5 things not to say to a Librarian

1. Tell me what to read ("what do you like?" "oh I'll read anything.") No you won't, you like Romances and I hand you American Psycho, Trainspotting or A Clockwork Orange you'll be none to pleased, (likewise if you like the above titles and I hand you a Mills & Boon) be a little less vague please!

2. But you can still read it. Yeah but your dog chewed to it up/your kid drew all over it/you spilled water on it and now it's swollen and will soon be mouldy. You wrecked someone else's book now you pay for it!

3. I don't want to use the self service, I don't want to take your job. Actually self service allows us to DO our jobs and not be a check out chick (mind you I do have the upmost respect for checkout chicks, no offence to them!) I have a brain and I'd like to use it thanks.

4. Are you guys all volunteers here? This one really gets up my nose... I have a post graduate degree, I've worked in academic and medical libraries, I am a professional,  I'm not just here because I have a little extra time on my hands. 

5. This must be such a relaxing place to work. Um, well it might be except for all the idiots that come in here!!

Michael Moore knows you don't want to piss off a Librarian...

Total Fan Girl Moment

Linda Jaivin has been one of my favourite authors since my ex-best friend told me about Rock and Roll Babes from Outer Space 15, 16, could it be 17? Years ago.

Last night Linda came to little old D’town.

I have theory in life that cheeky-ness gets you everywhere. People have been asking me how I organised it. I just asked her! I sent her some fan mail, told her if she wanted to we’d love to have an event with her and it grew from there! Very disappointed in the numbers, but considering all of the people who showed up had only heard of her through my ravings, and she won over everyone who was there and now has a bunch of new fans I’d call it a success. Yay!

Just thought I’d share my intro with you...

Hi my names Allison and I’m a librarian and I have a confession to make... I judge books by their covers. But it wasn’t a cover that brought me to Linda’s books, but the title. Over 15 years ago a friend told me about this book called “Rock and roll babes from outer space” well how could I go past that. The next one I read was called “Confessions of an S & M virgin”. It just kept getting better!

I’m having a little fan girl moment tonight because Linda is one of my favourite authors, she’s got a new novel out call “The empress lover” which we’ve got for sale here tonight. But if you are far to clever and academic for fiction, Linda was also the writer of the last Quarterly Essay, “Found in translation” which I found to be a great accompanying piece to this novel.

She’s a lady with many strings to her bow... and she’s got great hair! Please join me in welcoming Linda Jaivin.

Twittered

I got Twittered!!

Geez...

Geez Louise (embarrassing middle name!) How long has it been!
Probably for the best really, I would have just ranted and raved and been all bitter and twisted about work situations that are outside of my control!
I have a new job these days, I'm a Hospital Librarian which is funny because 18 months ago I would have laughed if you'd told me that! The other hilarious part is those who think I push around a cart of books for the patients to borrow! Little do they understand this is a research library and I spend my days doing complex literature searches for medical professionals!
But who knows how long this will last given that I have over an hours travel to get here and if all goes to plan this week ;)
The uni didn't work out... such is the life of the casual worker. I was upset, even had the dreaded cry at work a couple of times. But such is Life and I had/have to move on.
Just had such a great year last year you know...

missing...

Today I needed to find a couple of files for job interview show and tell, which led me back to my blog which I've been ignoring and neglecting for way to long and I realised how much I miss it...

Of course I've not got the time right now so here's a tasty quick morsel...

From the latest Incite Library Journal...

Derby Librarian #2 (or #3 if you count me!)

It's amazing what you can dig up...



My mum has been bugging me FOREVER to clean out my cupboards at "home". Finally got around to doing (some) of it and dug up these little gems...

For my 3rd year Photojournalism folio presentation I had organised to display my Self Portrait images in the University Library, the very same one I now work in. As I went on student exchange before the year was over I had to arrange it all beforehand and have it hung on my behalf. A friend took these shots for me to show me how it looked.

