I’ve been thinking about cake lots lately (mmm).My friend Claire (above) just started a cake business. She’s been inventing cakes and I’ve been helping her by trying them. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it! I also came up with the name for her business (Home is Where the Cake Is) and these last three Saturdays I’ve ended up at an afternoon tea so with all that cake I started to realise…
Social Media is like baking
Well, sort of. Imagine you’re inventing a new cake. You’d try putting a few things together based on what’s worked before. You’d have some essentials but you’d maybe try new combinations or add something different. Then you bake it. If it’s good people enjoy eating it. If it’s really good they ask you for the recipe.
Leith Library was named as the best social media contributor to Book Week in Scotland. The cake we baked turned out well so now I’ve been asked to share the recipe at Social Media for Social Good in Glasgow tomorrow. I can tell people how to make our cake but really, I want to tell people to go and invent their own cake using the ingredients they already have in their organisation. My top tips would be:
Use the resources you already have
Don’t be afraid to try something different
Plan for some of what you’re doing
Make space for the spontaneous
Don’t forget to have fun
Often the reason we don’t just try new and exciting ways of engaging with people using social media is because we’re afraid. We’re afraid of what people might think. We’re afraid it might go wrong. Or other people are afraid on our behalf. Perhaps we’re afraid we don’t have a good enough idea but people are made to generate ideas. People are brilliant, they are the best resource. People make things happen not social media. Social media is just a tool to share ideas and make connections. It’s a giant tea party!
If you can’t be at tomorrow’s conference but want to follow online just follow the hashtag #begoodbesocial on twitter. You can read about what we did at Leith Library for Book Week Scotland on my blog here. I’m also speaking about Bookweek at the CILIPS Library conference in Dundee in June.
Hannah was running the London Marathon while we were on the sidelines with pints of Shandy and cheers. I took this as she ran past. We told her to keep going and that she was doing great. She said her feet hurt.
“It’s the cheers that keep you going” that’s what they say. I’ve never run a marathon and don’t think I ever will but last week I started running again. I ran on Thursday and last night too. I ran by the sea and the oyster catchers scuttled across my path. I’m excited to be running again. The thing is I’ve been a bit ill since Christmas. I’ve not been able to cycle or run or even walk too far.
It’s been frustrating. All sorts of strange things kept happening to me. For two weeks I couldn’t move for 2 hours every morning. The doctors said it was an arthritic hangover, over night my muscles were seizing up and in the morning they just didn’t work. It’s taken a few months to recover and at the same time a close family member was diagnosed with cancer. On top of that I’ve been having building work in my flat. It was supposed to take a few days and it’s ended up taking 9 weeks.
So all in all I was struggling a bit but I didn’t really tell people. I thought it would pass and I’d be alright. I managed to keep up with work but I didn’t manage to keep up with all of my friends or the social things that were happening around me.
Eventually I realised I needed to be brave and tell people I was struggling. When you’re going through something difficult you need people to cheer you on, to tell you to keep going. Just to be there with you on the sidelines.
So I did it, I told a bunch of people I trust and things started to get better. Just the act of telling people in itself was so good. I think it’s hard to admit you can’t do things sometimes or to admit you need help but we do need each other. Last week I started running again and I remembered… it’s the cheers that keep us going!
Just a quick blog to let you know about a couple of digital storytelling projects I’m working on over the next few weeks with two quite different groups of people, teenagers in Leith and older people in Govan.
