The Winter Book

Reading this book, like the Summer Book by the same author, leaves you with a feeling of being covered with a soft snowy blanket, blocking out noise and busyness. This book is actually set in winter and summer, split into three sections with the middle section set in summer. I felt 'summer' should perhaps have stayed with the Summer Book, however it did add a sense of the year turning, of seasons. Winter melts into summer and in turn freezes into winter again.

 Winter on the author's island is harsh and isolated. A handful of stories particularly resonated with me because to me they demonstrated pure imagination and atmosphere, reminiscent of the Moomin stories for which the author became well known.

'Snow' is about the author as a young girl, house sitting with her mother. It's not clear why they are in the house, possibly so that her artist mother can paint in peace and quiet. The girl feels suffocated by the isolation in the house and the snowstorm which seems to eventually cove the entire house. The girl imagines that the house is entirely covered to the rooftop, causing it to tip over, disorientating the senses. 

Another story of complete imagination is 'Flying', where the narrator, again as a girl, imagines everyone in the village has developed the ability to fly. Neighbours have rooftop tea, and the little girl worries about what will happen if everyone loses their ability to fly. But she lives in the moment and she soars above the houses with friends and animals.

 The 'Squirrel' is a tale told by the narrator as an elderly woman, isolated on her island home with winter coming, making preparations around the home. She shares her home and space with a squirrel, almost becoming obsessed with it but becoming angry at its unpredictable wildness. These are stories essentially about life and growing old and the demands of these on our minds and bodies. Sometimes the stories are not easy reading but these and those stories of 'The Summer Book' lurk in the memory long after the covers are closed.

Promoting yourself - Thing 21 (cpd 23 Things)

I'm really dreadful at promoting myself, and interviews are the worst of all. I have background in careers, so I know all the stuff about how to match your skills and experience to a job spec and person spec. I was once told that by the time you get to an interview, the panel already thinks you could do the job, it's just how things go on the day.

 And sometimes, it doesn't matter how much you prepare, it's just how the chemistry pans out. I really think this is true. Those first impressions are all important, and more important than we would like. A paper application doesn't get our personality over and sometimes it comes down to this. I was once on an interview panel where the person in charge of hiring didn't hire someone because they thought that person would be talk back too much.

 If you want the basics of how to get your foot in the door of an interview panel, I think the Wikiman does this pretty well but after that, half of success is hitting the interview criteria - which I Wikiman also covers well, but the other half is what you could call gut instinct of the panel. Also, panels are not created equal. Sometimes there will be one member who has the final say, no matter if the others agree on a candidate. If the final say doesn't agree, that candidate won't get the job.

I'm not saying all this to give the impressions that theres no hope, but it does mean that sometimes it doesn't matter how well you prepare, or how well you suit the job, it just won't work out on the day, and it won't be your fault. Being turned down for a job can really shatter your confidence, so take heart that it's not always you- sometimes it's them. Learn from it, and move on.

Library routes/roots - Thing 20 (cpd 23 Things)

As part of the library routes/rootes project, this Thing is to add my route into the information profession and add my blog link to the page: http://libraryroutesproject.wikkii.com/wiki/Main_Page

So here goes:

2000 - part time careers information role at De Montfort University, which became full time as I took on other responsibilities.

2004-2009 - worked as Senior Information Assistant , part-time, evening, in the academic library at DMU.

2008 - completed MSc Information and Library Studies distance learning with Robert Gordon University.

2010 - my role at DMU became information and communications officer, a refocusing of my role which was now to work with staff as well in planning information related activities throughout through the year.

2011- role was made redundant, and I became a research assistant in the faculty of Health and Life Sciences at De Montfort. This role allows me to use information skills in an academic environment.

Prezi and image capture - Thing 17 (cpd 23 Things)

Until very recently I hadn't come across Prezi or seen now it works. I like to see work by others in Prezi but so far haven't used it myself. I do think that, like everything, Prezi needs to be used in balance. PowerPoint has been overused, but I think Prezi could get to be just as annoying if it isn't used carefully. That said, I will be taking some time to get to grips with Prezi as it's another useful tool. Most usefully for me, it may be used as a mind-mapping tool, head for personal projects as well as the usual presentation aid. Something else which is capturing the imagination of late are infographics - I've seen these popping up in the most unusual places, and am keen to try and use this as well.

Jing/podcasts/screen capture- Thing 18 (cpd 23 Things)

I've not done a great deal of this personally, but I have been involved in the production of podcasts. Professional sounding pod cats done in a studio take a while to do and even longer editing. If there's an easier way to do podcasting this would be great!

 I like the idea of screen capturing tools, and jing being the one mentioned in 23 Things amongst other things, seems like a good solution, relatively easy to use. Not being aware of these tools before, I've done some very basic instruction sheets before on Word functionality for colleagues. Screen capturing tools are a definite upmarket improvement on this and worth remembering for next time I need to show a colleague how to do something!

 The only thing to mremember with these tools I think is to keep them short. I think several minutes is actually too long and I've seen many cases where podcasts are ten minutes or longer. If these are especially aimed at college / HE students then they need to be short and sweet. Personally I've never clicked on a podcast or video which is longer than eight minutes, at an absolute push (and only if it's something I really need).

Advocacy and publishing - Thing 16 (cpd 23 Things)

We all do advocacy in different ways. Sometimes it's verbally representing ours organisations or libraries, and others are more public about it. In think we med both. I think we can all do a litle bit if we think creatively enough.

 Recently I've become involved in a bibliotherapy group. The attendees of this group wouldn't know that is what this is, but it is. This particular group uses poetry as it's focus. There are groups all over the country using literature in all its forms as a means to help people feel better, connect with libraries, literature, each other, and go home feeling better. This is what happens with this group. We meet once a week and talk about a poem, maybe two or three, and see where it leads us. It leads some members to some dark places where they can talk about problems, illness, mental health, depression, coping with day to day living, and feel supported. It's a safe place where members come together and where a lot of laughter happens: everyone goes home feeling better.

 All this as a result of reading a poem. It's not really important that the reading is a poem - it just happens to be what the group is used to, and it provides a springboard for discussion and for everyone to talk about how they relate to the piece and find common ground. All this as a result of meeting in a library once a week, away from problems and away from other distractions.

Our libraries make us feel better.

Seminars, conferences and other events - Thing 15 (cpd 23 Things)

Conference.  A word to strike fear into the hearts of those who don't like to make small talk.  I think there are more of those who would care to admit it, judging by the numbers of people who go to conferences with a colleague.  And in my shame I"m afraid to say that at the last conference I went to, I did seek out some people who I knew and ended up standing in a space that was supposed to pass as a garden talking about the new series of Midsomer Murders starting that evening, and was it worth missing the last session in order to get home for it?  I didn't admit that I had never seen it.  

Possibly this means that the conference wasn't very interesting?  

Anyway.  

I went to a few conferences in my former life as a careers information officer, but have never presented myself.  I've read many accounts of professionals who urge that whatever your professional position, you can contribute something, but I've never felt sure about this.  The service I previously worked at, in all honesty, offered little possibility of innovative practice (too little money) and I now don't work in the information profession officially.  It's been a while since I've been to a conference of any type.  In any case, I hope that one day I'll be in a position to feel I have something to speak about in which others would be interested.  

I''m hoping that I can expand my research literacy knowledge by attending seminars about research practice at some point.  I find this interesting because I can look at research from both ends of the spectrum - as an information professional and as a researcher.