Discover more...

Coming soon!

2012-02-01T14:10:00.003Z

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

Paige Turner has left the building

2011-09-26T15:38:00.002+01:00

After almost 5 years of loyal and secretive service, Paige has finally hung up her quill and passed the blogging mantle on to some of the up and coming youngsters of the library service.

The blog will continue at the same address, and will be the place to catch up on all the goings on at Swansea Libraries (well - here and on Facebook and Twitter!).

There will even be the odd guest post from Paige herself (incognito of course).

Happy reading.

Two faced

2011-05-17T12:04:00.002+01:00

The well established Swansea Central Library facebook page has been joined by a sibling Swansea Libraries - where you can find out information about all the wonderful libraries in Swansea.

woo-hoo

I heart twitter

2011-05-17T12:02:00.002+01:00

I was a slow burn (me?!), but I love how I can use it to talk about important cultural events with other interested professionals as they unfold.

Really though, Estonia?

Cilip of the tongue

2011-05-17T11:56:00.003+01:00

There are many mixed feelings about CILIP (The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) in the realm of librarians and people who care about libraries, especially now when libraries across the country are under threat of closure.

However, I must pause to praise the recent CILIP Wales conference, held last week at the fabulous Metropole in Llandrindod Wells. I didn't go (some say I was banned..) but I did follow proceedings on Twitter and the conference was briefly trending at 4th in the UK - not bad for a bunch of Welsh librarians.

#cilipw11 for tweets from the conference.

I can haz weblog

2011-05-17T11:13:00.001+01:00

OMG - I'm unblocked, I'm unblocked!! Posting to be resumed once I have finished cartwheeling down the corridor.

Keep on Running

2010-09-06T12:26:00.003+01:00

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.

Archaeology

2010-08-07T13:10:00.002+01:00

Gosh, I read this years ago. Brilliant article, perhaps I'd better go digging for my old copy.

Reading...

2010-07-18T17:37:00.000+01:00

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.

The first cut is the deepest

2010-07-12T11:18:00.000+01:00

Or is it? The sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of all public services at the moment, and we genuinely don't know how we will be affected. What we do know is that in times of hardship, recession, unemployment and squeezed public services - the public library is more important and relevant than ever. I hope that the opportunities that libraries bring into people's lives are recognised, valued and spared as much as possible.

Reading...

2010-07-02T15:46:00.000+01:00

The Lost Child by Julie Myerson. This has been on my bookshelves for about a year but somehow, even though I wanted to read it, I was sure I'd hate it. I didn't.

Reading...

2010-06-23T12:02:00.000+01:00

How not to grow up by Richard Herring. This book is awful. I loathe it, and I now loathe him, which is a shame as I got much comedy mileage out of recreating Fist of Fun scenes down the pub as a young 'un. Weak Lemon Drink anyone? Answer Me!!!!

I shall continue to worship at the altar of the Stewart Lee and leave the Herring alone.

I'm not a trend bucker...

2010-06-03T14:35:00.002+01:00

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.

Reading...

2010-05-26T14:31:00.002+01:00

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I remember this coming out,and later being a mainstay of "one hit wonder" displays (that was before The Little Friend). Never inclined to read it until now, maybe I'm entering my "once a decade" fiction phase...

...BONG

2010-05-26T14:26:00.002+01:00

Panorama had an equally doom laden premonition but the programme did at least send out the message "mess with libraries at your peril"

BONG.

2010-05-26T14:24:00.001+01:00

The Bookseller's take on tough times ahead...

Have you heard...

2010-04-29T13:36:00.003+01:00

You can now download audio books from the comfort of your own home - how cool is that? Don't ask me about the detail though because although I attended a presentation about it I was rather distracted by the charming Gordon Griffin and didn't pay as much attention as I should have.

I can certainly recommend getting hold of some of Gordon's narrations as he is truly fabulous!

Love in the Library...

2010-04-29T13:35:00.000+01:00

Looking for love, or just a good night out?

Why not try your hand at a spot of speed dating at the lovely Killay Library?

Reading....

2010-04-29T13:33:00.001+01:00

Naked by David Sedaris

I read the news today, oh boy

2010-03-17T16:25:00.002Z

"Did you see Newsnight?" Did you see Newsnight?" "Did you see Newsnight?"

Are public libraries as anachronistic as Victorian bath houses?

I'm throwing this away

Safe surfing

2010-02-09T15:51:00.002Z

Interesting article on the BBC website about internet safety for children. It's a difficult issue for parents, teachers and libraries to address and it's one that causes a fair number of complaints from library users.

What is acceptable filtering for one individual is crippling censorship for another, while one person's idea of acceptable material for a child to view is inappropriate to another.