This weekend I met with four teenagers at Leith Library for our first podcast workshop. The teenagers are making a young adult fiction podcast (read more about how they applied to the project on the leith library blog here). It was brilliant to meet them for the first time. I was impressed with their ideas and how well they worked together even though they’d only just met. They’re preparing some questions and doing a bit of research before next week’s session where they’re interviewing author Keith Gray. The week after it’s Roy Gill. I can’t wait to see how they go and what they produce at the end. So that’s the teenagers, next it’s the older people…
Tomorrow I start a six-week digital storytelling project in Govan with older people from the Govan Reminiscence Group. I’m working with Brian Wilkinson from the Britain from Above project (find them on twitter @AboveBritain) and we’ll be working with the group to help them to create and share their own digital stories about Govan. We’ll be looking at aerial photographs and talking about how Govan has changed over the years. The group have done similar projects before but they’ve not been able to tell the stories they’ve wanted to tell so this time it’s different – the group are going to choose their stories and learn to add images to their stories and share them at a celebration event.
I’m excited to see what both groups produce and I know we’re going to learn from each other throughout the process. I feel privileged to be working with such interesting people and to have the opportunity to help them to tell and share their stories.
I did it – dressed as a pirate for World Book Night and had a parrot on my shoulder (well on my back but close enough!). I was giving away copies of Treasure Island with my Leith Library Reader in Residence pirate hat on. We wanted to encourage people to read by doing something a little different so we hid in a secret Leith Location with a giant golden macaw called Bongo.
There’s Treasure in Them There Books!
To find us people had to solve clues using a new library resource www.ourtownstories.co.uk. They used old maps and photos of Leith to solve the clues to reveal a secret pirate postcode. Then they just had to go there and look for a pirate flag. I had a lot of fun taking photos of the clues with various pirate backgrounds. Captain Colm had fun covering paper with tea and baking it in the oven to make it look old!
It was fab when people actually found us! We gave them copies of Treasure Island and let them choose from a range of prizes donated by local businesses too. We had a pirate wardrobe for people to delve into and we took photos of them in pirate gear with the parrot.
Pirate Portraits
Children were carefully positioned in front of the parrot so it looked like it was on their shoulder. Adults did the real thing. Check out the photos of all the pirates who came to visit here.
So what was it like to have a parrot on your back? To tell you the truth I was petrified. The parrot was very nice but it flapped and made loud noises and I’m just a bit scared of big birds with big beaks being close to my head!
Thanks to The Crew
Captain Colm (he’s a digital librarian – he masterminded the clues)
1st Mate Victoria (Made the voyage from Carlisle with her parrot)
Pirate Jim (let us capture the Leith Agency’s Barge)
Leith Library Staff Pirates (who dressed up to mark the occasion)
I drove the parrot home, not to Carlisle but to Leith. He has two homes like the Queen. It was very strange – looking in my mirror to see Bongo looking back! That was yesterday, my day as a pirate.
I’ve written about our day and the treasure hunters who found us on the Leith Library blog here.
This Saturday 12 S2 pupils from Holyrood High School perform their first science theatre show at the National Museums of Scotland as part of National Science and Engineering week.
They’re performing ‘Alex’s Amazing Adventure‘ as part of a pilot project ran by Conor Hull, Community Engagement Officer at the National Museums of Scotland. I worked with Conor and the pupils for one afternoon a couple of weeks ago. This was the beginning of the project and the beginning of their training as science communicators.
Here’s a bit about the training session and how it went.
What did we do?
We started with introductions and an ice breaker. Next the students pretended to be primary school pupils as they watched a performance of ‘Alex’s Amazing Adventure’ from Conor. They were looking for what they enjoyed about Conor’s presenting and the show. We discussed this afterwards. Then it was over to me and I covered:
Science Shows (What use are they? What do the audience get out of them?)
Nerves (and how to deal with fear of the audience, your performace and your material)
Safety (entrance and exits, props etc)
Good beginnings
Working with volunteers and audience interaction
Questions (open and closed and how to field them)
How to use your voice and body
Working with props
Expect the Unexpected
Top Tips
Memorable Endings
We looked at clips of science communicators in action and evaluated their performance in light of what we’d just learned. For example did the presenter ask the volunteer their name and then use it?
The session included lots of group discussion, brainstorming and practical examples. It ended with the pupils performing a very small section of the show which wee filmed and played back to them.
How did it go?
