All moved...

I promised myself that I'd keep a learning weblog of my activities, highs and lows (hopefully there won't be much of the latter) while I'm taking part in a 6 month secondment as a Branch Librarian, so here goes...

Well I've survived my first week on in the big world of Branch Libraries. I think for most of the week I've had a dazed appearance on my face as I've wandered around a huge area, where I'm thankfully only responsible for looking after two branches. Day 1, I learnt that I'm going to have to do some careful planning when agreeing to do things and creating my weekly timetable. I'm restricted to using public transport and taking two hours to commute between two branches as I did on my first day wasn't fun at all. Note to self: make good use of my time management skills and get to know the bus routes!

I've kinda come full circle and am actually based in the Library where I began my career 13 years ago as a Saturday Library Assistant and I really do feel that time really has past, with only one member of original staff who took me under their experienced wing and inducted me into the world of Libraries and Books. So there's been a lot of meeting and greeting new faces and the occasional old face and having that feeling you get when you have a family reunion and you see long lost Uncle Jim, who only visits on special occasions and the realisation almost a decade has past since I was here last!!! Note to self: the shock will pass!


I had a meeting with my line manager and the Library Manager, which was useful and helpful and had an appraisal to identify my training and development needs over the next six months. It's quite a long list and I realise I won't be able to achieve everything on the list, but I can make a good attempt and it's after all what I'm here to do. I think it's also important for me to think about what I'm bringing with me through my transferable skills and experience as it's far too easy to think what the hell am I doing in this job and what have I been doing for the next 13 years.... I know nothing! Note to self: don't be afraid or guilty to ask for help!

I brought myself up to speed with managing a Readers' Group and what my particular Reader's Group will be reading over the next few months and at the end of the month, if any of them have actually read the book and what they thought about it.

I designed some posters for a children's event I have at the beginning of next month. Slightly nervous as children and young people is definately one of the development needs and it's also a environmental event, which will involve plants (I'm well known for killing anything remotely green and living in soil).

I've done a bit of stock work, which helped me settle in and is something familiar so if' I'm feeling like it's all getting too much, this will be my coping mechanism for the next few months...

Thursday, I shadowed a colleague with a project being run by the library service called Studio 12 which gave me a chance to meet some young people and to realise I don't know the first thing about media technologies involving music or photography or graphics or about "spitting". So that was an eventful afternoon where I was clearly out of my depth and comfort zone.

Friday was the first day I properly saw my office desk and my new home. So I spent much of the day bringing myself up to speed with my emails and a new filing cabinet. Note to self: just because it says that's your base, doesn't mean you'll see your actual desk and office very often and try not to jangle too much with all those keys in your pocket and punch the wrong code into the keypad to turn the alarm off or withdraw money from the cash machine!

Well here I am in week 2, let's see what happens this week....