Still - while I by and large think that CEOP is "a good thing", there is no substitute for vigilant and engaged adults helping children thought the internet maze.

More here and here

Reading...

2010-01-29T12:55:00.002Z

The Jugger by Richard Stark, part of his fantastic, genre defining Parker novels.

I hate telling people what to read but really - you should.

Reading...

2010-01-18T10:55:00.001Z

The hell of it all by Charlie Brooker

Brooker for PM.

Reading...

2010-01-14T11:59:00.003Z

The To-Do List by Mike Gayle. I've never read any of his 30's lad-lit and probably won't, but I did enjoy this non-fiction which recounts his attempts to feel like a real grown up by tackling a to-do list of epic proportions filled with the sorts of things many 30-something parents would probably be familiar with.

Watching...

2010-01-12T09:10:00.002Z

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle

"Have you read Harry Potter Stu?"
"No, because I am a 40 year old man"

As a child, Stewart Lee helped out in his school library. What a loss to the profession.

Reading...

2010-01-12T09:04:00.001Z

Thanks for Nothing by Jack Dee - very good it is too, if you're a curmudgeon by nature.

Well there you go...

2010-01-12T09:00:00.003Z

This article from the dear old BBC on why this year probably won't be "The year of the electronic book"

Having worked in the book trade for 15 years, I can't remember a year since oooh, about 1997, that wasn't going to be "The year of the electronic book" but here we are, hanging on in there with our antiquated quill and ink.

Apocalypse (s)Now

2010-01-11T09:04:00.002Z

So the opening of the newly refurbished Brynhyrfyd Library has had to be delayed by a week due to the dreaded white stuff.

It's a shame as this is probably one of our biggest transformations yet - with £35,000 worth of new books really making a big difference to the stock and the building totally revamped inside and out.

Brynhyfryd will now open on Saturday 16th.

The thing about blogs...

2010-01-11T08:55:00.003Z

is that they don't write themselves, even when you're really busy. What you need is someone to come along and invent something that extracts thoughts from your head and turns them into erudite and thought provoking blog posts, making you look simultaneously intelligent, witty, hard working, irreplaceable, beloved of the masses and furthermore - stops your boss asking you why you haven't updated the blog for a while.

Kind of like that bit in minority report.

Now that, dear reader, would be a technological advance that would impress even me. Maybe even more than if Blogger came with a spell checker.

Instead we get this , which lets face it, no-one needs.

Have librarians lost their love for books?

2009-10-27T20:40:00.001Z

Reading...

2009-10-27T20:39:00.002Z

anything but Twitter.

Paige Turner

2009-10-27T20:39:00.001Z

is back in the building, blogging it out.

Calling all Tory Bookworms

2009-07-16T11:53:00.001+01:00

I know this blog is popular across the political spectrum, so if you are a Tory Bookworm in need of some reading inspiration - LOOK NO FURTHER.

Everybody's talkin' at me

2009-06-18T14:24:00.002+01:00

Swansea libraries are now officially on Twitter. Check it out and feel the love in the room.

The old ones are the best

2009-06-16T15:18:00.004+01:00

Did I ever blog this? Probably.
Still, no harm in blogging it again...

Breakthrough in Educational Technology

New Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge Device (BOOK) is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology; no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so easy to use, even a child can operate it. Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere - even sitting in an armchair by the fire - yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM disc.

Here's how it works: BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information. The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence. Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs. Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now, BOOKS with more information simply use more pages.

Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. BOOK never crashes or requires rebooting, though, like other devices, it can become damaged if coffee is spilled on it and it becomes unusable if dropped too many times on a hard surface, but it is far more durable than all personal computers on the market.

The "browse" feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward or backward as you wish. Many come with an "index" feature, which pin-points the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval.

An optional "Bookmark" accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session - even if the BOOK has been closed. Bookmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single Bookmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely, numerous BOOK markers can be used in a single BOOK if the user wants to store numerous views at once. The number is limited only by the number of pages in the BOOK.

You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with optional programming tools, Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylii (PENCILS). Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave. BOOK's appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking to invest. Look for a flood of new titles soon.

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

2009-06-16T11:25:00.003+01:00

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

Time keeps on ticking... into the future

2009-06-16T10:47:00.004+01:00

A blog I read is subtitled "Full time dad wastes valuable reading time by writing about reading".

I've been wasting valuable blogging time by well, reading. And now I'm going to waste reading time by blogging about reading.

So, I've realised recently that I read like a man. I used to read like a woman, largely fiction, largely women's fiction. A bookcase full of the characteristic dark green Virago and striped Women's Press spines was testament to my reading proclivities. I cared about the Orange Prize. I was a demographic.