The pupils were selected by teachers for being
good at drama
good at science
pupils that would benefit from the experience
So it was a group with mixed interests and abilities. I loved working with them. Their questions steered every section of the training and I often covered topics ahead of the schedule because of their interest and lively questioning. They asked questions like
What do you do if people laugh?
What do you do if everyone starts talking?
What do you do if the science experiments go wrong?
One pupil said to me “everything you’ve said I would have done the opposite!” I assured her that was brilliant because it meant she was learning loads.
The pupils applied what they learnt straight away too. For example we’d covered if a science experiment doesn’t work you try it again and if it still doesn’t work you explain that science is all about trial and error -some of the greatest discoveries in science come from things not working in the way we expect! You would then explain briefly what would have happened and you move on without laughing or blaming the volunteer for messing it up.
Several of the pupils were expertly unflappable during their performance when an experiment didn’t work. They even talked about trial and error and how what we’d just seen was an example of science in action – amazing for their first ever science theatre performance.
For my first science theatre performance (eight years ago) I had a total blank and froze! I told them that. I wanted to give them examples from my own experience and most of all I wanted to encourage them.
Feedback
We asked pupils to put dots on a line for their enthusiasm and ability in science and drama before and after the session. All of their responses increased positively.
The teacher accompanying the children was really enthusiastic about the training and she said it should be mandatory for every pupil. She said it wasn’t just science communication, we were learning life skills – how to present yourself, how to treat others and how to empathise, EVEN with your teachers!
The pupils have been practicing with support from their teacher and with help from Conor.
I know they’ll make excellent science communicators this Saturday. You can go and see them at the Museum for free at 12.30. 13.30 and 14.30. More details here.
At the beginning of 2012 I was feeling a little bit nervous about the year ahead so I wrote my first annual general review. I’d just left the security of a permanent job to become a full-time freelancer and I didn’t know how things would work out. I hoped looking back would give me some confidence.
This year it’s different; I’m beginning the year with warmth. Quite literally – there’s a wood burning stove crackling away beside me. It’s new and I love it. I don’t have central heating so I’ve spent the last five winters feeling a little cold. Now, at last! I can afford to be a bit warmer.
I’m beginning 2013 with an inner warmth too. Perhaps it’s an assurance that things do work out when you step out in faith. Or a warmth that says it’s worth making sacrifices to pursue the things you really feel called to do.
I’m not long back from Kidscreen in New York. It’s a big children’s TV market (I wrote about it here) full of people from all over the world with ideas. They‘re there because they want to make something beautiful and something they believe in. It reminded me that life really is too short not to go for it!
And now to look back over 2012, here are my highlights. Click on the links to read more.
Children’s TV Commissions
Writing 5 new series treatments for CBeebies science show Nina and the Neurons
Greener Leith Zero Waste Podcast series (12 ten minute podcasts to engage people to reduce waste – I finished the last of these in 2012). Funded by the Waste Action Grant.
I was almost physically sick before my first comedy performance. I was so nervous but I actually really enjoyed it once we got started -the audience were fab. Here’s a Chris Scott photo to prove I really did it (thanks Chris). Find previous and upcoming gigs here.
For the Love of It (Voluntary Work)
Commissioned by Artist Alastair Cook as one of twenty poets to write a piece of flash fiction for his PechaKucha film project ‘Twenty Second Film Poem‘
Cycled down Leith Walk with camera attached to my bike basket to make an Indiana Jones style adventure film about the terrible potholes.
Wrote my last blog for Greener Leith in August 2012 after 2 years of volunteering (70 blogs in total!).
Organised some get-togethers for freelancers called Freelance Friday
Wrote my first stop frame animation script as part of a call for submissions on the theme of ‘The Library at Night’. It was selected to be performed at the Portobello Book Festival Opening Event.
