The Batty Librarian | Bats aren't blind but neither am I

First Impressions

2009-03-19T19:00:00.002Z

So the last I time I blogged I worked in a senior school in Wales. Well I've changed jobs and I am now happily settled in the Audit Commission.

I've been here a few weeks now and I thought I would blog about my first impressions of the place.

I had been to a couple of interviews here before this one and unfortunately, my impressions from that time were not good. Getting feedback from interviews was like getting blood out of a stone and in the second interview I had, I actually gave up. I had that interview through an agent and they gave up as well!
Anyway, I was slightly dubious after those experiences but I was successful in my third attempt. Three times the charm is actually true! Although this time I did have the actual qualification and experience, they were looking for (before I was trying to break into a different role).

So what do I think?

I do have a different perspective to most people with my bad eyesight, but I am impressed with how they reacted. First, I now have two 19" monitors so I effectively have one enormous one. Even better, I usually have to have the keyboard right at the edge of the desk so I can get as close to the monitors as possible. This means that I can get a crick in my wrist. Work at the Commission? Problem solved! They've given me monitor mounts so the monitors are suspended off the desk which means that I can have the keyboard further in. So full marks for accessibility from me.

The people

Everyone I've met so far has been friendly and inclusive as well as professional. It is very different from working with kids!

The offices

The offices are nice and there is a minimum of clutter. There is lots of light and it feels incredibly spacious even though it houses a lot of people. Basically someone has really thought about the design.

The benefits

The benefits are great but for me the best one is the in-house gym they inherited from a previous organisation. For only £10 a month, you get unlimited use of the gym. It is small but it has everything you need and if anyone wanted to suddenly become a world class athlete they could always pop over to the gym at UWE!
The downside

They do flexible working but not flexi working. The word processing/email software is not the latest and I like it so much I might stay there too long!

If I were to award stars one to five for this organisation, I would give 4.5. In the other places I have worked, the school 3, the National Assembly for Wales 3 and JA Kemp 4.

Still, although I am still in the first few weeks I am so far impressed with the professionalism and dedication I have witnessed so far. It really is a great place to work!

A response to a comment...

2008-10-02T17:27:00.003+01:00

Before you take on a job as a librarian, first find out if it is what you really want to do.

The majority of jobs require a degree in librarianship and some demand a post-graduate degree in the subject. Sometimes the pay is really good, but at other times not so good. I would say you have to look at each job on its merits. For an example of wages, my job before it's pro-rata'd is around £26,000, I know the public
sector school librarians are around £17,000 - and they are the highly paid ones!

Also look at the job spec. I work for a school as you know and there are parts I hate but really love as well. Notably I love the actual librarian side stuff but schools expect more. For example I look after 40-60 school children on my own for two hours each evening. Not really clever considering I am partially sighted but that is what the school wanted - a part time librarian who doesn't mind baby sitting. Except that is not what they said at the interview - ooh am I sounding bitter at all?
I am now looking for a university or government job. I may not get the holidays but I won't be babysitting either!

Things to love about being a Librarian:
Buying new books - ooh they smell gooood
Cataloguing - mindless but relaxing
The interaction with the good kids - they can be really funny!
Having control of your department, from spending to how the library looks.
Getting to read kiddie books
The HOLIDAYS

Things to hate about being a Librarian:
Interaction with the bad kids
Prep
Having to shout at/tell off kids

Long time, no write

2008-10-02T15:47:00.004+01:00

Hmm, I've been getting a little despondent lately and a little stressed. Now this could be because I've been feeling under the weather - but the most probable cause is that I am getting married in about three weeks!

Notice the 'about three weeks'. Now my fiance, bless his heart, knows how many days and probably how many hours it is to the wedding but me, me I suffer from head in sand syndrome. I reckon I must have been an ostrich in a previous life.

Don't get me wrong - I love Nick and I am really looking forward to the wedding - I'm just scared of talking in front of a lot of people. Kids on the other hand are no longer a problem. I can shout now like a sargeant major on speed, but 90 odd adults freak me out.

The reason I am writing is because someone posted a comment on this blog which got me thinking. I love writing this but it fell by the wayside during the summer holidays. So, look out for some new blog entries!

THE Carnegie Event

2008-04-24T09:51:00.007+01:00

Carnegie Medal time has arrived again. While this does enable me to have two days out of the library it also means a small amount of stress organising the trip.

I should explain what we do to shadow the Carnegie Awards here. Well as you know there are seven books on the shortlist this year. We have to select seven pupils - one for each book and take them over to a school where each kid designs (with 12 other kids from other schools) a play based on the books. The next day they perform it at a local theatre with authors and dignitaries judging.

This year is easier and yet harder at the same time for me. The event cincidentally occurs in Activities week in our school so most of the children are on other school trips abroad. The ones that stay behind have to help with ecoschools and from what I gather it basically means cleaning the school up!

Anyway so I have a finite group to choose from (some I won't touch with a barge pole but some are great) Unfortunately I may have to choose some of the first group to go with me. Woe is me.

The budget is also a bit of a problem at the moment. It's at the end of the year and the accoutns department get a bit ancy about spending money (even though I have enough in my budget!

The other librarians I'm told usually buy three books of each of the shortlisted titles. They then get the children to write reviews on each one and choose the best. i can't afford to do this so I've got them telling me their first, second and third choice and pulling their names out of a hat so I only have to buy one of each.

Then it's actually getting them to want to go. A couple were like "yeah yeah, I really want to go. Can I go? please, please, I'll be good!" Others were like "um, I'll have to tink about it, what else is going on that week?"

Interestingly enough when I mention that the alternative is to pick up litter in the school, they become strangely interested...

more rejections :-(

2008-04-22T18:50:00.003+01:00

As readers of my blog may know, I wrote a children's/young adult book over the last summer holiday and I am now trying to get an agent.

I have to say getting an agent is 100 times harder than writing the thing itself. I loved writing the manuscript, I spent whole days doing it and when I showed it to the kids in the school I work in - well that was the best bit.

Except now is the crunch time. I had another two rejections today and I am feeling quite despondent. Only another nine chances for the agents and then I am going to send it to publishers.

The kids were asking today if I had it published yet. Bless 'em. I mentioned I had a couple of rejections today and one of them was quite indignant on my behalf. The weird thing was her favourite chapter was the sad one where I killed a puppy. In my defence, the death was essential for character development and it motivated her for what happened next. That this was the little girl's favourite part of the book? I think that is quite morbid. …but hey, at least she had a favourite part!

Always keep the key with you...

2008-04-17T19:43:00.004+01:00

Some time ago we had the locks to the library and the computer rooms changed to the same key. Now I think this is stupid for a number of reasons but we won't go into that. Anyway, all the locks are the same and they gave us one key to hand out to teachers and/or sixth formers who needed to use the adjacent computer room.

Each time someone asks for the key we note their name down, smile and give them the key. We then go about our business, content in the knowledge that whoever signed it out is almost guaranteed not to be the person who hands in back in. Still, who are we to argue. I suppose by noting the first perosn to take the key they can follow a trail...

Back to the story. I was busy sorting out the new stationary I bought for the kids when the DT teacher walks in again after taking the key out only ten minutes before:

"Do you have another key"

I look quizzically at him "Why, what happened to the first one?"

"I was looking for some stragglers when they locked me out from inside the classroom. i can hear them giggling from the corridor."

I sigh and take my personal set of keys out and walk down to the offending room. I put the key in and try to turn it. It's stuck! The little so and so's had left the key in the lock on the other side.

The teacher shrugs and says"Oh well, seemes I've got a free then" and walks off to the staff room.

...just another day in a school.

Hysterical Teenager

2008-03-27T09:49:00.003Z

I have to admit I'm not proud of myself. The problem with being short-sighted is that you don't get all the information that everyone else does and you can interpret what you see to things that aren't actually there!

A few days ago, one of the 12 year-old girls came in to the library just after lunch. I was alone and slightly distracted as I was beginning to write the end of term report.

She comes in sobbing her little heart out.

"Miss, I don't know where to go. I can't talk to anyone else."

