honestly don't see how these two people do it. I have only had a small taste of the operations happening right now, while they are planning up to 6 months ahead and balancing teaching, exhibits, and donor operations. The KRC is housed on the 3rd floor of the Gulf Coast Library at USM's Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach, MS. It seems to perfectly fit into the library, and integrates into current library operations. The KRC is fully donor-based, which is the distinction between the KRC and the library which houses it.

Currently, I am helping at the KRC reference desk and learning about the methodology of creating and sustaining exhibits. My first week was a bit like jumping into an ocean hoping that a life raft was somewhere around, but everything worked itself out due to an ample amount of understanding by Shugana.

The current operations that Shugana has me helping with are:

• Finding publishers to donate monographs to the KRC regarding the oil spill in the Gulf.
• Transcribing emails from guest logs to add to a current mailing list
• Preparing photographs on art blocks with blurbs for a current oil spill themed display on the ground floor of the library.
• Helping take down exhibits in preparation for new ones
• Aiding in the Fashion show fundraiser (Sept. 10) by setting up and selling tickets
• Assisting with a current library bake sale fundraiser (Sept. 9) for the American Heart Association