Helped to lead a weekly community group in Leith (that’s ongoing)
Continued as trustee of the Speygrian Education Trust (artists, scientist, writers and educators interested in outdoor learning) and helped them to set up twitter and Facebook
I was one of 12 writers to be selected to take part in the CBBC Lab, a competitive entry training course on how to write for CBBC run over 4 days by the Scottish Book Trust and BBC Scotland. It was brilliant.
Olympics related poetry job with West Lothian Council
To get mentoring with The Scottish Book Trust
Internet dating
This is just to point out I’m definitely not successful at everything. There are plenty of things I hope for but I keep learning and trying. I applied for 2 residences before I got the one I’m doing now at the library but this one is just perfect for me so it goes to show things often work out for the best in the end.
People Who Really Inspired Me
Elspeth Murray, a wonderful freelance poet. My poetry mentor and friend.
Peter Hynes, a brilliant screenwriter and creative thinker. My screenwriting mentor
Josh Selig, creative genius and President of Little Airplane Productions. Encourager.
Sara Harkins, Head of BBC Scotland Children’s. Sara is wonderful.
I want to thank the people above as well as everyone I’ve worked with in 2012. Also to my friends and family and to everyone who’s supported me on this journey – you’ve been amazing!
2013: What’s ahead?
The good news is I’m booked up with commissions and projects until early September. So far I’ve completed my tax return, got a stove put in and I’ve been to New York to pitch some kids’ TV shows for Visible Ink Television.
I’m working 2.5 days a week at Leith Library as Reader in Residence. Over the next few months I’ll be writing the Leith Library blog and working with teenagers to make podcasts about young adult fiction. I’ll also be supporting the library staff as they get blogging too.
The library part of my residency finishes in June and then I have three months where I still get paid but I do my own practice. What’s that? Well… I’m considering:
Starting a series of science related young adult novels; I have 13 planned.
Rewriting my first attempt at a sitcom using feedback from the BBC and screenwriter Adrian Mead
Writing picture books. I showed drafts of a science series idea to Agent Lucy Juckes in 2012 so I’ll work on her suggestions.
Cycling around Scottish Libraries on a ‘Banana Me Beautiful on a Bike’ book tour. My paperback should be out by then and I’d like to go on a journey and help to promote positive mental health.
This March (a sample month):
I start working as a digital storyteller with older people in Govan for the Britain from Above Project - can’t wait for that!
I’m writing some episodes on commission for CBeebies (that’s secret – will blog about it when I can).
I’m visiting Flora Stevenson Primary P1 classes for their Book Week – hurrah for children!
I’m working for Third Sector Lab to create audio and video content and run a training session for the 2013 Poverty Assembly. Ross is brilliant, looking forward to working with him again and on something so worthwhile.
I’m working with P6 and P7 in Mid Lothian to help them to create Haikus for their litter bins (for the Scottish Poetry Library).
I’m developing and pitching some ideas to promote fish in nurseries on commission from Seafish (the fishing industry) with writer John Stoddart.
One of my best friends gets married in September, so can’t wait for that (and I need to organise a hen do).
Hopes for 2013
I’m hoping to do the Great North Swim in the Lake District in June with my friend Judith. I hate wearing a swimming costume and I figured training will force me to overcome that fear. Plus I’ve never been to the Lake District and I like Judith. I also ate too much chocolate over Christmas. And exercise helps with creativity. I’m trying to talk myself into this!
I’ve written four children’s TV science shows so I’ll be pitching them to channels and independent production companies in 2013. I’ve especially enjoyed working with puppeteer Josh Elwell (and Bounce) on one of these shows so I do hope we make it!
Hopes for the Future….. I want
to encourage others.
to have an ideas box that I add to throughout the year.
to make one day a week my day for writing.
to write a list of things I’m thankful for every night.
to go walking more.
to start painting again.
I don’t want to EVER stop doing things that scare me.
And One Day..
I’d like to write an episode of Doctor Who and a bunch of books and some screenplays. I’d like to live in an eco home in the mountains with a cat and a man and perhaps some kids.