Aww sweet, that meant I began to actually really listen and look at her. I could hear she was crying from the noises she was making but what I saw shocked me. It looked like someone had punched her and ripped off some of her skin on her right side just under her eye. Unthinking I just said:

"Jesus, are you alright?"

Suitably justified by my reaction she starts telling me how the kids are mean to her and that she has been to the Deputy Head but nothing can be done. It's at this point I realise she's not been in a fight but just has pink make-up on her face. Oh well, it just looks like I am a very understanding Librarian. My bad eye-sight secret is still safe....

In case you are wondering, the girl went back to lessons, she just wanted to have a rant in to a sumpathetic ear. It all blew over in a couple of days.

Embarrassing moment

2008-03-17T17:18:00.003Z

My most embarrassing moment of 2008 so far happened today...

Lunchtime came early as it always done when I start woek at 8.30. I saunter down to the shared ktchen in the staff room, potter around while sorting out all the stuff I have to put in teachers pidgeon holes. I put the kettle on, make myself a nice cup of tea and say hello to a couple of teachers who are leaving to go to their assemblies.

I sit down with a gasp of relief, straighten out the newspaper and go to pick up the cup of tea. Standing opposite me facing the wall is the chemistry teacher, deeply engrossed in the duty roster.

I twist the cup to move it and spill some tea on the table. The bottom of the cup is rubber which interacted with the tea, which in turn interacted against the wood to make an almighty fart sound!

I was mortified. The teacher turns around and asks if I am alright!

Of course I try to explain myself "It's the cup! It's got a rubber bottom!" You can tell he's not sure if he believes me though.

I think I will have my lunch in the cupboard tomorrow...

10,000 BC movie advert

2008-03-11T21:57:00.003Z

I was watching American Inventor when the advert for 10,000 BC came on. I sat there watching these pictures of long dead animals flash on the screen and was left wonderig why it didn't interest me in the slightest.

Then I had it, it didn't look like there was a story. I need sone kind of hook to get me interested. Oh I don't know maybe a love story, or war or anything! ...I am so uninterested I can't even bother to look it up on the internet (and I look everything up). It did get me thinking about the different advertising styles of America and here though. Maybe that sort of advertising works in the States? I will probably never know.

Book fairs

2008-03-10T21:53:00.002Z

From World Book Day I have ben presiding over our second book fair since joining my school. I got to tell you - its no picnic.

First day we did it (6 March) was a preview day so we just had to worry about setting up but even that day had its problems. As you know from reading this blog, the daily baby-sitting session known as prep is in the library. So try to imagine keeping 45 kids quiet with all those shiny new books just begging to be picked up and oohed and aahed over. Needless to say I failed.

Day two, we decided to make break for reservatios only as it is only for fifteen minutes. We're librarians not mathematicians - you try working out the cost of several books, with a voucher nad answering questions while making sure they don't destroy any more books than you can prevent! If you are wondering we got that down to one. They took out toy bits from one book and put the on a different shelf. Aargh.

Lunchtime arrives, hordes of kids descend on us, all asking for their reservaions, to buy other books. oh and "Miss, I don't want that book now, can I have this one." Yeah if you can do the maths for me, Of course I don't say that, I just smile sweetly and say "yes", getting out the calculator.

So there we were, about ten kids in my queue and ten kids in my assistant's. ...and the book fair people call. I mean they were calling a library in a school. Is calling at lunchtime a really sensible thing to do to get on the librarian's good side? hmm. Finally get her off the line with non-committal answers and get back to to the hordes. Ten minutes later, 2 o'clcck and bliss. We've stil got two more days of this...

Librarians writing books...

2008-03-01T18:16:00.010Z

Apparently getting feedback from children from a book you are writing is pointless but still, I work in a school and I know quite a few good readers who like fantasy books, the genre I wrote my story in. ...so I took the opportunity.

I gave the story to a couple of 11-12 year olds (year 7), the funny thing is, I never tend to see these two girls - only during Prep. I thought If I gave it to these ones then they wouldn't see me all the time and feel pressurised into telling me what they think.

With this in mind I stayed away from the girls purposely. Except that one of the girls nagged me incessantly if she could finish it during prep on my computer. When she said she stayed up to four hours to read the book the night before, I felt so flattered I let her.

Not so good for me though as that was MY computer and I couldn't do any work. On the other hand I justified to myself, I never get any work done during Prep anyway - most of the time is spent patrolling and yelling at people to be quiet.

So that was before half-term. I got some lovely feedback from her. I tried to ask her if the ending was too sudden or did she want more description but no she loved it all - You got to love her.

I didn't see the other one until the end of last week - although I gave her the book at the same time. the great thing was I didn't go up to her - she came bounding up to me saying she liked it.

Wonderful, I now just need to actually finish it. The story is finished but It needs editing. The problem is I keep getting nagged by the first girl when I am going to right the sequel... Aargh there is not enough hours in the day...

Putting maps on websites

2008-03-01T17:48:00.006Z

This post is only useful to web newbies. If you are a techie you'll know how to integrate Google apps to get maps.

If you just want to point people in the right direction put in the code from the picture below (click on it to make it larger).

Which will mean that anyone clicking on it will get a popup with google mapson the 'hopefuly' correct address. This method works with both US and UK addresses.

Growing up

2008-02-28T21:48:00.005Z

Well at 31 it seems I am finally growing up, Today was a relatively uneventful day. Lunch went without a hitch, my assistant had hers and left and I was left in full control again. Until the Biology teacher came in...

The Biology teacher is also the careers teacher and while I like him (I tend to like everyone) he does come across as being thoughtless. A few weeks ago he set a competition for the seniors as homework. Very laudable you may think, Except this one was for creating a paper aeroplane that flew the furthest, Guess who got the fall out from that little endeavour? Yes, you got it, us. You try explaining to a group of year 8 & 9s that the library is not really the place to test their new constructions out. You only get "...but Miss, it's homework!)

Anyway so today the same teacher walks into the library in what is supposed to be the extremely quiet time if not silent time and conducts a meeting with a pupil! Not only that but he talks with his normal speaking voice which in the silence of the library sounds like a gong repeatedly going off.

At the time I was trying to compose a letter to send out with some overdues. A tricky one as I wanted to set the right tone but I was finding it hard to concentrate with his voice droning on. I waited a few minutes getting extremely frustrated until I could take it no more. By this time the kid had gone to look up something on the conputer at the other side of the room so I took the opportunity to go to speak to the guy.

I'm quite proud at myself, I didn't yell and I sounded very composed. I just mentioned that I would appreciate some warning if he was going to have meetings in the library and that it was as if I decided to go into his room while he was teaching and started covering ibrary books. He laughed at that but I got my point across. He apologised and I took the opportunity to tell him about some books I had purchased for the library which he might be interested in.

So there you are. I actually stood up for myself instead of stewing in silence. I may be finally growing up...

A good samaritan - (not me)

2008-02-27T15:34:00.004Z

Walking to the bus stop from my school is not a long one. I can usually do it in about 6 minutes if I walk a bit faster. I rushed to the bus stop today and just missed the bus going the other way. Not a big deal as it turns around further down the road and picks me up to take me town after a few minutes.

Anyway, there I was standing squinting with all my might down the road for some head start to when it is coming. I've had bus drivers just drive past me in the past becaue I haven't put my arm out quick enough. The problem is I can't see the bus until it gets quite close, so its a bit stressful and requires a bit of concentration.
........................................
So you'll understand why I didn't spot it immediately. To someone of, shall we say, limited vision such as myself it just looked like a pile of clothes. I did stare at it for a couple of seconds to see if it moved - it didn't so I figured it was a pile of clothes after all. There is no WAY I'm getting closer to have a look. I'm partially sighted, slightly overweight with asthma. If that isn't a pile of clothes and something dodgy then there is no chance I will be able to get away.

Squinting hard into the distance, well a few yards to you guys, a large taxi draws up beside me.

"Hello love, is he OK?"
"I don't know, it hasn't moved." I say.

The taxi driver gets out and walkd over the pile. He talks really loudly,

"awright mate? Are you OK?:
"I', righ, leave me alone" comes the muffled reply.
The driver pulls him a little.
"Why are you sleeping in the bus stop?"
"s'tired" he mumbled.

