Thursday 10 December 2009

Cilip's Editorial Panel

This morning I emailed my application to join the editorial panel of Cilip’s Update and Gazette magazines.

I’ve fancied doing it for quite a while and have been on the lookout for the advert, but somehow I still missed the deadline (darn school residential trips!). Anyhoo, I put together the required Update critique and emailed it off hoping they would forgive my submission for being late. Fortunately they did!

I don’t have a background in editing or publishing, but it intrigues and interests me. I don’t have very much confidence in my application as it was done in haste after realising the deadline had passed, but cross your fingers for me folks… good or bad, I’ll let you know.

Over and Out.

Monday 7 December 2009

Averil Pearson

On April Fool’s Day 2003 I started my first day of work in a library, and on this day I met a woman whom I shall always remember.

Averil Pearson was the Senior Assistant and had a library career spanning 40 years. She taught me how to use Dewey, how to use the Olib computerised catalogue – absolutely everything. She even taught me how to apply eyeliner! The two of us would work a late night together every Tuesday; students rarely used the library during the evenings so we had a little more time to chat and get to know each other.

Over the 3 years that I worked with Averil, I watched her and learnt so much – much more than merely library stuff. She was the first person of a different generation I genuinely regarded as a friend. She would talk the hind legs off a donkey, bless her, but she inspired me in lots of ways. She was a good person who led a good life and opened my eyes to many different things.

Averil died almost two years ago. Her funeral was very touching and I’m pleased to say there was standing room only during the service. She was deeply dedicated to libraries and I want everyone to know what an amazing person she was.