Now I read non fiction. I read non fiction written by men. I read non fiction written by men who used to be music journalists. Not exclusively, but enough to make note of.

Is it also relevant that I used to be fiercely monogamous in my reading and now I have a pile of 6 books on the go?

I am currently reading:

Mark Radcliffe's Biography i.e. a book about a bloke
A book about 2 blokes who get an allotment
A book about a bloke who decides to travel around all the places on the shipping forecast
A book about a bloke who does a load of experiements to prove the theory of social economics
A book by a bloke who needs to get a real job, talking about the pleasures and sorrows of work
A book by a bloke who decides to travel around Britain, drinking in a lot of pubs on the way

If I were the subject of RFID based targeted advertising a la Minority Report, and took the advice of the advertisers, I would be buying a lot of lager, gilette razors and tyres right now.

I am still a demographic, just not the right one.

Question: Does it matter?

My day out

2009-03-26T13:56:00.003Z

Last week I had a day off. I travelled to a nearby market town and spent an enriching hour or so browsing in the local 2nd hand bookshop. Mr Turner and I spent £11 on 6 books, which we read in the park for an hour. we then went off into the country for lunch before spending another few hours sitting on a bench in the sun reading our new treasures.

This is why ebooks will never be right for bibliophiles. The glare of the sun on the screen; the battery going flat miles from a plug point or docking station; the coldness in the hand; the strange and slightly nauseating one sided weight that never resolves as you read through the book; the sensuous pleasure of the pages rustling, the feel of the paper, the smell of the ink, of the new, of the old; the fact that books really do furnish a room; the updates, the next generation; the flicking, the scrolling, the surfeit of choice crippling the reader; the short attention spans, the publish anything culture, the constant clamour of more, more, more; the battery acid, the plastic, the endless parade of gaudy and unecessary accessories; the consumerism, the soulessness, the decay of simple pleasures; the digital divide, the exclusion, the fashionability; the headaches, the eyeache, the over complication; the magnanimity, ease and credit crunch busting of bookcrossing, charity shops, 2nd hand books and libraries; the erosion of simple and elegant beauty and perfection.

Libraries - recycling since 1850.

eeeeeeeeee, books (in a Yorkshire style)

2009-03-20T09:24:00.000Z

eeeeeee, books. I love them.

ebooks - not for me.

News from the front line

2009-03-03T14:02:00.002Z

Those of you who follow Tim Coates blog, or library news in general won't have failed to notice the debate about library closures whihc has been rumbling on for a good few years now.

Recently it's come to a head with Wirral's proposals to close half it's libraries. Under pressure from a growing campaign, CILIP stepped into the ring by asking the culture minister, Andy Burnham to intervene using his statutory powers. Here's the latest:

CILIP slams government's inaction

Local people to suffer as government inaction exposes libraries to cutsCILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals has slammed Andy Burnham's decision to neither intervene nor investigate the controversial closures of libraries and cultural facilities agreed by Wirral Council. Secretary of State, Andy Burnham, has a statutory responsibility to safeguard the provision of public libraries in England, but is failing to do so.Bob McKee, Chief Executive of CILIP commented, "As the recession bites and people need their local libraries more than ever, this government has effectively given local authorities complete freedom to close their libraries. Exactly when local authorities are looking to make reductions to meet budget targets for the new financial year, Andy Burnham has made local libraries an even softer target for cuts."The cuts in Wirral library services are looking increasingly like the tip of the iceberg, as more local authorities including Swindon, Nottingham and Warwickshire announce plans to review or cut services. CILIP calls on everyone who cares about libraries, learning, reading, or their community to contact their local authority or Andy Burnham to voice their concern.Andy Burnham's response comes after the Leader of CILIP Council and CILIP’s Chief Executive both formally asked the Secretary of State to review Wirral Council's plans to close almost half its public libraries. CILIP has now been advised that the Secretary of State had considered this case in light of his powers of investigation and "is not minded at this stage to investigate further or intervene."This inaction flies in the face of statistics from local authorities who have seen a surge in library use. An extra 4,989 people joined Cumbrian libraries between September and December 2008, up 39% on the previous year. The Bookseller recently reported that London Borough of Westminster have seen visits increase by 10.5% (634,600) over the three months to the end of January 2009, compared to the same period in the previous year. The Birmingham Mail reported that membership numbers increased by nearly 4,500 towards the end of 2008, taking the number of people who use Birmingham’s libraries on a regular basis to 175,000.
Caroline Moss-Gibbons, Leader of the CILIP Council, points out the inconsistency of this inaction with recent government initiatives, "The Department of Culture, Media and Sport should be embarrassed that while 2008 was the government-backed National Year of Reading, 2009 looks like the year they do nothing while increasing numbers of libraries close."