Finally a few numbers from 2012….
Blog posts on this blog (40), Blog posts produced for Leith Library (30), blog posts produced for Greener Leith(8), Dog Poo and Litter Films made (6), guest blogs I wrote (4), Cocktail naming competitions won (1) and I attended 4 weddings and a funeral.
I’m in New York! I’m here for Kidscreen 2013, it’s the worlds biggest kids entertainment industry conference. It’s at the Hilton Hotel and includes seminars, talks and even Zumba. Here’s the agenda.
Who comes to Kidscreen?
In 2012 there were:
1,600 delegates
46 countries represented
350+ content buyers
900+ producers/distributors
What am I doing here?
I’ve been developing a live action eco comedy drama for Visible Ink Television, it’s for children age 6 – 9 years. I’ll be meeting people during the conference to pitch the programme to them. I’m part of the British Delegation at Kidscreen too, there’s around 50 of us.
Kidscreen runs through to Friday night and then I’m heading on to The Academy at Little Airplane for 3 days of training.
Just now I’m researching the people I’m going to be pitching to and planning my agenda (and writing this blog!).
All Work and No Play?
I’ve been to New York City twice before so I’m not trying to pack too much sightseeing in this time. Saying that I’m in an amazing city and since I arrived on Saturday I’ve managed to say hello to Woody in Times Square:
I’ve pondered humanity while gazing from the rooftop terrace of my hotel:
And wondered are we pips? While standing in front of the big apple in the big apple:
I’ve been snowed on. I’ve eaten a burrito and I’ve smiled at the doughnut shaped soap in my sink (for the love of doughnuts). Speaking of doughnuts, the creator of the Simpsons is here, he’s the keynote speaker at Kidscreen.
I noticed fruit is much more expensive here, all fruit except for bananas! I brought two for less than 50c in celebration. I unpacked to discover I’d accidentally brought 8 pairs of tights with me, what was I thinking!?
I asked for lemonade to discover it’s a completely different drink. I enjoyed a Dr Tim Keller talk about unconventional heroes, irony, Les Miserables and Lord of the Rings. I went back to Times Square at night:
Hopes for the week?
I want to visit the Highline, an inner city park up in the sky on old railway lines. I want to do a spoken word open mic somewhere (any New Yorkers reading this – do let me know where’s good).
I’d like to have a wander round Central Park and see the snapping turtles.
Most of all I want to meet some brilliant creative people and make new connections.
If I sell the show I’m pitching I will go on a horse-drawn tour around central park in celebration. Otherwise I’m walking…
How am I feeling?
It’s my first Kidscreen so I’m a little nervous. I’ll be meeting lots of new and highly successful people.
What if I’m pitching and I accidentally spit on someone? Or I meet the creator of the Simpsons and notice I’ve spilled part of my lunch down my top? Or I could laugh and snort? I don’t usually do these things so I don’t know why I’m considering them. At the end of the day we’re all just people, regardless of our achievements. The person I’m pitching to could just as easily spit on my face and I wouldn’t mind.
I guess we’re all here to consider new ideas and to make money but most of all I’m here because I want to make something wonderful for children. So I can’t wait to get started at the party tonight, spitting, snorting and spillages aside. I just need to decide which pair of tights to wear…
If you’re on twitter you can follow all of the twitter action on the hashtag #KSS13. JAM Media Animation have put together a twitter list of delegates here. Anne Richards from No Crusts has published a great list of pickup lines to break the ice so if it’s your first time you could always try them…
Go Engineering, the seventh series of CBeebies flagship science show Nina and the Neurons starts today at 4.30pm. I’m excited to be the screenwriter for two of the episodes and I worked on the storylines for seven of the episodes.
What’s the difference between Screenwriting and Storylining?