The driver gives up and walks over to me.

"He's drunk."
"Shall I call an ambulance" I ask, remembering I have my mobile on my which I actually remembered to charge last night.
" No, I'll call the police."

The bus came, I got on and that was that. My little adventure for today.

Recognition at last

2008-02-22T15:59:00.003Z

One of the major problems working in a school library is you don't get the recognition for what you've achieved which can get a bit demoralising. My way round this is to write reports to the senior management telling them how great I am with examples.

It seems this has paid off along with some persistance from my colleague. My assistant is paid appallingly and she really needed a pay rise. She's a great worker, really intelligent, goes over and above the call of duty and can keep the kids in line. What more could a school ask for!

Anyway she put a package together putting her strengths in, the recommended wages for an assistant librarian and a spectacular performance review from me. Turns out they are going to pay us BOTH more in September. Yeeha for the Librarians.

Another note, how do other librarians out there advertise their book fairs? I have spent the morning stuffing 100s of envelopes with an invitation, competition entry, World Book Day voucher and other blurb. My assistant created a poster for the competition - to be honest she created the competition too (I did one last year) and we've put up book fair posters as well. On the plus side I am going to be really muscular in my arms from filling envelopes by the time this thing is finished!

Job hunting...

2008-02-21T20:19:00.003Z

That's it, i've decided to go for another job. In fact I've got an interview next week which got me thinking about other interviews I've done in the past. One of the funniest I thought I would share with you. its a bit long though, so make sure you have time to read it!

Rhyl Interview

I had an interview in Rhyl at Rhyl Community College a few years ago. After arriving in London Euston, I discovered utter chaos - a train was late. Luckily and unusually for me the train arrived the same time as I did – and it was going my way. So far so good…

I arrive in Rhyl surrounded by a mixture of Liverpudlians and Welsh. Strangely I thought, there seemed to be more Liverpudlians...

Getting off the train late I followed the crowds over the small internal bridge towards the exit. As I passed a bin, I paused to put my rubbish in. When I look up everyone is gone. This is the largest platform I have ever seen. In fact it stretches for as far as I can see and no-one in sight - I don’t where the exit is!

Hmm, I calm myself down and start walking down the platform, first I try the door to the Ticket Office - locked. I continue down the platform, but there doesn’t seem to be another exit. I start to walk back thinking that perhaps I didn’t try all the doors to the Ticket Office after all.

A man comes up to talk to me. He is tall, slim with a strong Welsh accent. He asks me if I was looking for the exit. I reply in the yes feeling quite stressed at this point. He leans close and points the way out to the far end of the platform. He seemed to be slightly too close for comfort though... and then I realise – he’s looking down my top!

He does however tell me the right way to get out. I thank him hurriedly and continue on my way.

My first impressions of Rhyl i have to admit are not good. It seems a small town, slightly dingy but I can live with that _ or so I hoped.

Using a map I downloaded from the internet, I try to fathom the way to the Guest House which I had booked the week earlier.

The nearer I get to the guest house the dirtier the streets appear. Oh, MY GOD, what have I got myself into! Crisp packets, chip wrappers and cans line the street. Shops are boarded up, yet I bravely soldier on.

Finally I reach the guest house. I had booked this for a bagain price of £18 for the night. Disconcertingly, it says ‘look before you book’ on the sign by the door.
Are things that bad here then?

I knocked apprehensively on the door and the door all but instantly opens. A nice middle aged lady stands before me (I find out she is nice later), at the moment she is brusque.

‘Please sign in’ she says, so I shrug and do. Looking around the guest house, I thought, Okay. Not the four star Bude Haven Hotel I had been in a few weeks before but I can live with this (well for the requisite night anyway).

She indicates for me to follow her and with trepidation I follow her up the stark narrow staircase. She takes me to a shoe box known as the single room I booked. It is furnished simply but thankfully it IS clean. I take the opportunity to ask her what it is like to live in Rhyl. I mentioned that I had felt disappointed when walking to the B&B.

Her reply was not quite what I was expecting. She said that while the B&B was in the nice part of the road, (the road led to the sea front), it was quite a bad area.

I wasn’t going to go out by myself that night was I. she asked. Thinking well I wasn't going to now, I asked why. She replied that it was nice where she was and her daughter managed the B&B next door but nearer the sea front, all the flats had been bought by absent landlords and that it was known to have drug problems. Suitably warned I replied I had no plans to go out that night.

I think she then realised that at this point I was quite freaked out. She offered me a lift to the college n the morning. I quickly took her up on the offer before she changed her mind.

I was really getting quite hungry at this point, I had last eaten lunch that afternoon in London and it was now getting dark. For food she gave me directions to the local chippie at the right end of the road, so I set off.

Ten minutes later I arrived at the chippie where there was a queue of four. Normally this a good sign, (it shows that people like it), but as I had not seen an open chippie on the way to the guest house, this was probably the only one available.

A few minutes later one of the customers asked for a kebab. The boy said he was very sorry but he didn’t have any in, did he want anything else? They got pie and chips. The next people asked for chicken and chips. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any chicken either. The customer left with pie and chips. The next asked for sausage and chips, again "Sorry, how about pie and chips?" I was next.

‘Could I have some fish and chips please?’ thinking they were bound to have that. In a broad Liverpool accent I was told they didn’t have any but they could put it on. At first I couldn’t understand him, so I said ‘sorry, you don’t have any?’

He then stepped towards the freezer and I worked out that as what he meant. I replied ‘Yes please!’

What a palaver!! Leaving fifteen minutes later with my prize, I escape to the privacy of my room at the guest house. In case you are wondering. It was the worst fish and chips I had ever eaten. It was rank and the chips tasted like they were cooked in fat several days old.

Feeling disheartened, I have a moan to my friends back in London about Rhyl and then go to sleep setting my watch and phone as alarm clocks – after all I had an interview in the morning!

I woke at seven, pick up my clothes and go in search of the shower. I should point out that I was the only one staying at the hotel the night previously, well me and the workmen anyway.

I stripped down and stepped into the shower cubicle, (don’t worry, I wont’ go into too much detail here!)

I press a button and wait for the expected torrent. Nothing. Ok, I press another button. Nothing happened. With mounting anxiety I pressed the last button, again nothing. I looked around the cubicle, turned the heart knob, then the valve, also nothing. I have approximately 45 minutes to get ready before this poxy interview and I can’t even get the bleeding shower to work.

I put on the dress I wore the night before and head downstairs to where I knew the Manageress lived. Several knocks on the door with no response send me climbing up the stairs swearing under my breath.

I should mention again here that I am partially sighted. My eye-sight has a lot to be desired. In a tantrum born off desperation I stalk into the shower room again, stomp right to the end of the room where a string knocks me on the head. I grab it and the shower starts – EUREKA!!

Having made myself barely presentable with a shirt, skirt, make-up and freshly dried hair, I hear the bell for breakfast. Great, I’m starving, I head back downstairs in my bare feet.

Mmm, lovely – there’s nothing like tinned sausages, mushrooms and runny egg to get you going first thing in the morning. Well at least the toast was nice.

Luckily the Manageress had offered me a lift with her husband, so after getting ready I packed my bag and got into a car with a complete stranger.

Considering the family had only lived there for several years I was quite surprised that we got lost. Although there were hardly any people out that early in the morning, we asked tow people for directions. However, neither knew where the local college was. Each had a Liverpudlian accent.

Arriving at the interview in a relatively calm state of mind, (I was fifteen minutes early), I was told to sit down in the corner and wait for the interviewer.

There was one other person apart from myself there We quickly got to know each other. Her name was S--- and she originally came from Ireland. She lived with her soon-to-be-husband who was Welsh and a policeman.

Shortly, the rest of the motley crew (interviewees) joined us. There was a lady who lived in America but wanted to return to Wales, S--- obviously and two internal candidates. One Z---, was a slightly larger lady who seemed really nervous, standing beside her was D---, smartly dressed in a suit.

Once we had all got acquainted the interviewers came to greet and give us the grand tour of the building. This didn’t tae long.

