Can't believe I didn't think to blog about this at the time...
The chartership examination board met on January 27th and awarded me chartered status. I couldn't be any more chuffed! I am now BA(Hons), MSc, MCLIP. I know it's vulgar to self-promote but I really don't care; if you can't rejoice amongst firends who can you rejoice amongst eh? Woo-hoo! Yay is me! Yippeeee! (Feel free to join in...)
It's been quite expensive, this whole chartership lark. Cilip membership costs £184 (I think) per year, MCLIP portfolio registration is £55 and there's a further payment of £20 for the honour of joining the professional register. Not to mention the cost of travelling to regular sessions with my tutor / mentor and the cost of having three copies bind. It really makes my blood boil when I think of it that way. Of all the professions, that of information science is one of the lowest paid. Chartered librarian posts do not command wages equivilent to that other professions of a similar standing (for example a chartered accountant or a chartered engineer). Despite this fact, Cilip, the professional body for information scientists / knowledge managers / librarians (whichever you choose to call us) has one of the highest membership fees of all professional bodies. I really have to bite my tongue on this issue. It is ridiculously expensive when viewed in comparrison to the wages of the profession, yet I still choose to pay it. I do this because I fear my career would be held back and suffer if I did not. My boyfriend, for example, is a member of the professional body for cast metal engineers. His annual membership is roughly a third of what I pay for mine. Grrrr! Cilip often attempts to justify the costs via various blogs, forums and printed publications. There's nothing I can do to alter it so I may as well just grin and bear it.
Anyhoo, I must move on from this negativity, this blog posting is meant to be one of rejoicement. Where was I...? Oh yes. Yipee! Congrats! Who's the champ! etc.
Thanks for reading.
Love and kisses from
Cara BA(Hons), MSc, MCLIP.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Friday, 15 January 2010
Most Popular Authors
Thought I'd tell you all what our most popular authors were last year.
1. Jacqueline Wilson
2. Darren Shan
3. Stephenie Meyer
4. Roald Dahl
5. Meg Cabot
This is Stephenie Meyer's first appearance in our top five, and it's interesting in the fact that it has pushed JK Rowling out. Is Harry out of vogue? Are vampires the 'in' thing? It would certainly seem so at the moment.
Personally, I am a huge HP fan and late last year I also became a huge Twilight fan. I become so engrossed in both series of books that it's difficult for me to say which I prefered. Having said that though, I do agree with Stephen King when he said he felt Rowling had the edge over Meyer in terms of writing technique.
Good to see Darren Shan in the top five again, despite the recent film release being panned. I enjoy his books and would hate to see him slip down.
1. Jacqueline Wilson
2. Darren Shan
3. Stephenie Meyer
4. Roald Dahl
5. Meg Cabot
This is Stephenie Meyer's first appearance in our top five, and it's interesting in the fact that it has pushed JK Rowling out. Is Harry out of vogue? Are vampires the 'in' thing? It would certainly seem so at the moment.
Personally, I am a huge HP fan and late last year I also became a huge Twilight fan. I become so engrossed in both series of books that it's difficult for me to say which I prefered. Having said that though, I do agree with Stephen King when he said he felt Rowling had the edge over Meyer in terms of writing technique.
Good to see Darren Shan in the top five again, despite the recent film release being panned. I enjoy his books and would hate to see him slip down.
Monday, 4 January 2010
HaPpY nEw YeAr!
Can it really be 2010, already?
First day back at work today after two weeks off for Christmas. Spending it tidying up lose ends from last term - finishing off the statistical report and hand-covering the last of our new stock.
Had a meeting with the library helpers at lunchtime. They are to do a wall display focusing on new year's resolutions. Will they finish it in a week? When they all get together they're so loud and full of beans, so the jury's still out on that one. They made a new year promise to me today that they would all concentrate on working well together - maybe keeping promises is their team resolution...
First day back at work today after two weeks off for Christmas. Spending it tidying up lose ends from last term - finishing off the statistical report and hand-covering the last of our new stock.
Had a meeting with the library helpers at lunchtime. They are to do a wall display focusing on new year's resolutions. Will they finish it in a week? When they all get together they're so loud and full of beans, so the jury's still out on that one. They made a new year promise to me today that they would all concentrate on working well together - maybe keeping promises is their team resolution...
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.
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.
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.
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