Friday, 24 June 2011

Finding my Feet

Image taken by Aussiegall
I haven’t yet blogged about my new job in a college, but I’ve just completed my third week there. I know all you millions of BtB fans are dying to know how I’ve been getting on, but my reasons for being silent are two-fold. Firstly, I’m not quite sure what to say – I’m still getting to grips with it all. Secondly, I’m hoping to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and produce a short report which I plan to sell to highest bidder (heehee).

An announcement of my having moved roles can be read in the People News section of June's Cilip Update with Gazette. (The magazine is available online but to Cilip members only.)

FE is very different to compulsory education and the respective library services are very different too. I am forever asking questions and some days I feel lost. I’ll be okay once I’ve found my feet, it’s just not an immediate development. However, here are my two main observations thus far:

1. A 65 mile daily round trip is a lot longer than a 4 mile daily round trip. Sounds obvious, I know, but I’ve still not managed to adapt yet. I will though… just as soon as I find the energy to get up off the sofa in the evenings.

2. The gas-lift swivel chair at the enquiry desk gradually sinks lower regardless how heavy the person sitting in it may be. Which, on a personal level, is a huge relief as I feared it was just when I sat in it!

6 comments:

  1. Hi Cara,
    I also made a move to FE (in my case from HE) - hope that it all goes well! I'll be watching your blog with interest
    Bizarrely, we have also experienced the sinking chair phenomenon - maybe it's an FE library thing...
    Cat

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  2. Hello Cara,

    We also have the gas-chair problem! I work in FE but mainly with HE students - best of both worlds. You're blog looks very clean and well-organised. I'm still sorting mine out at the moment.

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  3. Oops sorry Cat - I'm not following you - didn't realise it was you!

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  4. Dear S.Wolfenden,
    There should be a support group for those of us who have sinking chairs forced upon us!
    Many thanks for the kind words about my blog, it took a l-o-n-g time to settle on the interface you see now.

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  5. Tee hee (Cara - Sarah and I are talking about the same chair!) - massively embarrasing when you are talking to a student and are slowly sinking to the floor

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  6. Hi Cara

    Have had sinking chair moments on a regular basis for the past few years, and I have to tell you don't get used to it, it still takes you by surprise and there is nothing that makes you feel sillier infront of a bunch of students than when your chin is suddenly level with the desk. I have to say I agree with S Wolfenden, there should be a support group for us. Perhaps the phrase "I've got that sinking feeling" came from someone using a gas-lift chair!!!

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