After visiting the library which was a lot smaller than I had imagined, we were all shown into a classroom which was a make-shift camp for the day. Tea and coffee was provided but to our horror – no biscuits!

The format of the interview was for there to be individual presentations given by us to the panel of three and then we were to be short-listed again for a more indepth interview.

I had spent 2 hours on my presentation – with beautiful diagrams on the hand-outs. I had also made cards the night before. I felt the presentation went well and indeed I was short-listed for the actual interview. One step closer!

With me, S--- and D--- also offered the interview, the other two left. We hung around the classroom chatting, surfing the internet and generally killing time. After a short wait, my name (closest to A) was called first. …the fun began.

Thirty-forty minutes later, I left the room to join who I fast was starting to think were friends.

For lunch D--- who was the internal candidate showed me where the canteen was. I had a runny egg sandwich, an apple and a diet coke – mmm, delicious, NOT!

At the designated time, we trooped back into the classroom and then the main interviewer entered the room.

‘D---, please could you follow me?’ she asked, then ‘You two stay there!’ Charming – we know who got the job then. I could be called cynical (and it wouldn’t be the first time) but I wonder if it was completely a coincidence that D---‘s line manager was on the panel. So this was my second interview for my plan to return to Wales.

Ironically - I am now trying to go back to England. A traitor to my home country? maybe, but I go where the work and the prospects are.

Boys voluntarily tidying?

2008-02-06T18:53:00.000Z

Just a short one today :-)

I was doing a late shift and there were three of four kids left in the library when another three walked in, two boys and a girl. They sat at the desk opposite from where I sit. They weren't being too noisy but there were some strange sounds coming from there so I looked over my monitor like a timid giraffe peaking over a fence.

One of the boys spotted me looking at him and changed tack from whatever he was doing.

Boy 1 says to Boy 2 "Boy 2, I dare you to tidy up the library!.
Interesting I think. I've not come across this before so I say, "What does he get if he does it?"
"A small bit of his dignity back" he replies with a snigger.
At this point I would never think in a million years that this is going to woek and then:
"OK" Boy 2 answers and promptly starts tidying up the library. Boy 1 looks me straight in the eye (that description is a bit of an exaggeration 'cos I can't see that far, but he was definitely looking in my direction) and says to me, "You owe me."

Now what should I have said to that?

P.S. Boy 2 spends about 15 minutes tidying up the library until I am actually impressed, sits down next to boy 1 who says in a deadpan voice, "You've actually lost dignity now".

Go figure.

Librarians 5, Children 3

Should MPs be above the law

2008-02-04T18:39:00.001Z

Not being a political monster I let most news about politicians just wash over me. Basically I don't care what politicians do in their spare time, or if they employ their family to help them run their campaigns. I mean good on them. If they can get someone to work extremely long hours without complaining, fair enough as long as they can actually do the work.

Still the latest news did put a chill down my spine. Today with all the covert surveillance our governments do, where any one of us can be watched and recorded on a whim just walking down the street, I think its ridiculous that MPs should think they are better than us and should be exempt.

As I tell the kids in the library there shouldn't be one rule for one person and another for someone else. MPs are elected to do a job and to be fair most of them do a good one. They work long hours and help a lot of people but that still doesn't put them above the law or above the rules that the rest of us live by.

I am completely shocked at the MPs attitude to the Wilson Doctrine (that MPs sholdn't be bugged). It is out of date and should be abolished in this day and age. They shouldn't be able to on one hand endorse keeping people in custody without charge for longer and longer amounts of time in the name of fighting terrorism but then say they are exempt from he same technology and techniques that caught those other people. that would be hypocritical.

...and that is the reason my friends why I don't like politicians. Once they are elected some of them think they are above everyone else. ...and what did they do to get this superhuman status, climb everest? become the first astronaut to get to Mars? perhaps cure the common cold? nope they managed to trick us into voting for them. Grrr....

Idiot Branding

2008-02-03T16:07:00.000Z

I was reading the Times the other day when one of the articles particularly caught my eye for stupidity. Apparently, Woolworths, had a bedroom set made and marketed for kids.

Brilliant you might think what did it look like? Well it was white and pink, everthing a 6 year old girl could want in a bed combo. That is until you find out what it was called....

No, it wasn't Judy, or Annie or even Liz, Nope they chose Lolita! Of all the names they could have chosen that had the the worst.

When it was brought to 'Woollies' attention none of the staff had even heard of the name. To be honest though if Yahoo wasn't so absolutely terrible at keeping spam from my inbox I probably wouldn't have known about it either (I'm not in the habit of reading books from 1955 about child abuse). You would think though that they would do a quick Google check before branding something aimed at 6 year old girls!

By the power of irate mums from raisingkids.co.uk, 'Woollies' retracted the £395 sleeper. Hurrah for parents and common sense!

...and I thought the play bunny stuff was in bad taste!

Friday blues...

2008-02-02T20:12:00.000Z

Well, Friday was quite fun. I had to do the late shift as my assistant needed to do something that night. To be honest I don't mind its usually quiet on a Friday (relatively speaking that is!) Well, this friday was no different.

I got in the requuisite half an hour early (I hate public transport), actually 33 minutes early this time. Then again I suppose its better than being late.

First I went to check to see if the food had arrived in the kitchen, it hadn't so I toddled up to the library and thought I'd spend a quiet few minutes in the cupboard reading a book until my shift starts. I only get paid for working part-time hours and I tend to do more hours than that anyway so I get rebellious now and again and want to do the hours they pay me for. Foiled again, it's locked.

So I trundle along to the desk and my assistant waves her keys at me asking if I want to borrow them. At this point my rebelliousness wears off and I decide it won't kill me to give the school yet another 20 minutes of my time for free.

So the day goes pretty quickly, I'm still sorting out the careers section of the library. It's been neglected for several years. It's great if you want to find out what courses to study in Science in 1999 or what university was like in 1987 but some of the newer books are fewer and far between. Don't get me wrong there was the Student book 2006 and The big guide 2007 and 2008. The previous Librarian had bought some new books, but just never weeded the old stock.

So this is the task I set myself for this month, try to sort out the mess known as the careers library. [I always said I liked a challenge.] I managed to catalogue about 6 books by 4pm when the first influx of kids trickle in. I'm really proud of myself at this point!

First I had to stop and settle them down as soon as they came in. The boys go to one side of the room and the girls the other. Mainly because I had to split up the boys as soon as they came in but we won't go into that.

I was doing the usual, "please girls shush, you need to work quietly now." When one of the girls spots its me.

Each of us 'Librarians' has our favourites among the pupils and this girl is one of mine although we don't like to show it. She's cheeky but in a nice way. There's no malice and she is usually really funny if a little random.

Today, she spots me and goes "oh Librarian, it's you, High Five." and she lifts her hand up.

I shrug and lift my hand and she smacks mine in a high five movement. ..and before I can go back to the desk she gives me a great big bearhug. I freeze. This was really embarrassing for me. I usually have a personal space boundary of about a foot. I'm shy and I like to keep my distance.

This time I didn't have time to react so I just stood there with my arms to my side until she let go. I gave a quick nervous grin and scarpered back to the relative safety of my desk and shouted again at the boys who were chatting nearby.

At this point I'll revise my former statement in another post. I don't shout usually in the day time, but after school baby-sitting sessions are quite another matter.

A more cynical person could say this was a ploy. Now could it be that she gave me a hug so I would be nonplussed and wouldn't tell her off for talking or is she just a sweet girl with a lovable nature? You decide!

Librarians 4, Children 2

Don't mess with a Librarian!

2008-01-28T15:27:00.000Z

Today has been yet another busy day but there was something worth writing about this time!

I arranged for the careers service to come visit me at 11.30 to help me get to grips with the new system. For those who don't know, it has changed from the CLCL to CLCI although it might have gone the other way - the initials are so similar!

Anyway, Since I have only been a school librarian for just over a year and the careers section has its own way of organising itself, I didn't know how to organise the old system or the new system. Hence the request for assistance. hey at least I'm honest - If I don't know the answer I can admit it and know where to go!

So I booked them at 11.30 knowing break ends at 11.20 thereby giving myself 10 minutes of grace. Yep you guessed it they came early. At about 11.15!

