When I was a girl I used to pretend that I was a librarian. I would gather all my books, organize them into categories and re-shelve them. If you were to look back through my old childhood books now, you would find evidence of this game, in the form of dates stamped in the front of each book, in red ink.
I used to love visiting our local library too. It was a lovely old fashioned library, full of dark wooden stacks that stretched from floor to ceiling. There was a set of mahogany spiral library steps that the librarians used to reach the highest shelves, but which children were forbidden from using because 'They're not for climbing on!' Actually that's exactly what they were for, but I knew what she meant.
I loved that library and it was my favorite place to spend my Saturday afternoons. Saturday mornings were for riding school, but the afternoons were for books and trips to the library. I'd walk there with my mother and our tiny Chihuahua dog, Pepe. He was so small, we could smuggle him in, in a book bag! He was always good as gold.
We'd walk through the little woods that ran alongside the building, pop Pepe in the bag, then go up the steps, between the pillars and into the echoing halls of books. I was so upset when the council closed down that library, in favor of 'something more modern' that I have never been to the new library since it opened some years ago. I have completely boycotted it.
Of all the jobs I've done in my life, I have never worked in a library, although I did used to work in Waterstones bookshop for a time, which is pretty much the same thing. I spent my early mornings there trundling the book carts around, shelving the new books that had just come in from publishing distributors. There is nothing quite like the smell of a cart full of newly printed books - I wish I could get a candle with that fragrance, as I would burn it in my study everyday.
It was, what I can only describe as, a very cosy job. Yes, it was an early start, but everyone there loved books, so it was extremely convivial. The smell of coffee and baked goods wafted around from the internal cafe, the town clock chimed out the hours in the Square and there was a gentle hum as people used their quiet, library-voices to request and pay for books.
Now as a Masters student, I have access to an even bigger library and a range of additional elective courses, so it was with great joy that I found a CPD course in Library Studies! Of course I signed up for it right away and I can't wait to get started.
The Library Studies course looks at the various services offered in a functioning library and the skills required in librarians. It explores both public and academic libraries; children's library skills ie. storytelling; information technology services; acquisitions,curating, cataloging, circulation and retrievals; reference and periodical sections; the importance of organization and appropriate shelving and so on. I learnt some of this during my time working at Waterstones, but it will be interesting to delve a little deeper into this topic. It's certificated, so it will count towards professional development and it will enhance my academic CV too.
Whatever I learn on this course, it will be an additional qualification and it will be good for my writing career too, even if only to pick up a few tips on how to better manage and maintain my own personal library and publishing archives!
I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in to my studies again next month. Library Studies is a classic, blue-stocking topic, but it suits my love of books, writing and libraries and I'm sure I'll enjoy it, alongside all my usual course work for the Masters. I had an email from one of the Fellows yesterday, saying that we are having a meeting next semester to discuss options for what I want to do next, once I have the Masters Degree under my belt. That should be a fun meeting and I feel excited to be going back to university in a few weeks time. After months of stagnation due to Covid, it's great to finally feel that things are moving forward again.
Roll on autumn - I'm beyond ready for it!
"When in doubt - go to the library..." 😉
BB Marie x
No comments:
Post a Comment