Bob McKee keenly looks forward to working with the DCMS on the review of England's public library services, “There's an opportunity for the government to provide clear leadership on expected standards of library services. This is necessary so local authorities know what standard of library service they need to deliver, and local people are clear what they are entitled to receive.”

Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep

2009-03-03T12:13:00.002Z

At the risk of showing my age (which I still like to flatter myself is "quite young" in librarian years), I also get The Birdie Song in my head when using twitter.

My name is Paige Turner...

2009-03-03T12:08:00.002Z

...and I'm an addict. I'm addicted to Twitter. Unfortuately this addiction is manifesting itself in a way which is having detrimental effects.

Firstly - I can't use it properly, my tweets are like buses, nothing for ages then 3 come along at once.

Secondly, I leap from one topic to another as thoughts jump randomly into my head.

Posts follow each other at rapid fire speed as I become increasingly hampered by the dreaded 140 countdown.

I have to drag myself away - and worst of all, my micro blogging is hampering my macro blogging :(

sorry

Life on film

2009-02-23T11:26:00.001Z

I'd forgotten about this - they filmed it when they visited last year. "Catch the library bug" indeed.

Tweet Tweet

2009-02-23T09:47:00.000Z

Follow me on Twitter...

Stars of page and screen

2009-02-20T16:15:00.005Z

I was in Swansea central library this afternoon and just had to take a picture of the staff dressed up in "Hollywood Glamour" to promote the DVD service (it is Oscar night you know!)

A regular contributor to this blog has commented before that a "disproportionately high percentage of both male & female SCL staff members are extremely attractive" and I must say, I have to agree!

That's amore

2009-02-11T16:14:00.000Z

Love in the library?

Another good news day

2009-02-11T11:39:00.001Z

What a lovely letter in the local paper. I am feeling all warm and fuzzy today...

Extra special reason to be cheerful

2009-02-10T11:43:00.002Z

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

2009-02-10T11:30:00.002Z

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...

A chicken walks into a library...

2009-02-02T13:40:00.003Z

( I heard this joke the other day, as told by Joni Mitchell during a radio interview)

A chicken walks into the library. It goes up to the circulation desk and says: "book, bok, bok, boook". The librarian hands the chicken a book. It tucks it under his wing and runs out. A while later, the chicken runs back in, throws the first book into the return bin and goes back to the librarian saying: "book, bok, bok, bok, boook". Again the librarian gives it a book, and the chicken runs out. The librarian shakes her head. Within a few minutes, the chicken is back, returns the book and starts all over again: "boook, book, bok bok boook". The librarian gives him yet a third book, but this time as the chicken is running out the door, she follows it. The chicken runs down the street, through the park and down to the riverbank. There, sitting on a lily pad is a big, green frog. The chicken holds up the book and shows it to the frog, saying: "Book, bok, bok, boook". The frog blinks, and croaks: "read-it, read-it, read-it".

Reasons to be cheerful..1, 2, 3

2009-02-02T10:38:00.003Z

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!!

100% proof

2009-01-30T15:23:00.002Z

Excitement here as a batch of advance reading copies has arrived today. We have made friends with Random House (at a recent Reading Partners event) and now we're getting proof copies to read and review. For public librarians this is gold dust!

I've got a history of Britpop, a Japanese literary fiction, a history of New Europe, a pop science book about the universe (very light) and an extremely odd looking fiction title.

I'll let you know how I get on

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

2009-01-30T14:44:00.003Z

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

Listening...

2009-01-30T10:19:00.001Z

To Solid Air, in memory of the late John Martyn, who died this week.

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

2009-01-28T12:10:00.002Z

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

Pontarddulais...such a beautiful horizon

2009-01-27T15:03:00.002Z

Pontarddulais libray reopened in October after a CyMAl funded refit and of course, lots of new books!

Initial statistics are very positive - in the first month visits rose 120% on the previous year, with adult issues up 30% and children's issues up 66%.

Looks nice too

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

2009-01-27T10:54:00.002Z

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.

Reading...

2009-01-26T10:10:00.001Z

(gleefully) .. an advance reading copy of Dexter by Design

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

2009-01-26T10:06:00.002Z

1. Libraries are "a good thing"

2. Reading changes lives

3. Swansea Central library has a fantabulous view

Find us on Facebook

2009-01-16T16:32:00.000Z

Those of you who are on Facebook, can now become a fan of "swansea Central library", "gorseinon library" or preferably both to keep up to date with news and events!