So there I was checking out books, answering questions, keeping an eye on the kids and generally trying to hold it together without exploding at the misbehaving lot in the corner, I know we are good at multi -tasking but school librarians should really get medals for this!

I go over and solicitously ask them if they would like to take a seat as I was in the middle of break. I mean duh, it was a bit obvious. They agreed and sat down while I went back to my desk to check the time. I've got to be honest I closed the library for break a tad earlier than I normally would, but then the kids left pretty much on time give or take (take) five minutes.

The usual way of clearing the library means the 50 decibels shout, "OK everyone time to go back to class. Pack up your stuff. Log off the computers....." And then the walking around the library just to get the message across that the noise they heard was indeed me telling them go back to class and not for the benefit of my health.

So I got to the other side of the library and saw a group of three. I noticed one boy had a bag. I don't allow bags during break because of the trip risk. So I ask him if he was going to be in the library for the lesson. He says no, just waiting for his friend. So I say, OK, wait for him outside. He says Ok but just stays there staring at his friend. I say now please. Stil in a nice conersational way you understand. He puts his bag on his shoulder and says he was going anyway, so I turn away thinking job done.

I scootch around to the reading zone - nobody there, make sure that no one is hiding behind the free-standing shelving and lo and behold the boys are still there and the one WITH HIS BAG. Now this has now become a threat to my authority. He has obviuosly flouted the rules and taken advantage of my good nature and ignored my instructions. So I stalk up to him and say, really loudly:

"RIGHT, I ASKED YOU ONCE, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK AGAIN. OUT. YOU ARE GOING TO BE LATE FOR YOUR LESSON. WAIT FOR YOUR FRIEND OUTSIDE."

He looks at me as if reevaluating me and scarpers for it. Now that was a job well done. future trouble maker put in his place.

The library is now empty apart froma couple of giggling sixth formers (I never normally shout so it was quite unusual) and the careers people. I walk over to them and they say:
"Wow, I wouldn't mess with YOU".

I wonder if I can get them to tell the kids that?

Bit of fun...

2008-01-25T10:33:00.000Z

Perusing my e-mail while eating my breakfast I came across a fun website someone sent me. I like my zen reading. course if it was horrible I just would have ignored it but hey if 'anyone' says anything nice about me it's good to share. :-)

TrueLifeKarma.com - Online Karma Test Click Here!

Your Karmic Alignment is: Zen Intuition!

Score: 16

You have a direct perception of truth. You are very keen and don't use it to take advantage. When you commit positive deeds, you don't do them to get ahead, you do positive deeds simply because it makes you feel good. Your intentions are almost always meant well and all this positive karmaic energy is bound to come back to you in a great way!

Busy, busy, busy

2008-01-23T16:05:00.000Z

I've had a monster day today so I thought I would write all down to see if I actually achieved anything!

8.30

Go straight up to the library. I haven't got time for the staff meeting today.
Put all the extra missing things the cleaner found in the lost property box and the books back on the shelves (Will kids ever learn to put things away?).
Put computer on
Put the other computers on + photocopier/printer
Unlock all doors
The computer finally has the log on screen. Log in.
Wait another five minutes for the screen to come to life.
Open thunderbird. Swear under breathe as computer takes another five minutes to open it.
Get a couple of books to catalogue and open firefox because our catalogue freezes in Internet Explorer.
Let the little darlings into the library.
Sort out riddle of the day.
Ring up accounts to order new chairs for the library. Get told that I need to provide an estiamte of the library's value by the end of the morning.
Save the cataloguing done so far and put to one side.
Do some photocopying for the children/teachers.
Open up evaluation already started by pure luck. Aargh its break-time.

11.00

Shout at children not to run in the library as they try to grab a computer.
Listen to anane but faintly amusing conversation about girl's pet horse. Smile politely and try to sneakily to do a bit more on the valuation while they are not looking.
A girl wants to take out the Jane Austen Emma DVD. These come in pairs and I don't allow them to take more than one DVD at a time. Especially as a really expensive one has been 'mislaid' lately. Spend five minutes searching for said DVD. Under the shelf, on the shelf, on the desk, in the box. To be told, "you meam the one the other librarian put in the box ready up there?" Grrr
Check out/check in about 10 books.
Accept donations for the library by one of the pupils
Shout at the kids break is nearly over. (They can't tell the time by themselves.)

11.20

Peace at last. Finish evaluation - pat myself on back.
Rush to loo - am desperate by this time.
Send valuation to accounts with instructions to order chairs and get quote for other thing.
Ring up to check they've got it. Yep, but forgot about stuff that belongs to other departments which they dump in library in other room.
He deletes e-mails and tells me to send it again - except there was other stuff on there!
Finish valuation and send of making sure the other stuff is on separate e-mail. I'm not checking to see if he's got it - too much to do.
More people come in and ask me to do photocopying.
Enquiry to find out if we have a book. Is very urgent need it for coursework. Not in library. OK will order.
Processed books for teacher who wanted books urgently. Stamped and covered them.
More photocopying
Put an order together for some more books - tunnels, the looking glass wars etc and sent it off. Processed purhcase order etc.
Put some memos together telling teachers of new additions in the library relevant to their departments
Process some invoices of books that arrived yesterday.

12.00

Assistant arrives. Woohooo - LUNCH
Drop off post in teachers pigeon holes at lunch while looking at Softlink catalogue and eating hurriedly and sneaking a peak at the Times.
Received another book package.

12.15

Back in library
Open up book package
Process invoice. i.e. stamp, put date on, photocopy, put arrival on computer
Check vent is on later.
Ring up another school to confirm attendance at Carnegie Shadowing event in April.

1.00

Juniors come in
check in and check out books
Reply to enquiry regarding Barrington Stoke books. Get really annoyed because the teacher doesn't want to do any work and tries to get me to do everything! Her excuse is she works part-time. well join the club! So do I but I don't fob off my work to others. I already made a leaflet for her telling her what books we had relevant for her subject. What does she want from me? Blood?
Allow Seniors to come in early because it will closed earlier because of the 'event.'
Talk to teacher about world book day and get distracted by another teacher demanding attention.
The gigglers come in but are remarkably restrained. They are really nice kids when they are not trying to be annoying. ...and by trying to be annoying I mean making funny noises and asking "Is that annoying?" They still require my attention though :-(

2.00

Assistant goes to lunch
I show six former new book I bought which is relevant to her subjetc area. She takes it away to look at it and then borrows it. Oops, maybe I should have shown it to the teachers frst. Never mind I do tend to get too excited about new books.
Quick chat to catch up on what happened during the day with assitant and the last shift.

2.30

Toddle off to catch the bus. Gosh I am KNACKERED.

Books, books and more books

2008-01-18T17:03:00.000Z

It's that time of year again when all librarians get really excited about awards. Nope not the Oscars, not the BAFTAS, not even the Golden Globe Awards. Say hurrah for the Carnegie Awards.

The long list is out and we are just waiting fo rthe short list and its full steam ahead for the shadowing events. There is even a shadowing site you can go to: http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/shadowingsite/default.asp

Go on have a look - you know you want to. :-)

...and when I say long list, I mean loooooonnnnngggg. The current list is over forty books! Luckily it gets whittled to arond 6 books each year. Luckily for me that is. I have to ask for book reviews from the kids to know who to take to the Shadowing event. Last year I had about ten reviews for each book - that's sixty reviews to read. Did I mention I work part-time? The kids weren't the only ones doing homework! I'm definitely thinking about doing a quiz this year.

So if you're stuck for a book to read at the moment why not look at the Carngie award nominees for inspiration. That's what I'm going to tell the kids anyway...

There's something strange going on...

2008-01-14T16:40:00.000Z

So it's monday afternon. we've got a new set of children hanging around the desk wanting to chat (it varies on the monitor behind the desk) and I'm helping the new pupil librarian how to use the library software for checkins and checkouts. The giggle girls saunter over.

I'm suspicious of these at the best of times but as they took out my classics a few days ago they are in my good books at the moment. The 'leader' goes

'Libwarian, you're the best librarian in the world.' That's not a typo by the way. And my response?
'What do you want?' in a world weary tone.
'No Miss libwarian, we think you are the best libwarian ever. Why do you think we are up to something? That's what the other librarian said when we said it to her.'

