I was the pride of the public library...until I discovered Smirnoff. - 1965 advertising slogan
If I had been alive in 1965, I would be wondering how they knew. Having said that, I was never the pride of the public library service.
Friday 16 February 2007
Thursday 15 February 2007
Swans in the library !!!
Clydach library played host yesterday to a couple of footballers from local team Swansea City FC and around a hundred children who came to meet their idols. It was all part of the ongoing national campaign to promote libraries and encourage new customers to join.
The local paper didn't disappoint with it's ability to insert a book related pun into every article about libraries and for that I am grateful.
Sadly Cyril the swan was not amongst the swans attending, but it was nice of the Queen to let us have any at all.
The local paper didn't disappoint with it's ability to insert a book related pun into every article about libraries and for that I am grateful.
Sadly Cyril the swan was not amongst the swans attending, but it was nice of the Queen to let us have any at all.
Fame at last
Where are all the blogging UK librarians? asks this article at UK Web Focus.
And look! Look! Me! In some very upstanding company indeed.
Shucks.
And look! Look! Me! In some very upstanding company indeed.
Shucks.
Reading
Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North by Stuart Maconie. I don't often say this (because it drives me mad when I see it on book jackets) but it did "make me laugh out loud"
In fact I was weeping with laughter at such gems as this reference to annoyingly cheery cockernees "people in the North are perceived as dour because their fishmongers don't dress in rhinestones and hold parades" and "as Dennis Waterman placed his thumbs in his lapels, I felt the blood drain from my face"
Maconie holds the honour of having written the book with the best title ever, in the shape of "Cider with Roadies", which is also one of the funniest books ever written IMHO.
Read it and weep.
In fact I was weeping with laughter at such gems as this reference to annoyingly cheery cockernees "people in the North are perceived as dour because their fishmongers don't dress in rhinestones and hold parades" and "as Dennis Waterman placed his thumbs in his lapels, I felt the blood drain from my face"
Maconie holds the honour of having written the book with the best title ever, in the shape of "Cider with Roadies", which is also one of the funniest books ever written IMHO.
Read it and weep.
Wednesday 14 February 2007
The Who
I can't help noticing that the vast majority of my comments are from anonymous authors. Don't be shy - you can just leave your first name or intials if you like but it would feel a little more personal.
No pressure - just something to think about...
No pressure - just something to think about...
Top of the Pops
The public lending right report, which shows what is being borrowed in the greatest numbers from public libraries, has been published this week and once again Jacqueline Wilson is at the top of the author's list.
The Independant makes much of this and of the fact the JK Rowling "managed to reach only number 42" in this article from yesterday. Jacqueline Wilson is extremely popular, but being the most borrowed author is also heavily influenced (doh!) by the number of books you've written. One of the previous most popular authors (Catherine Cookson) had topped 100, and Wilson's output outstrips Rowling's more than 10 times over.
Anyway - that's no bad thing in my opinion and, bless her, the woman once described as looking like "the world's coolest librarian" finds something nice to say about us too.
"Every author is thrilled to know their books are selling but I know I share with many authors an almost greater thrill when your books are borrowed from libraries.
"My thanks go to the public library service and to librarians everywhere who work so hard to help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy books and reading,"
The Independant makes much of this and of the fact the JK Rowling "managed to reach only number 42" in this article from yesterday. Jacqueline Wilson is extremely popular, but being the most borrowed author is also heavily influenced (doh!) by the number of books you've written. One of the previous most popular authors (Catherine Cookson) had topped 100, and Wilson's output outstrips Rowling's more than 10 times over.
Anyway - that's no bad thing in my opinion and, bless her, the woman once described as looking like "the world's coolest librarian" finds something nice to say about us too.
"Every author is thrilled to know their books are selling but I know I share with many authors an almost greater thrill when your books are borrowed from libraries.
"My thanks go to the public library service and to librarians everywhere who work so hard to help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy books and reading,"
Wednesday 7 February 2007
Innovation
Working on the cutting edge again next week at the intriguingly named "Library Innovation training". Apparantly we will strive to learn about retail best practice and how it can be applied in public libraries.
I'm always interested in this type of thing, having transferred from the "dark side" myself. Will be reporting on my return.
I'm always interested in this type of thing, having transferred from the "dark side" myself. Will be reporting on my return.
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