Oh wow, what a few weeks! Such a busy time, but really exciting too. I’ve attended awareness days, presented workshops and squeezed in a bit of desk work too.
Firstly the workshop I presented. I mentioned it in my last blog post. It had seemed a long way away and then all of a sudden it was here. I was introduced to a room full of Library Assistants who’d come from all round the region. The day was a networking opportunity for the assistants, and I’d been drafted in to talk about social media (including Billy the Library Cat). I was apprehensive about whether I’d pitched the session right (I always seem to worry about that), but it went down really well. We had lots of lively talk, everyone joined in with the tasks, and I got lots of social media interactions out of it. Great stuff! I’d wanted everyone to go away with an action to take back to their place of work, which I think we achieved. It’s great when plans go well.
This photo is of Gareth and Sugi- some fab colleagues from UHB library who wanted a photo with Billy!
In the middle of planning for the workshop, I’d had to take a day out to attend a course/awareness day that I’d booked ages ago before my diary turned into a perfect picture of chaos. So I went along to the Health literacy day a little bit reluctantly, made worse by a nightmare 2.5 hour journey in to Leicester. Good job I always leave lots of travelling time. However, I really enjoyed the day. Genuinely it made a lot of sense, wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Although I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe a day of producing patient leaflets? Well, it was an eye opener. If you’re not sure what Health literacy is take a look here- https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/health-literacy
Chartership update- I met with my mentor (she’s lovely), and feel much more at ease with what I have to produce for my portfolio now. I think I’m actually a fair part of the way towards it- I just need to do some serious writing now. I suspect I have enough development activities to complete that section, but I’d like to visit a library in another sector- so if there’s anyone out there in a specialist library who’d like to invite me for a nose round I’d be grateful! My colleague and I spent a very happy hour being shown round our local public library prior to my mentor meeting, it’s such a fantastic, well thought out and welcoming space. I’d recommend Nuneaton Public Library!
And finally… we’re just deciding on the first book for our upcoming book club/reading group. How very exciting. I’m so looking forward to meeting everyone, and getting talking about books! Ha, I was so born to be a librarian! Oh dear, I do use a lot of exclamation marks…sorry.
Have a great week!