Ahh, well it was nice for a moment there. Apparently they had been following my assistant around the library as she was shelving for the past ten minutes telling her how lovely she was. Still as games go, this is the nicest I've seen!

Bad Poetry

2008-01-12T23:09:00.000Z

Now I hate poetry normally, but as I had the stuff from the (wedding) registrar come through today, I am in a romantic mood. So here goes, some really bbbbaaaddddd poetry!

This poem is for my wonderful fiancé
who I first met down the Bay
The fact that he doesn't consider it a blight
that I have bloody terrible sight
I love him more than I can say.

He looks after me when I am ill
When he takes me to dinner he pays the bill
In October we will get married
As never a harsh word have we parried
I know I will love him 'till I am over the hill.

There you go, I told you it was bad!

It just warms the cockles of my heart...

2008-01-10T17:48:00.000Z

At lunchtime today, I had a mass of juniors flood in. This doesn't panic me as much as the seniors do. They are smaller, cuter and much better behaved than the seniors. A group of year 6 (ten/eleven year old) boys walked through the double doors at the library entrance, pausing at the desk and headed straight for the non-fiction bookshelves in an arrow formation. I swear I watched in open-mouthed amazement and glee. My and my assistant's heads followed (in unison) their progress with sheer disbelief. The sound of the dambusters music here would not have gone amiss. They were looking for the riddle answer in the bookshelves.

My work here is done. The pinnacle of librarianship has now been achieved. What can be more difficult than getting a child to use the Dewey Decimal system without being asked! - independant learning at its best. If I was only thirty years older I could retire in happiness.

Classics

2008-01-08T22:33:00.000Z

The problem with budgets is that they go up as well as down. This year our book budget went down considerably so I have to find ways of making it go that little bit further.

My latest find was from the book people. I managed to get 10 books for just shy of a tenner. Have a look: http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productSearch_10001_10051_92371_100___10_SimpleSearch_2_1_2__basicSearch_

These are brilliant. All our classics are looking a bit dated and as my previous blogs show the kids at my school are really picky. I hadn't seen one 'classic' taken out by the younger years since I've been there. The sixth formers do but they have to for their A levels.

Anyway, I bought this set of books which are really colourful and a joy to look at. They fit nicely in the hand and the type face is a comfortable size to read. There was:

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Flambards by K.M.Peyton
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Anne of green Gables by L.M.Montgomery
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Party Shoes by Noel Streatfeild and
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

I had just emptied the box set into our cataloguing box yesterday (I loved the box it came in and thought I could use it for something else) when the little darlings spotted the box and asked me to get one of the books pictured on it. Well of course I went, 'we've got them - that's why the box is there.' I am my own worst enemy sometimes. I should have said I would see thereby giveing me time to catalogue them.

Anyway they saw me glance at the box we were keeping them and before you know it they were rummaging in there and reading the blurbs at the back. The up shot of this little escapade was my long suffering assistant had to catalogue them all this morning in a rush. By the time I got in some of the classics were already taken out! The girl I was taking about took out Flambards. Aargh, my planned display ruined!

I'm not sure who won that one. I think I'll call it a draw.

Librarians 4, Children 1

Trade Unions for Librarians

2008-01-04T23:54:00.000Z

OK, I know I've done a couple of posts already today but instead of talking my fiance's ears off, I've decided to rant on the web instead.

This time it's about trade unions. I work in a school library as the librarian. I am at risk from idiot children saying something inapropriate because they think it's funny. There are some stupid kids in our school as well as extremely bright ones - but then there are different levels of stupidity.

I was witness to this last year. My assistant asked a child to stop reaching behind the desk. The child kept picking up pens, notepads, literally anything movable and playing with them. She was finding it hard understanding personal space I think. Anyway, the girl put her hand out with that annoying look that says "what you gonna do about it?"

My assistant puts her hand out (it was nowhere near the child I was standing right next to her so could see this) and asked her to stop. She was at least a few inches away from the child's hand. Next thing I know the kid is crying "she hit me". Becase I saw what happened I just ignored her overacting (she should really take up drama) and then she left a few minutes later laughing with her friends.

If she had been a nasty kid she could have caused a whole load of trouble for us. Luckily for us the kids at my school aren't bad. ...but it only takes one bad kid....

Which leads me to my grumble of the day. The various teachers unions won't take us on because we are not teachers. Even though it is part of a librarians job to teach kids about library and information skills and give inductions and we are at the same risk of unfounded litigation. Given this we are left in the cold with nowhere to go - least of all CILIP. At least trade unions if we could get in to one would use the fees (which are less than CILIPs by the way) to help pay legal costs if such an eventuality happened.

How is this fair?

Even though I am starting to love this job - I am also starting to think the risks are outweighing the ups.

Global Warming

2008-01-04T21:04:00.001Z

This guy makes a very compelling argument for significant ACTION to combat Global Warming, whether you believe it is caused by human activity or not.

read more digg story

Last book I read - A Crack in the line by Michael Lawrence

2008-01-04T16:45:00.000Z

I'm always reading books, but I've set myself the challenge of reading most of the book in my library, eek.

Thinking this is a tad ambitious I've lately opted for new books that we order in. The last one was the Crack in the Line. I picked it up at first because it was set in the UK and was different from the usual sci-fi/fantasy I usually go for.

It's obviously a children's book and the hero/heroine are basically two possibilities of the same person. The title refers to a crack in the railway line which leads to a train derailment. The mother has a fifty-fifty chance os surviving the train crash. At that instant the Universe becomes two universes. One in which the boy loses his mother and has a dreadful life and one where a girl (the same person but a girl) gets to keep her mother and has lots of luck and comes into money blah blah.

I enjoyed this book although it was bit slow in places. There is some swearing in it so I wouldn't recommend it for anything below 12 years old. However it is not gratuitous swearing - it does push the story along - character development and all that.

The main characters are likeable and there are some funny interchanges between the boy and his aunt who arrives at the house to look after him while his father is away. Luckily she is quite dippy allowing him the opportunity to pass between universes to meet himself as a girl. it's part of a trilogy and I have gone through two thirds of the second book. Admittedly it's not the best book I've read but certainly not the worst. If you are bored on a rainy afternoon, these do while a way a couple of hours.

eww public libraries - just kidding

2008-01-04T16:26:00.000Z

I visited my local public library today and while its not as bad as the kids parents think, there wasn't a huge selection of fiction books on offer. We have more books in our spinners! Still I liked their what's new section (had six books in it which weren't actually that new), there was a book displayed there which looked quite interesting - I think I'm going to buy it.

I think they could've done more really. It was all a bit bland apart from the toddler reading bit which was basically a play area in the middle of it. There were no posters advertising forthcoming books or even what they have that might be interesting. I always insist on havin fresh displays every term in my library. it felt a bit oppressive to tell you the truth. It's visits like that that make me appreciate how nice my library actually is.

It's daunting seeing a lot of books with just their spines showing - you need to attract the reader - tease them with colour. Dare I say it - break it up a bit.

The staff were friendly though, I'll give them that. They don't give phone numbers out though - strange policy - o they think I'm going to sell it on the black market for library phone numbers?

hey ho

I'm not reading that - it's old!

2007-12-31T15:59:00.000Z

As regular readers may know, I m approaching my first anniversary as a School Librarian. When I started I had worked before in business and government but never in a school so for a while I was flying blind (pun intened).

There didn't appear to be that many user-friendly ideas for school librarian newbies on the net so I wanted to put a few tips on here for future newbies.

Our library is quite large for a school library I'm told. I've never worked in another one so I have to take their word for it, anyway there's over 20,000 books in it. While I know there is a need to keep up to date on new literature, in fact we are always buying new stock, but there's a lot of books there that just never gets read - and there's some really good books there that I read when I was in school.

So here's what I did:

Made genre specific displays. i.e. science-fiction, horror, historical...
Face out displays on the shelves

and my favourite, a tiny bit of trickery...