Storylining is creating the story behind the episode. For this series it involves coming up with science demonstrations that will lead a child through the answer to an engineering question step by step. A finished storyline can be given to a screenwriter without a science background and it gives them enough detail to be able to visualise the episode and write a good script. It’s generally a few pages long and includes images and links to further info. It’s a challenge to write because it needs to work well visually, be simple enough for children to understand and tell a story with complete scientific accuracy.
Screenwriting is writing a script for the dialogue of an episode and the screen directions (NINA GIGGLES) using the storyline as a template. It’s a challenge because you need to be able to explain science to three to six years olds in a language they can understand but also using dialogue in keeping with Nina (and her Neurons) and it has to fit the timings required. The Screenwriter writes the script and sends it to the Producer who sends back any rewrites needed.
I loved working on Nina and can’t wait to see my episodes and rest of the new series!
I’ll add transmission dates for the later episodes once they are published (a couple of weeks before transmission). Find out more about Go Engineering on the Nina and the Neurons Website.
It took place during the last week of November. It was the first national celebration of reading in Scotland. I had to be in my post as Scottish Book Trust Reader in Residence at Leith Library in time to promote it. It was the wonderful ‘Book Week Scotland’.
This post is about how we planned and delivered Book Week Scotland at Leith Library. We used audio, photos, videos, facebook, twitter, blogging, one on one conversations in the community and events.
Also I should say Rebecca Gordon from STV interviewed me and wrote a lovely feature ‘Leith’s Reader in Residence spreads the word for Book Week’, read it here.
Planning
We wanted to engage with as many new people as possible. We decided the best way to do that was to go to them so we planned visits into the community of Leith every day.
We also planned a week of events to get people into the library, the timetable is here.
In the weeks before Book Week we started telling people about what was coming on the Leith Library blog. I went to the Book Week Scotland press launch and interviewed the head of programme, Sophie Moxon. Here’s the blog. I also had chance to interview some of the league of Extraordinary Book lovers. Find the blog here, it includes a video of the youngest member of the league, 5 year old Edward.
We invited authors who write about Leith to share their work in the library at an event we called Memories of Leith. We featured each of the three writers on the blog ahead of Book Week to engage with people who were interested in the history of Leith as well as people interested in reading. Click on the links below to find out more about the Authors and listen to them sharing their work in audio trailers:
At the end of each of these blogs we invited people to come to our Memories of Leith event.
I ran a workshop on storytelling with audio and video at the Social Media for Social Good Conference in Glasgow on the Friday before Book Week. I was able to tell people about what we were doing and what was coming. The workshop was live streamed too. Read about it and watch a video of the workshop here.
We visited to the Bingo, Sofi’s Bar, The Kirkgate Shoping Centre, Stein’s Garage, The Cats Protection League, Destiny Church, Leith Victoria Primary School, Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, The Kirkgate Barbers, Alien Rock Climbing Wall, Leith Victoria Gym and The Haven Cafe.
We engaged with people and found out what they loved reading. We gave them free books, we took photos of them with their free books and made videos. We told them about our blog, facebook and twitter. We gave flyers to people to invite them to our Memories of Leith event on the Saturday.
A few of our visit locations were pre planned – we needed permission to be at Ocean Terminal, Alien Rock, Leith Victoria Primary School, Mecca Bingo and the Kirkgate Shopping Centre. The rest of the visits were spontaneous and that was part of the fun of it all. This video was made during a spontaneous visit to Leith Victoria, it was one of my favourite parts of Book Week. Watch the video on youtube.
We challenged the knitting group to knit their own scotland. We asked five year olds what books they liked in our local primary school (after making crocodiles with them). We had a Book Cafe, a Veggie Market and Bookbug’s 6th birthday party at the library.
The Challenge
I had to upload and blog as much content as possible in real time but still needed to head out and about every day to collect and create new content. We had a rota so different library advisors could come with me to help every day, they were brilliant. The library advisors also came up with good ideas for places we could visit to engage with genuine Leithers. It was a challenge but we did it and I got much faster at blogging and editing.
