Who is that Saint Over There?

I used to write a blog about my musings on life and knitting and today I’ve decided to resurrect my blog. Except that as a grad student trying to earn her MLS, I don’t have time to knit anymore. In fact, I am still trying to knit the mate to a pair of socks I started about 4 years ago. Know anybody who like to wear mismatched socks or only wears a sock on one foot? If so, I may have a deal for you.

As I am not knitting currently, I am changing the blog name to reflect my new life as an almost librarian. Are you an optimist? I am. In fact, it has been pointed out that I have a slight Pollyanna complex. This doesn’t slow me down as I have always been a glass half full gal, how about you? Grad school is 36 credit hours and with 24 credits completed, my glass is now officially two-thirds full and that makes this a great time to write about life as an MLS student.

Today’s tip of the day is to learn everything about your library, including the paintings, as you never know what will be asked. Case in point, a lovely prospective student and his family came by today and when I saw their slightly apprehensive deer-in-the headlight faces, I went up to them and said hello and welcome. I asked if they wanted a tour. As a matter of fact they did want a tour. Yikes! Although I have worked in my library for almost ten years I have never given a library tour and faster than you can say Library of Congress Classification System, all knowledge of our library flew out of my mind. I had no idea what the highlights of our library were so I asked them to give me a moment to put my stuff down and then I would be back. I quickly went into the back office and asked the Instructional Services Librarian if she wanted to give a tour. I went out and introduced them and after telling how fantastic she was, I wished them well and prepared to go down to my office. Whoa Nellie! Not so fast!! The father motioned me over and wanted to know what Saint was represented in the icon painting near the stairwell. Huh! Have I been blind all these years? I swear I’ve never seen the painting before in the almost ten years I have worked here. So there I stood, a mother of a priest and a seminarian and had no idea what Saint was depicted. I mumbled something on the lines of “well, it is obviously very old and painted on wood." I could see I was not impressing him with my vast knowledge of religious icons so thinking fast, I told him that was a great question and would have the answer the next time he visited the library. I have since googled images of icons until my eyes glazed over and have not found this exact icon. Never fear, gentle readers, I am not giving up the hunt. The son looked like a prospective freshman so I have until this upcoming August to find the answer. The game is afoot!
Updated 01/18/2016. I have found out who our elusive Saint icon is. It is St. Nicholas and is a 19th century Russian work based on a 17th century pattern. It is constructed of egg tempera on wood and includes tondos at the top of Mary and Christ.