Sign up today for regular notifications.

Watching...

2009-01-07T10:30:00.003Z

House, season 2 - highly recommended for all curmudgeons and of passing interest to Sherlock Holmes fans due to the similarities in the House/Wilson & Holmes/Watson relationships.

Reading...

2009-01-07T10:25:00.002Z

one of my Christmas books,

A nice cup of tea and a sit down shortly to be followed by Enough , although I'm not sure how they'll work back to back. Can you have enough biscuits? Pink wafers maybe, but hob nobs... I don't know.

Hoping, as ever, for enlightenment.

Beat the credit crunch

2009-01-07T10:24:00.001Z

with the amazing Jauary sale at Swansea Central library - running until Friday!

"New year, new you"

2009-01-07T10:21:00.002Z

Is the name of the New Year membership drive in Swansea libraries. New customers are being encouraged through some key marketing messages including "do more" "save more" "recycle more" and "learn more".

Some nice artwork has been created by an esteemed colleague of mine and we'll wait and see...

News update

2008-09-25T13:11:00.003+01:00

In the news this week, Gordon Brown's plan to ensure all family homes have a broadband connected computer. Whatever the ins and outs of the plan may be (and there is much debate about ongoing support and sustainability costs - sound familiar?) I do wonder where it would leave the people's network of public PCs in libraries.

With most authorities currently puzzling out how to fund replacements for their public computers and some authorities in England already charging for access, this development is going to be an interesting one.

Incidentally Welsh public libraries have made free access to computers a core entitlement for all users as part of the new "entitlements".

Reading..

2008-08-27T12:26:00.001+01:00

Estates- an intimate history by Lynsey Hanley

I've heard of copy cats...

2008-08-27T12:22:00.002+01:00

... but not copy penguins. No doubt inspired by the tremendous singles nights at Swansea Central Library, at last a major player in the book trade has recognised the link between literature and love.
Penguin books have teamed up with online dating agency Match.com to help lonely literature lovers hook up. Read all about it here

room for a little one?

2008-08-27T12:16:00.003+01:00

Seems not as all seats are taken by reading children at Swansea Central library! Now there's a scene to warm the heart...

A recipe to save libraries?

2008-08-08T13:27:00.004+01:00

An interesting blog entry from The Bookseller site about the future of public libraries.
Interesting as it is written by a Waterstones branch manager who has probably(?) never worked in public libraries. We in libraries are often being told to look to retail to raise standards. In Swansea, we have taken this on board. We have improved presentation, stock management, customer service skills, book knowledge of staff, opening hours, library layout and environment.

We even (just), pipped the big W with the introduction of a black polo shirt for staff.

And yet, here is Mr. Latham, telling us that we shouldn't have gotten rid of the books that no-one wants to borrow, and criticising libraries for not wanting his Dad's old book collection.
All reserve stock should be orderable via the internet, he proclaims. Held presumably in giant warehouses, staffed, lit, heated, rent payable &c. on the offchance that bucking the trend, someone should one day want to borrow a copy of of Lord Snodbury's guide to modern manners 1936 edition. Hardly a good use of public money. It might be alright in Dr. Who but where do you stop? With publishing seemingly expanding every year, soon every square yard of this sceptered isle would be covered with huge hangars storing every book ever held by any library ever, as if that were in itself a mark of quality.

You know what - no.

Libraries are public services and have to repsond to customer needs and demands. Library managers apply principles of collection management that boil down to basic common sense when deciding what to keep in store for a rainy day. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we get it wrong. It's not as perverse as the retail practice of returning everything at month end that hasn't sold, even if the same day more copies of the same book arrive in boxes. We are not governed by the same commercial principals but we do have to ensure good use of resources to maximise usage.

This doesn't mean dumbing down - far from it. In fact I know that Swansea Central library boasts a far wider range than the local W, even in very popular areas such as fiction and childrens.

If Mr Latham had his way, libraries would be full of dusty old books and Waterstones would be full of shiny new ones. Libraries would be staffed by "veteran librarians" for whom "customer skills" would not be a priority, and Waterstone's staffed with customer friendly book lovers.

I wonder if Waterstone's believe that you can't have both customer skills and book knowledge? Do their staff need LIS degrees to select and recommend books or do they just employ people who love books and people?

I wonder if he's a little bit scared of what a good library could mean for his business?

I know the answers to a lot of these questions - do you?

Show me the cakes!

2008-08-06T14:23:00.002+01:00

Interesting article in The Times about low literacy levels in boys (particularly white, working class boys).