Choose books which don't look that old. My first one was Dreameaver by Louise Lawrence. This was published in 1997 and was last taken out of the library in 1998. A perfect candidate and actually a really good book for sci-fi fans.

Next, I took out the date stamp sheet and put a brand spanking new one in its place and placed it casually on a window display (we have odd books on them (another of my 'innovations').

Within days it was taken out as the childen thought it was a new purchase. it has been borrowed since then as well. Critics among you may think that the child would have picked it up because it was out of the main stock. However to test this theory of mine I had removed it and artfully placed it somewhere else a month before with no success. As I mentioned before in this blog - a little trickery gets 'em reading!

Gee I hope they never read this or they will get wise and my circulation will go DOWN.

Librarians 3, Children 0 :-)

Films from Books: Golden Compass vs Stardust

2007-12-30T17:55:00.001Z

I went to see the Golden Compas recently and I have to say I was completely gutted. You have to understand the children I work with rave about Northern Lights. "It's brilliant they tell me, you have to read it!"

Well, I am quite lazy about reading some things. We have several copoies of this book and they fly off the shelf and I know its OK for the kids to read so I have been concentrating on the other books we've been getting. So I thought I'd watch the film... It'd have to be as good wouldn't it?

We settled down ,the H2b and me on the front row (I am the Batty Librarian after all - I can't see from further than that!) and started to watch. The first thing, which has nothing to do with the film, which disgruntled me was the cold breeze decending from on high. What idiot thinks air conditions is a good idea in the middle of December?

So there I am with my white furry hood and coat wrapped snuggly around me ready to concentrate on the film. Quite apt for that film, don't you think? Well to say I was disappointed would be an understatement! I obviously hadn't read the book at this point so I thought it was so-so - not the brilliant story the kids had been telling me.

The next day I took the book out of the library - being a Friday I read it over the weekend. Now the book - that is brilliant - can't fault it. There are a few discrepancies with the film. Why do they do it? The book is obviously popular - why mess with a winning formula? Everyone I've talked to about this says it was the worst film they saw this year - that includes children and adults!!

So Stardust. I saw this a few weeks before. A friend had leant me the book a couple of years ago and I just hadn't got around to reading it. The writing style was a bit long-winded for my personal taste. Still I thought the film was BRILLIANT and so did the people I talked to. I tried reading the book again but unfortunately I got half way through and just gave up - the film is undoubtedly better. In this case messing with the formula was areally good idea. Saying that the book is not really aimed at children from what I read and they needed to change it to make it suitable for children to read.

Anyway ranting over, my recommendation is:

Stardust
Watch the film - avoid the book

The Golden Compass
Avoid the Film - Read the book!

A New Year Approacheth

2007-12-30T17:18:00.000Z

It's that time of year when we should reassess our lives, what we've achieved and what we want to achieve in the next year. Hmm, my favourite part of the year...

Let's see what have I achieved last year in my thirtieth year:

Got engaged (very important!)
Became a School Librarian
Bought a House with H2B
Wrote a book - (needs editing tho)
Created a Blog

What I should aim for next year:

Get Married!
Get said book published
Maybe look at other jobs? (Gotta keep your hand in).
Maybe get a short story published
Do some networking with fellow librarians
Read more on librarianship
Add to my librarian Portolio (i.e. marketing materials, policies etc)
Investigate PhD for 2010? (Could get bored by then)

I think that'll keep me busy for a few months! :-)

I don't like reading...

2007-12-17T17:07:00.000Z

This happened to me only last week.

The library was quite quiet and there were only a few children around. It was the end of the day and I didn't want to start any big tasks. As the end of term was fast approaching I thought I would just remind a couple of them and see if I could get them to take some books out. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: So, have you got your books sorted for the end of term then? (in a light friendly tone, it's good not to sound too desperate to improve the circulation figures at this point. Children can be soo fickle).
Child 1: I don't like reading.
[A-ha, a challenge]
Child 2 with a horrified gasp: You can't say that to the Librarian!
Child 1: It's OK, She's a nice Librarian. [She turns to a secretly delighted me]. I only like Jacqueline Wilson books and I've read all the ones you have here.
[Little does she know and why are Librarians always supposed to be scary?]
Me: Actually I've just bought some new teenage Jacqueline Wilson books, have you read those?
Child 1: No...
Child 2 runs eagerly to the far side of the library to pick a couple of the new ones up to show her. I walk away. I find the secret is to walk away at this point. It won't mean anything if she feels pressurised into borrowing it. Anyway half an hour later, she takes one of the books out!

Success -

Librarians 2, Children 0
(Keep an eye out for the running total!).

Five Reasons Why I Love/Hate Being a School Librarian

2007-12-08T17:44:00.000Z

I'm finding writing this blog quite cathartic, so I thought the next thing was to write about five reasons why I love and hate being a school librarian.

Why I love it

The children
The children do make it worthwhile. I love the way they think, the enthusiasm and the way they seem to appreciate what I do for them.

The challenge
Every day is a challenge. From the moment you unlock the library to the time you leave, its non-stop. Remember at those job interviews they ask you about prioritization? Well, if you are rubbish at it then you'd have to resign the next day! There's so much to do the time just flies by. ...and don't get me started on multi-tasking...

The books
Well this was an obvious one - who'd become a librarian if they didn't like books! There's always the thrill of spending someone else's money on books, but most of all I love the smell of them as well. mmmm, Bisto

The creative side
Where can I get started on this one. From the creation of leaflets, posters to computerising the accounts and arranging the furniture. If you want to use your creative side then this is the job to do it!

The quiet!
When break and lunch ends and its just the sixth formers quietly studying I almost think it is heaven...

Why I hate it

The Library as a dumping ground
This means the naughty children who get sent in because the teachers don't know what else to do with them to being the place equipment gets dumped because we happen to be open all the time. My favourite is laptops and cameras. We only hold them because no-one else wants the responsibility and the reason mentioned before. I love the way teachers come in to book the laptop and expect me to know a) what software is precisely on the thing and b) to know how to fix it if it goes wrong. If I wanted to be an IT bleeding consultant I would have done an IT qualification not a MSc in Library studies! ...and then the idiots go an lend it to another teacher without telling me and the others expect me to know where the stuff is at all times. I'm stuck in the library - I can't go chasing after errant staff members all the time! Grr.

Prep
Looking after 50-60 children on my own after school ends. I'm not trained in childcare and I dread that something bad will happen. Unfortunately it is the one thing I really do not like about my job. It is impossible to control that many children but I am expected to. If I complain then I am told that is what the job entailed and they explained it in the interview. I never dreamed that I would be expected to look after that many though and I'm pretty sure that it would scare a lot of other librarians as well!

Management
I am in charge of the library but still have a line manager, which made sense when I was new to the job. However what is the point of a line manager who does no personnel reviews, doesn't make decisions or give important information when needed? For example, if something is arranged for the library we don't always get told. Just the other week a meeting was arranged in the middle of baby-sitting duty (Prep) one night and the first we found out about it was when the canteen staff delivered the drink for it around mid-day. I had to chase my line manager to find out what was happening!

Lack of Communication
Unfortunately the library staff is neither part of the teaching or admin staff. we are classed as other and get forgotten. I have to constantly chase people to find out what is happening. I also have to take every opportunity to collar teachers to find out what they are teaching and what kind of resources they need for the library (They never turn up for meeting - they forget).

The hours
I work part-time as a lot of school librarians do. It is very difficult to get the work done in the time allocated. I know I criticise CILIP a lot but they do acknowledge that a full time librarian is needed in schools which includes working in the holidays. I work approximately 75-80% of term-time. Personal development has to be done in my own time. fair enough I do that anyway - Its just annoying.

Riddle Me This

2007-12-07T16:12:00.000Z

When I began this job less than a year ago I was shocked at how few of the children knew how to find a book using the Dewey Decimal System. I'm not one to stand there and lecture them until their eyes glaze over, so I had to find a way to make them want to learn how it worked - enter the Daily Question!

The Question

This can be anything as long as an object is the answer. I find riddles and jokes the best. I put them on a board with a hint or clue. If you want to repeat this be ready for an onslaught of cat, house or outer space (anything that pops into their head) before they give up and use the clue provided.