On top of Book Week I somehow ended up with social engagements every night. On the Thursday a wood buring stove unexpectedly got delivered at my house just when I arrived at the library so I had to head straight back home to heave it up the stairs. My Mum arrived later on that day for a long weekend too. I left her some keys in a cafe and met her later that evening, she didn’t mind. Looking back I’m really glad I did go out – it forced me to have a break. I know I would have worked every waking hour if I could, there was so much to cover in a limited time.
The Results
So how did it all go? Well we gave out hundreds of books to people in Leith and talked to each one of them about reading.
We engaged with people online too. We built up a couple of hundred new twitter followers and got loads more people signed up to our blog. We also had more likes for posts on the blog and on facebook compared to usual. The blog had over 500 visitors during book week so we were pleased with that.
The Scottish Book Trust did an amazing job of supporting and sharing all of the events going on throughout book week. I loved being part of something bigger, something national.
It was heartily encouraging to get their tweets and emails along the way too. Especially from Digital Marketing Co-ordinator, Danny. He emailed us to say we were the best social media contributor to Book Week in the whole of Scotland so that was a wonderful news.
We enjoyed it, we engaged with new people and we raised the profile of the library. We encouraged people to read and that’s what it’s all about. That’s why I’m working as a Reader in Residence
You can see all the pictures we took during Book Week Scotland in our Facebook Album. Read more about Book Week on the Leith Library blog by clicking on the links below:
Here are some quotes about our memories of Leith event:
From Twitter:
Very enjoyable hour – could have run for two, easily. Loved it. Thanks! Vicki Jarrett
Marianne Paget read her v.impressive”Leith,1974″ from “My Favourite Place”. Malcolm Chisholm MSP
Aunty Sue (87) was thrilled to be at the Memories of Leith event. It was the 1st library event she’s been to, she loved it and is looking forward to more. She said “You’re never too old to have new experiences,” Marianne Wheelaghan.
From evaluation forms:
Excellent, thanks so much. Can we have more?
I loved this event – I used to cry when I was little if the library was shut and I could not change my books. I never find time to read much now but I will really try – also I would like to write down memories of my grandparents.
By Email:
I really did enjoy my time at the library…. thank you again for all you did. You are a star. My family love the blog!!! Author Millie Gray
And a more general one from Elspeth Murray that made us smile:
What’s next?
I’ve been in post for 3 months now so it’s time for me to report to the Scottish Book Trust on what I’ve been doing. I record all of my hours and work in a spreadsheet so I’ll send that.
I’ve 6 months to go at the library and I’m excited about what’s coming up. We’ve got a blog about a Leith heron from Author Lari Don. Our library advisor, Linda is going to be reviewing baking books. We’ve got a three part blog special on the history of Leith with Millie Gray. Our book group are going to start blogging book reviews next year and I’ll be working with teenagers to make podcasts about young adult fiction.
On Christmas eve we judge our Festive Furballs competion. If you’ve not heard about it do check it out. We’ve had photos sent in of a gerbil, a pony, a rare amphibian and even a deceased badger all in Christmas gear. It makes me smile on a daily basis! Find the photos on facebook here or read about it on the blog here.
Lastly I’ve been asked to lead the reader development session at the CILIPS (the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) Conference in June 2013. I’m totally honoured and a little nervous but really looking forward to it.
My friend Marianne made me this wonderful advent calendar:
Twenty five little wrapped up presents arrived in a big parcel yesterday. I put them all in slots.
Grown ups don’t always get to enjoy the surprise of opening an advent calendar so I thought I’d share my calendar with you, I’m excited about it. I’ll add a photo to this blog post every day. Day 1 was sweets. I accidentally ate these before I decided to do this – sorry. So here we go from day 2…
The last day was a lovely postcard. It’s my birthday 2 days after Christmas and the gorgeous bird cushion behind the postcard was my birthday present. Marianne you rock!
