Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Monday, February 07, 2011
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
I finished reading The Iron King today, it took me three days to read this book (in my defence I was also preparing for a job interview).This book made me fall in love with fairy tales again. The story starts, as all good fairy tales do, with a loss, this is narrated in a very matter of fact way by our narrator, Meghan Chase. It is through her that the story is told, we are introduced to her brother, mother and step-father and her world. The Iron King mixes old fairy stories with modern 21st century life, and the travails of being a teen - unrequited love, cyber-bullying and some truly creepy scenes involving Meghan and Ethan (especially when he tells her what his toy bunny whispers to him).
The Iron King is not a new story, it takes the oldest tales of the fey and the dangers they represent and makes them new again. When Ethan is stolen away and replaced with a Changeling, Meghan risks everything to follow him into the Nevernever with only her oldest friend Robbie Goodfell (a puckish lad) at her side to guide and defend her, but even he is something more than he seems.
The faeries in this book are the Lords and Ladies of the old tales; ancient, proud and utterly inhuman, but possessed of the finest courtly manners. In the courts of the fey beware of what you say or promise as words have power and your word.
Meghan learns that both Seelie and Unseelie Courts are weakening but neither hold her brother. To find him she must brave the terrors of the Iron King and an new, unknown power growing hidden within Faery - the Court of the Iron Fey.
Read it! Loved it! Would recommend it to everyone who enjoys fantasy and fairytales in their YA Fiction
The battle to become a school librarian begins...
Today I had my first interview of the year - it was for the post of School Librarian at La Retraite School in Balham.
The interview and presentation went really well according to the feedback I received from the Head Teacher, unfortunately I came second to another librarian who had actual school experience. I know I am not the first librarian that has run up against this problem when trying to make the move from the public sector into schools. No matter how good our credentials or what skills and experience we bring, we generally lose out to a school librarian. It is a library version of the chicken and the egg - you don't get the job because of of a lack of experience, and you don't get experience without the job. Not unique to library circles I know, but as I move in those circles it is a refrain I hear all to often and today it came from my lips.
I am not bitter or angry, disappointed yes, but that is life. As my friends and colleagues say I will get the next one or the one after that. I have skills and talents and I will not let failure to get the first post I apply for get me down.
It would have been good though!
The interview and presentation went really well according to the feedback I received from the Head Teacher, unfortunately I came second to another librarian who had actual school experience. I know I am not the first librarian that has run up against this problem when trying to make the move from the public sector into schools. No matter how good our credentials or what skills and experience we bring, we generally lose out to a school librarian. It is a library version of the chicken and the egg - you don't get the job because of of a lack of experience, and you don't get experience without the job. Not unique to library circles I know, but as I move in those circles it is a refrain I hear all to often and today it came from my lips.
I am not bitter or angry, disappointed yes, but that is life. As my friends and colleagues say I will get the next one or the one after that. I have skills and talents and I will not let failure to get the first post I apply for get me down.
It would have been good though!
Saturday, February 05, 2011
We Love Libraries - The Movie
I found this amazing short film today. It was made to support Somerset Libraries but can be used across the UK.
Courtesy of http://www.welovelibraries.co.uk/
Courtesy of http://www.welovelibraries.co.uk/
Save Our Libraries Day
I took a wander down to Enfield Town Library to show solidarity with the read in movement only to find out that there was nothing going on. I chatted to my old colleague Ashley who was working the enquiry desk, he said there was nothing happening as none of Enfield's Libraries were being shut (this year) so no-one had bothered.
I took out my books and walked home feeling a bit concerned, there are events happening around the country and I wonder if there are other areas of apathy. There are, it turns out that nothing much is happening in Bexley either.
I took out my books and walked home feeling a bit concerned, there are events happening around the country and I wonder if there are other areas of apathy. There are, it turns out that nothing much is happening in Bexley either.
First post (in years)
It has been years since I was here. I will still be running Teen Librarian I just need a personal blog that I can go off on a tangent on and write stuff that does not specifically have to do with teen librarianship. That is not bad is it? Even if it is I am still doing it!
It was officially announced on Thursday that my job is going and I will be given notice. I knew it was coming but always held out hope that something would change and I would be reprieved, but no 11th hour for me! At least I have an interview on Monday morning.
It was officially announced on Thursday that my job is going and I will be given notice. I knew it was coming but always held out hope that something would change and I would be reprieved, but no 11th hour for me! At least I have an interview on Monday morning.
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