The Clue

Just the Dewey Decimal number is best but if you have two books with the same classification like we have, then we put the page number on so they can work out if it is the correct book.

Example:

Here on earth it is true, yesterday is always before today, but there is a place where yesterday always follows today. Where?

Hint: Dewey Decimal, 423

Countless of hapless victims have been tricked into looking for books with just a number. I recommend using this method. It's useful now as I can just give them a DD number when I am busy and they can toddle off to find the book, but when they go to university it will be an invaluable time-saving skill not just for them but for the University Librarians!

The Birds & The Bees

2007-12-06T15:25:00.000Z

It's that talk every parent is supposed to dread, but what if you're just the Librarian? Well, my assistant (Y) who used to work in a public library seems to have the perfect answer.

Picture the scene:

It's lunchtime, you have a room full of teenagers, chattin away and reading or doing homeowork. A group of the gigglers (Year 8s) have just come in from a 'Biology' class. They want to find a book on reproduction.

"Fine," you might say, "just this way" and lead them to the human biology section. They take the book and disappear into the corner.

The next five minutes are taken up by loans and requests for help on homework and then they come back.

"Miss, I don't understand?" one of the girls say.
"What don't you understand X" asks my assistant.
"I don't understans what this page means" she replies.

The assistant has a quick look look to see what she is referring to and hides a grin.

Oh OK, read out to me what you don't understand and I'll try to explain it.

The girl starts to read quietly.

"I'm sorry X, I can't quite catch what you are saying, can you say it a bit louder please?" My assistant asks with a deadpan expression

The girl glances around, no-one is looking at them so she carries on louder. "...and the man puts his thingy in..."

"What was that?"
"His thingy"
"It doesn't say that surely." Y picks up the book and takes a closer look. She turns it back round and hands it back to the girl.
"No it doesn't say that, you need to say the words or it won't make sense".

A look of panic crosses the girls face "He puts his penis in..." Her friends let out a peal of laughter and they all ran out of the library.

Funnily enough they've not asked us to explain it again...

Kidz! Who'd have 'em, eh

2007-12-05T21:21:00.001Z

Today was another busy day down the mine, or should I say Library. 40 kids running riot around a library with me running around shouting shh, shhhhhhhh. ...or the other favourite, QUUUIIIEEEETTTT.

We have a reading zone - note the careful choice of words there - Reading Zone. Do you see chat anywhere in that sentence? Nope, neither do I. So out of the 40 or so children about 15 were in the small reading area, blithely chatting away as if talk was going out of fashion.

We have a lovely reading area, a lovely black leather sofa, a couple of comfy chairs, a small square table and a few bean bags. The plan was to create a lovely environment where they could feel they could read in peace. Of course in practice that is not what happens...

Several year 7 and 8s descended on the library at 3.50. Huh? The school day doesn't end until 4.00. Anyway, they come in, sign the sheet and head straight for the 'reading zone'. I check they've signed in and follow them giving them the riot act, ie. this part of the room is for reading, I expect to see it after in the same condition as they found it and no, they can't chat and yes the guiness book of records is OK as long as they are quiet about it.

Job done for ten minutes, I go to sit down back at the desk. Wait! what's that, is it giggling I hear? After a long heartfelt sigh, I close the cataloguing window again, (will I ever get any work done in the late shift?) and lock the computer screen and trundle back to the corner where the reading zone is kept.

One boy is lolling on a bean bag groaning with the other kids pointing and giggling. I manage to calm them down with crossed arms and a magnificent glare (if I say so myself) and get told "Miss, he got hit in the ghoulies with a football'

Now what I ask you was I supposed to reply to that?

Why I don't believe in Chartership

2007-12-05T17:23:00.000Z

Don't get me wrong, I believe whole-heartedly in self development. I just don't think it is worth going down the CILIP chartership model. It maybe because I came to librarianship through the back door. I was first an Information Assistant in a business before I did the Masters degree in Library and Information Science.

I did the Masters degree because it proved my willingness to learn, to develop and grow. I will have the qualification forever and no-one can take it away from me.

Chartership on the other hand is a whole other kettle of fish. You do the learning, the hard work and are rewarded with Chartership - that is dependant on CILIP and paying their fees.

What happens if I take a year out go travelling and don't pay the exorbitant fees? I lose chartership - and then you have to start all over again.

What happens if I go redundant, get a lower paid job and can't pay the exorbitant fees? Yep you guessed it. I lose chartership - and then have to start all over again.

How is that fair? I would rather do a PHd which shows my ability while being forever mine. I am continually learning and developing and resent paying an extroadinary amount of money just to prove it. My record should stand as it is. I can prove my capabilities and I can get good references as a result. This should be enough and luckily for me, for most employers (including my current one) - it is.

I don't subscribe to CILIP. I have done in the past but only because my employer paid at the time. The problem was that the only thing I could see that was beneficial was the magazine but even then most of the time the articles were irrelevant for the sectors I was in.

You could argue that they campaign for better pay and conditions - but do they? They themselves say they are not a trade union. So what power do they actually have? If they were a trade union with bargaining power - I would certainly join. But for a trade union's poorer cousin - I don't think so. I can't afford it and I don't think it is worth losing a few nights out to pay for the subscription - there are far more important things to spend my money on. For example that web design course - or that presentation skills course I went on.

So I ask - what did CILIP ever do for us?

Christmas Shopping Tips (UK)

2007-12-05T12:14:00.000Z

It's that time of year again, when the christmas panic sets in. That is if you are not me. I did my christmas shopping weeks ago and I just have to sit back and wait for them to come rollng in. It's not just the ease of shopping that I love but how much cheaper it is to shop online - even including delivery!

To help fellow Librarians and even shoppers, here are some of the best money saving websites in the UK:

Quidco.com This is a brilliant cashback website similar to Greasyplam but in my opinion better. You get a better cash back rate and it only costs £5 from your savings per year. If you don't save - they don't earn. A perfect arrangement in my book.

HotUKDeals.com Amazing voucher site. I never shop without checking here first. In my grocery shop I never pay a delivery charge thanks to this site.

Moneysavingexpert.com Occassionally has vouchers where HotUKDeals doesn't, but also lets you know about other great discounts. A great back up site.

Go on, have a look - you may even save a little!

The RSPCP - Calling all pen lovers

2007-12-04T12:57:00.000Z

I work in a secondary school library (High school equivalent for any Americans). Reading the Vampire Librarian blog reminded me of the RSPCP faze around last February.
My assistant was checking some pens and throwing them away when they were dry. A group of Year 7 girls (11 year olds) caught her in the act of throwing them in the bin.
For about a month we were then cruel librarians with no thought for the feelings of the poor hard working unwanted pens. Can anyone else hear those violins? It was so serious they were going to call the RSPCP.
What is the RSPCP you may ask? Wait for it... The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Pens. I ask you, has anyone heard of anything so daft. The good news was it kept them busy for the rest of the lunchtime composing a letter to the this mythical society.
Ahh the joy of a school librarian...

Freezing Library

2007-12-04T10:13:00.000Z

Ok, I know I feel the cold more than most, but this takes the biscuit. I'm wearing my overgrown duvet-like coat right now and sat next to a portable heater, scarf around my neck, periodically breathing into my fingers to try and warm them up. There is no way I can do cataloguing i n this cold, so I thought I'd have a quick moan instead.

So I may have a cold. OK I do, but if it's a tenth cold as I feel it then it's bloody cold. Still at least I have heating at home now. We've just had a complete heating system put in. Its wonderful! Yes, because of the heat but more because we had to tidy up for the workman and there is so much SPACE now!

I've been doing the termly library report today. I hate to say it but I secretly enjoy doing this. I feel vindicated. There's nothing like increasng your circulation by 150% over the last librarian to make you feel good. Not that I am bragging. Well OK I am. I think with the growing trend for teacher librarians, we should all brag once in a while. How can someone who works only 30% of term-time on Library duty do better than someone who does 80& of term time. It's not possible. The only good thing about that scenario is that it makes us 'proper' librarians look good. we've had the training and the passion to get things going!

OK, enough ranting for one day. See you soon...