This year's Read a Million Words in Wales campaign is focusing on reluctant reader boys, and getting them engaged with reading but it's a hard ask. We've been thinking about library author events, sports related events, even graffitti art and rap workshops (with reading at the heart - obviously). Maybe a trip to Greggs would be more successful though...

Introducing...

2008-07-30T12:08:00.001+01:00

My good friend the library bug!

Inspired by Plynouth's bookstart bear (and maybe me but I wouldn't like to say...), my good friend the library bug has started his own blog. You can read it here

How does he type with those paws?

2008-07-23T09:20:00.002+01:00

Practicalities aside, here's the beginnings of a nice blog , from Plymouth Libraries. I'm a great fan of Plymouth's Bookstart bear and his many and varied travels as documented on Flikr. I would link but computer says no - Web 2.0 is often incompatible with workplace filtering.

I should have called this post "web 2.NO"

Poetry in Motion

2008-07-23T09:13:00.003+01:00

I forgot to say - please feel free to leave comments on the post below, I'd be interested in your opinions.

Appetite for instruction

2008-07-22T14:12:00.002+01:00

An interesting article in the Independent on the weekend by Andrew Motion, the poet laureate. Motion, recently appointed as chair of the MLA, apparently wants to shake up our libraries.

Not too much new in Motion's article for those of us in the trade... libraries are old fashioned (check), libraries have an image problem (check), lots of people think libraries are not for them (check) along with the usual anxiety around the medium for storing and diseminating knowledge - book vs computer.

He does have a good point about community engagement though. In libraries we all know that there is something for everyone. Outside of libraries there are a huge number of people who are kind of vaguely aware that libraries exist and that they are on balance "a good thing" but would never think of crossing the threshold themselves. Non users surveys are remarkably consistent. Depending on your vantage point, libraries are simultaneously for the poor and disadvantaged who can't afford to buy their own books and largely populated by the middle classes and posh educated people - exclusive.

A lot of what Motion suggests is already going on in the better libraries - remodelling, refurbishments, family history workshops, online services, literary events etc. What some libraries seem to get wrong though is acting in isolation or picking one thing to focus on at the expense of others.

How many of us have experienced the "fur coat and no knickers" of library refurbs or new builds where someone has spent an inordinate amount of time and energy on a fantastic new building and then stocked it with the same old books as before?
Or the amazing events programme, reading groups, author talks and baby rhyme time in a building with plaster coming off in chunks and no toilet?
Or the modern, accessible, light and airy, toilet filled library that is shut on Saturday afternoon?
Or (possibly worst of all), the new library with every book, PC, event and toilet you could want, whenever you want it - staffed with the grumpiest, most miserable, untrained, unmotivated staff you could ever wish to see.

In my view we need to apply a simple and holistic approach to library service delivery.

Great product - books, services, information, events, ICT
Accessible places - opening hours, cleanliness, design, repair, location
Great staff - trained, motivated, friendly, diverse

Then - let peple know about it.

All good things come from here and we need to get it right - all of it. Libraries fell down when they lost pace with customer expectations. Never pass something second rate off to customers and expect to get away with it. Aim high - that's where customer expectations are.

Don't get in a comfort zone - very few businesses have the luxury of segmenting their market and staying alive. Libraries are for everyone and we have to reach out to all sections of the community - not just the easy hits.

Often the cry is for more money, but it's time for services to prove that they are competent to spend it

In Swansea we are trying hard to achieve this high quality, customer focused and holistic service. The ongoing programme of refurbishments (ticking all the boxes) and the opening of our new Central library have had a big impact but we have a long way to go yet. We are an improving business, looking to grow.

Come and visit us Mr Motion (we can all forget that we're in Wales for the purpose of the exercise) - and we promise that if you give us some money, it won't be wasted.

Watching...

2008-07-22T12:41:00.002+01:00

Into the wild and The Invasion - one has a happy ending and one has a sad ending but both were a good watch.

Reading...

2008-07-22T12:33:00.003+01:00

Against the machine - being human in the era of the electronic mob - I have a bit of a love/hate thing going on with the old interweb...

also
Swan Peak by James Lee Burke - possibly my favourite crime author ever.

and
Teach yourself decluttering - the Turner household needs some order!

finally
Thrifty ways for modern days - what better way to beat the credit crunch?

Babs in the house

2008-07-09T11:40:00.002+01:00

Esteemed author Barabara Erskine will be rocking up to Central Library tomorrow at 2pm to talk about her new book, The Warrior's Princess.

Looking for love?

2008-07-07T09:19:00.002+01:00

Literary lonely hearts take note - there's love to be found at Swansea Central library on their regular singles night. I haven't been myself, but I understand it's very popular and growing in notoriety as the place to meet.
People are quite literally coming from miles around in the hope of finding love among the shelves, and we've even made the national press, as well as the redoubtable South Wales Evening Post.