I hadn't quite but had pretty much forgotten about it.

 



Reading related Knit Graffiti at Castlemaine Library...

Ah memories...

The lovely Mr. G. put together these little clips for Hobsons Bay Libraries... Ah memories... Though it doesnt do much for the idea people have of librarians just sitting around lookinga at books all day!

Reading Tree

LaTrobe University Bendigo's Heyward Library is celebrating the National Year of Reading with, among other things, a Reading Tree... Grab a leaf and write a favourite title... you might even get yourself a lolly!

Meltdown memories...

18 months a go I went through a really bad patch, meltdown for want of a better word (no better word really, that's what it feels like!) This happened on a semi-regular basis, every couple of years or so. I know exactly what triggered that particular episode and It was semi-documented in these fine pages? screens? what adjective suits here??
Anyways, the meltdown was caused by a job non-offer (un-interview even) which I had set my sights so high on and thought was my be all end all position and the only way things were going to work out as I felt they needed to. At the time it seriously felt like the end of the world, and it used to piss me off so much when people would say "there is something better out there for you". I hated it because I couldn't see that, and now I hate it more because they were right. Knowing what I know now I know that that job would have been a bad thing for me. Just the physical and emotional reaction it caused in me is enough to know that I was not ready and seeing what I have since seen, well I know that it would have been very bad place for me. I am able to reflect on this time from a position of smugness and satisfaction of where I have found myself and how I got here.
That'll do for now...

Riot Grrrl goes Academic...

Best bit about working in an academic library? Access to a whole bunch of new books... Not only through my own uni but also through the Bonus+ affiliates.
I've been, once again immersing myself into the world of Riot Grrrl with...



and...



And today picked up these tastly morsels with which to keep myself out of trouble and strife...

Oh so many shades of wrong!

My new job see's me buying items for the Health Sciences faculty which brings me into contact with catalogues for midwifery teaching tools... a few of which I just had to share...

Strap on belly with insertable weights to replicate different stages of pregnancy...



Fetus doll with placenta...

And my absolute favourite, the breastfeeding handpuppet with bonus breast!...

New New Beginnings... Again

Tomorrow I start a new job that feels oh so right, unlike where I have been working lately which has felt oh so wrong. I learned a long time ago to listen to my gut instinct and this rule has served me well so far... let’s hope it continues.

I think in the process I may have upset a very powerful person. A person I have only met once and who scared the shit out of me! Now I am not easily intimidated so this tells you something!!

But this is someone who has known of my existence for at least 18 months and so far has given me so little time of day yet and is now upset about me leaving after only a few weeks (even though she could offer me no more than a few hours a week) And now others, who have only known of my existence for a few weeks, are prepared to offer me so much more. Feels good and not a hard choice I can tell you!

And a nice little stick it up ya as well!

Happy National Year of Reading!

Sorry it's a day late, but I started the year off grumpy... (but reading!!)



This weeks reading...

Alli just can't get her groove back...

Here's my list of new years resolutions from 12 months ago...

1. Meh

2.Yes - Yay!

3. Hmmm... well I did join a team sport so that does look good on paper (screen!)

4. Check

5. feelers are out there... more news to follow!

6. well that's kind of why I'm here, you see i've no excuse really... just can't seem to get my groove back!

Other achievements from the year include...

• Actually putting myself out there to start Roller Derby Training - Yay me!
• Producing my first (and second) Zine - Third is up there in the brain... ditto as above - just can't seem to get my groove back.
• Survived probably the most intense job of my life working full time in a highly demanding role with two small children... just one minor hiccup/meltdown!!
• I'm sure there's more... and once I do get said groove back I'm sure it will come to me!

New Favorite Librarian

I've been meaning to upload this for ages, turns out one of my favorite VRDL Roller Derby stars is also a librarian!!! WooHoo... now if only I could find out what school Lucky day 24/7 works at and I'd know where to send Little Miss next year!!!