Hello again!

Well hello there!

Since Facebook pages has moved over to the Timeline format we decided that it would be a great time to re-launch our blog! Please bear with us over the next few weeks as we iron out any wrinkles.
2012 has already been a very busy year, Penlan library re-opened after a refurb and the 'New Year New You' activites went down a storm. We've got the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games coming up, not to mention the Children's Summer Reading Challenge and our Autumn programme of special events!

There's plenty to be looking forward to over the next 12 months in Swansea Libraries so we'll be sure to keep you posted, as well as keeping you up to date with all sorts of other weird and wonderful things!

Coming soon!

After a hiatus Swansea Libraries blog will be back with regular posts in Spring 2012. See you then!

Keep on Running

So well, I was please to receive an email last week from "the powers that be", informing my erstwhile colleagues and I that the Paige Turner blog has been identified as the longest running UK public library blog. How cool is that?

Of course, I couldn't let my identity slip, so I joined in with the laments - "if only we knew who the mysterious Paige was - we could let her know "

Anyway - this is 100% true, a real librarian has said so, in print and everything.

Reading...

Masses at the moment, including this and this and this from Richard Stark's awesome Parker series - reissued in new versions by Chicago University Press. Parker novels are my comfort reads at the moment. The Noirest of the noir... without Stark there would be no Tarantino - fact.

I'm not a trend bucker...

Well, actually, by association I am!! This article shows Welsh Libraries well and truly bucking the trend of declining and stagnant public library usage seen in other parts of the UK.

Leading from the front (as ever) are Swansea's libraries, with Swansea central Library coming in as the busiest library in Wales and more pleasingly, the 10th busiest in the UK, despite a fairly modest population.

Well done Welsh Libraries - we have proven that the public want and will use good libraries and this is a reflection on the hard work and investment that have gone in over the past few years.

We can only hope that the sucess of this service is in some way recognised by those wielding the budgetary axe in the months to come.

fingers crossed.

Reasons to be cheerful...1, 2, 3

1. Gowerton library is closed for refurbishment, reopening just before the school holidays start. Obviously the library being closed isn't cheer making, but it will be quite smashing when it's finished

2. 69 people visited this blog this week, even though I hadn't written on it since March. New disciples of the greatest library service in the western hemisphere or disappointed seekers of the "other PT"? (that's a rhetorical question)

3. Spy librarians are coming to Central Library!! Grab your garbadine mac because the chartership seekers of GCHQ in Cheltenham are on their way to see some best practice in public service librarianship

Extra special reason to be cheerful

Comment number 73 on the One Show piece below reads:

73. At 8:53pm on 09 Feb 2009, Maggietilt wrote:
Very interested in your article about libraries. Swansea has a new library opened last year. It is the best I've ever come across. Books in the fiction section are set out in genre eg crime, historic novels, family saga. A wonderful children's section, can't wait to take the grandson on his visit at Easter. Upstairs in the non fiction section there are plenty of newspapers and magazines with comfortable seating areas overlooking Swansea Bay to the Mumbles. And then when you've finished in the library there is a great cafe to enjoy a coffee. Books can be signed out electronically and returned in the same way, no queing. I can order and renew books on line. Best of all the library is open on Sundays, it was full last Sunday. Swansea really deserve praise for getting their library so right - well done.

What a lovely warm glow of satisfaction...

Reasons to be cheerful...1, 2, 3

1. The comments on this piece

2. The relaunched singles night at Swansea Central Library - it's back! Friday Feb 13th 6pm-8pm

3. Swansea missed the snow this time so Jeremy Strong should be able to get here...

Reasons to be cheerful..1, 2, 3

1. It's not snowing....much.... so all libraries remain open to the good people of Swansea

2. Our new online catalogue is now live... feedback most welcome to iron out teething troubles

3. Jeremy Strong (!) is coming to Central Library next week - we can't wait!!

Reasons to be cheerful... 1, 2, 3

1. Fantastic jute bags for only £2 - environmentally friendly, practical, stylish and instant moral virtue comes as standard

2. Credit crunch busting free books for one and all!!!

3. My colleague's desk is not as messy as it could be

Reasons to be cheerful...1, 2, 3

1. There were loads of babies having fun at baby rhyme time this morning

2. The e-mail system is broken (this could become a reason to be annoyed if it lasts too long)

3. More customer compliments than complaints this month

Reasons to be cheerful... 1, 2, 3

1. Swansea Central Library is on course to have loaned half a million items by its 1st birthday

2. So far in January, 1644 people have joined Swansea libraries

3. Ralph and Mud Mouth will be rapping at Penlan and Townhill libraries in February as part of the Read a Million Words project.

Reasons to be cheerful... 1, 2, 3

1. Libraries are "a good thing"

2. Reading changes lives

3. Swansea Central library has a fantabulous view