If you're interested in finding romance at the next singles night, it's on Friday 11th July between 6pm and 8pm.

Amnesty International

2008-07-07T08:59:00.002+01:00

OK, I hold my hands up, I've been AWOL for a while. It's not that Swansea Libraries hasn't been an exciting place to be or that I haven't had anything to report. Far from it, there's been loads going on and I have been utterly negligent in my duties. More of that later.

No, the sad truth is... I've been too ashamed to post.

Ashamed because I am a flagged user, a defaulter, an abuser of the system, operating on the very margins of a legal and just society.

I have had overdue books.

There - I've said it. I, Paige Turner, am no sort of library role model and not fit to communicate with you. But, salvation is at hand. My blushes will be spared by the good folk who run the library service here in Swansea.

For an amnesty has been announced, a chance for all those of us who have crossed the line to sally forth and become upright citizens once more. Between 14th July and 2nd August Swansea Libraries will be accepting back all overdue items FINE FREE!

It's an opportunity too good to miss - I'm off to clear out the attic.

View from the Bont

2008-04-17T11:01:00.003+01:00

Those nice folk from the Welsh Assembly Government have given us some money to refurb the lovely but rather dated library at Pontarddulais.

As ever, you can look forward to a brighter and more welcoming space, a review of opening hours, modern and user friendly shelving and layout and of course (what Swansea libraries do best) - loads of new BOOKS!

Hurrah!

Roll on September.

Brum Brum!

2008-04-17T10:38:00.005+01:00

I read here that there is a new £193 million library proposed for Birmingham. Being a good librarian ;-) I have validated this information, and you can read more about it here

I wonder if it's the same library that was being project managed ooooh, around 5 years ago now by the delightful Ayub Khan.

Anyway - it's going to be great I'm sure. Either enormously HUGE or made of solid platinum. Hope it's the former.

Mr. Coates thinks they should spend £20 million on new books, which is around 10% of the toal budget (maths not my strong point). Sounds reasonable - the book suppliers could pre-order their lear jets now - but I'm not sure how big it's going to be.

Being a much 'umbler city, our new library cost around £6 million and we had around £700,000 to spend on new books to add to the decent stuff from the old place that we bought along with us.

When I say new books I mean newly bought, not newly published i.e. we were able to get spanking new sets of brilliant backlist as well as new titles.

I was at Birmingham central library a while ago (undercover on covert ops) and counted 3 spine labels on one fiction book (author surname lead letter, number corresponding to the row of shelves in which book was to be shelved, and genre). It would probably have been easier to shelve and find if the labels hadn't obscured the author's name!

Still, I'm sure that's why the good librarians of Birmingham are desperate for a new library and best wishes to them in their endeavours!

See anything you like?

2008-04-07T14:14:00.004+01:00

The Story so far...

2008-04-07T08:37:00.003+01:00

We have joined 1500 new library members.

We have loaned out over 20,000 items.

80% of customers are using the self service machines (and most seem to like them)

95% of customers tell us they love the library and many have written complimenting the staff :)

We have walked and walked and walked... 2 pedometers have already cracked under the strain!

We love our new library - come and see us!!!

We have lift off!

2008-03-18T17:01:00.001Z

Central Library is now open! I think it's fabulous - what do you think? Please leave any comments here.

Ok, it's a bit late

2008-02-08T13:48:00.001Z

but I have been busy.

What books did you get for Christmas?

I got these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Do-Tales-Everyday-Craziness/dp/0330453734/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202478699&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dawn-Dumb-Dispatches-Idiotic-Frontline/dp/0571238416/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202478727&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Estates-Intimate-History-Lynsey-Hanley/dp/1862079099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202478778&sr=8-1

http://www.libraries.swansea.gov.uk/uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/sSO01Ogehc/HQ/125100003/8/743064/Affluenza+(,aeflu'enza)

Miles of aisles

2008-02-08T13:47:00.000Z

1200 crates of books delivered so far.... shelving, shelving and more shelving.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-07T10:33:00.000Z

Well the season to be jolly has ended but 2008 will hopefully bring many other reasons to be jolly for all those involved with Swansea libraries.

First on the agenda of course is the opening of Central library in March. I did manage to sneak down for a few photos just before Christmas and it looks fantastic!

Just think of all these shelves filled with lovely books!!

Looks comfy too!

Who thought map cabinets could look so good?

and the view....

Listening

2007-12-18T09:27:00.000Z

to "An Easy Christmas"

not in the office though - oh no.

Reading

2007-12-18T09:24:00.000Z

Chuck Klosterman IV

I love Chuck Klosterman -he did the whole "eating nothing but McDonalds" thing years before Morgan Spurlock and Fargo Rock City is one of my favourite music books ever!

shhhh.....

2007-12-18T09:23:00.000Z

I hear on the grapevine that another refurbishment may be on the cards later this year in a Swansea library.

Watch this space for more news

Phew

2007-12-18T09:19:00.000Z

Well, we've finished buying books for the new library and things are really gathering pace. The fit out of the library is now complete bar all the electrical and ICT equipment and a few bits and bobs like blinds and signage.

We will be going in on 21st January to start stocking all the shelves and training our 20 or so brand new staff prior to opening in mid March.

I will try to get some updated photos soon....

Can't stop...

2007-12-07T17:33:00.001Z

Too busy buying books.

The 100 club

2007-12-07T17:32:00.001Z

Wey-hey! It's the 100th post!

good - wasn't it?

Collective nouns

2007-11-09T12:53:00.000Z

I can't find one for librarians. Suggestions in use include "a catalogue of librarians", " a stack of librarians" and "a shush of librarians"..

No matter.

Anyway - all Swansea libraries staff will be coming together next week for the 4th annual staff conference - the one day a year when we can all get together for training and development. This year the keynote speaker is none other than Sergio Dogliani of the Tower Hamlets Ideas Stores. In the tradition of Italians bringing excellent innovation to South Wales, we are hoping for a good day.

2000!

2007-11-09T12:47:00.000Z

Yesterday evening at around 8.20pm (while I was complacently watching The Bill), this blog had it's 2000th visitor!

Seems like only yesterday I was announcing the 1000th visitor and I've beaten my self imposed target of 2000 visitors by the blog's first birthday.

It does help that I share a name with an (ahem) "adult entertainment star", but some of you are real... aren't you?

Dewey

2007-10-31T09:09:00.000Z

Of course, we could just get all new customers to read this.

That would sort it out - oh yes!

Cultural differences

2007-10-31T08:41:00.000Z

I know a lot of librarians read this blog, but bear with me a few moments...

Imagine you're a customer. Yes, "customer", not "borrower" as they are small people who live behind the skirting boards. Not "user" - libraries are not heroin, nor even opiates for the masses. Not even "reader", as we all offer much more than that - don't we?

Anyway, for the sake of argument, you're a customer and you're looking for Elizabeth David's French Provincial Cooking.

You walk into a bookshop - you look around at the headings on the bookshelves - you notice that there is an area headed "cookery" or "food and drink", you think - ah, yes, that sounds right. On closer inspection, you notice that every couple of shelves is a smaller sign "barbecues", "soups", "A-z by country" Ah-ha!!!! a,b,c,d,e,f - French cookery.

You take the initiative - you read the titles and author's names on the spines of the books - OK sorry, getting a bit controversial there. But hey - you did it!

Now the alternative scenario - you walk into a traditional library. There are no signs above the shelves. On the end of each run of shelving, you notice an array of numbers (340-385, 610-649 etc.) You walk further and may notice a decrepid poster filled with a list of these numbers and what they mean, written in arcane language. (If you're a kid, your poster may have a jungle theme but the language will be the same).

OK - you say - I get it, there's some sort of coded system in play here! But, I'm an intelligent human so I can work it out. Right, let's see:

000 - computers, information and general works (nope)
100 - philosophy and psychology (nope)
200 - religion (well Delia's a bit fanatical about eggs but...nope)
300 - social sciences (don't think so)
400 - language (non!)
500 - science (erm, no)
600 - technology (nope)
700 - arts and recreation (ah-ha! The culinary arts! Recreational activity - sounds good, just finish checking)
800 - Literature (nah!)
900 - History and geography (no - hee-hee! I've cracked it, now, off to find the 700 section!)

time passes.

slowly.

Give up.

Go home or ask the code master.

Of course 641.5944!! "Utilising the sciences to harness the natural world and it's resources for the benefit of mankind" = Cookery! Silly me.

By the way - helpful tip, when you do get to it, if you do get to it, hope there's not too may books on French cookery, because chances are, you won't be able to identify the book you want behind all the spine labels.

There ends today's anti-Dewey rant.

Reading...

2007-10-29T12:00:00.000Z

Recently finished The World Without Us by Alan Wiseman.
A great book - coming to a library near you soon!

Hooray, hooray it's Gorseinon Lib-ra-ay!

2007-10-29T11:48:00.000Z

More information about the Gorseinon refurbishment is available on the Designing Libraries website and on the website of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Apparantly there were 3000 visitors in the first week alone - great stuff!