Category: Creativity

Girls just wanna have fun – recap of Women’s History Month

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Thinking about what to write is at the back of my mind as I have a few weeks to prepare for my next blog post. As we celebrated Women’s History Month in various serious initiatives, I made a note that I must mention some fun things I did too!

The pop song ‘Girls just wanna have fun’ was such a big hit in the 1983 but it has remained one of those anthems that we still hear in the media and I recently saw Cyndi Lauper on a talk show too and she was even more an idol for feminist for her current activism. She has been credited for empowering girls and women to not only have fun but the words have been changed to Girls just want to have ‘fundamental rights’ with a mission to support efforts that advance the fundamental rights and health of all women and girls. It is with this vibe I wanted to think pay tribute to a great song and artist that has help reflect on what I did this month.

At the beginning of the month I was busy with work related events that included a speed mentoring session with expert advisers who are able to women entrepreneurs with their business ideas. I met quite a few women who were creating businesses and networking to develop their business. There are a high number of women who do start their businesses across libraries in the UK and I have a lot of admiration for those who have created their own companies out of passion, expertise and creativity that they may hold. We also held an evening event for Women of Wealth and it was great to welcome many customers at the event and usually I would stay but it was a day when I had personal commitments and therefore, I didn’t hear the talk but it was great to see everyone at the beginning of the event. I have met with hundreds of entrepreneurial women over the years and they are inspirational as well as motivational. As we meet them at their start up stages – there are always an element of excitement and anticipation for them using their talents for creating their own businesses.

I was also able to meet a few young girls and other women at a speed mentoring session at La Swap Secondary School in Camden. I actually have visited the school in the past as one of the options for my son so I knew it was a good school. I was grateful that our Early Careers team at the British Library invited me to attend a career mentoring session for International Women’s Day at the school. It was impressive that the school organised this with their partners and there were about 75 women who turned up for two hours to speak to young girls on their career and give any advice or information that would be useful for them in their educational and career journeys. I was placed in a Publishing table with a Science Writer and Journalist and a Managing Director of a publisher. We say about 10 young girls in this time but it was a great experience and they in turn were still figuring out what they wanted to do but I tried to tell them that even if they were unsure, they should follow the things they loved and we can also change careers later on if it does not work out. Some wanted to be dancers, artist, models and forensics. Generally we encouraged them to think of research, writing, and working in scientific and creative industries. It was a great experience for helping me reflect on my own career journey and in a sense – how lucky I was to have a fulfilling role that includes creativity, culture and business etc.

Another aspect work I should mention, is that we held a Library and Information Students Career Day and it was great to meet people at the start of their careers.

So that was the more serious side of this month. Bit I did have some fun time with my friends as I was on annual leave for a couple of weeks. This included spending time with my friends in a local pub just chatting and catching up on what we have been doing. My friend has written her first book so it was great to discuss this with her over a few meetings. I was able to dedicate some time in my busy dairy for reading her book and it was great to read a novel written by a friend. It is based in Lincoln and I was able to recall how nice it was the one time visited there. It was good that on a couple of my meetings with my friends locally there were live music – from a big band in the pub… to jazz in two of the pubs. It is reassuring that we can have good catchup time and be serenaded with good music without having to go to a special venue far way!

I did plan a more fun evening with my friends who always invite me to their parties and it was nice to dress up, spend time together, have a nice meal and drink and a little boogie! I was so pleased to get a table in a restaurant a few miles away and for the warm hospitality of the restaurant. Once our meal was over… we were able to have a dance. Again, it was mainly women who were celebrating the night with their friends and family. I am likely to be visiting there with some other friends in Spring for another boogie!

I also spent time with another friend at a garden and a recycling centre. It was interesting to spend time chatting and seeing these two local shops. We had fun looking at old antique or items that were on sale for reuse. I saw some lovely chairs but I didn’t really need them but resisted buying them. I was happy to see that I also take clothes and shoes for recycling at the centre too. I usually take them to a charity shop but part of me was pleased to see that these are being used for a charity somewhere too.

And I am ending Women’s History Month at the OXO Tower Restaurant – one of the best-known restaurants in London. The building was the home of the OXO stock cube manufacturers. I have been before about 9 years ago but it was nice to go again. The view is amazing along the South Bank but it also have delicious cocktails and food. We went for lunch and there was nice background jazz music whilst we ate our gorgeous meal.

I have made a conscious effort to have some fun in the last few weeks and catch up with friends but I know that soon I will busy again with work and other commitments. For me it is great that I can balance my time with hard work but also some good old fashion fun!

Things that make me say… Wow!

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I made a conscious effort to do a few fun things but I still didn’t get around much. 

 So this time, I  going to keep my post here sweet and short!

This month I went out with some friends to see the Medieval Women Exhibition again and to have some lunch. The exhibition was amazing and informative as I mentioned before on here with many inspiring displays of women doing great things in Medieval times. 

Granary Square is busy in summer with lots of activities such as open-air cinema and children’s activities but certainly a bit quieter in colder months. It was good to have a lunch at Dishoom – who specialises in Indian Street Food with good decor. Although I am of Indo-Caribbean heritage, it is still fascinating to try their black dhal, paratha with cheese and fried ochres. I definitely want to try the fried and crunchy ochres at home! The chai was good too, especially on a cold day.

There are great reminders of good old fashion love this time of year.  There was more heart shaped decorations all over London – from St Pancras, flower shops, interior designs and restaurants.  I tried to resist buy something that I did not need but it was nice to see.  There was one shop board with ‘Love is in the Air’ but I didn’t take a photo.  The shops had several heart-shaped items and love mementos for Valentine’s Day! There were some interesting item in local shops and ideas for creativity and sharing with loved ones.  The most interesting is long matches which can be used for ambience with some nice candles. 

One of the most ethically conscious charity shop windows I saw was Crisis – which ran a campaign on waste of fabrics in the everyday shirts.  It was a good display to raise awareness of the issue.  One aspect that I like is that the shop is based in Walthamstow market and very frequently I see ‘out-of-line’ clothes from high street shops being sold in the market.  I do like that these items are given a chance to be used at normally lower costs rather than ending up in some landfill without even being used.

I have been out and about too for work from Bromley to Woolwich.  I’ve only been to Woolwich once about 20 years ago and even so, I drove there for a house party and therefore did not have a walk around the area.  It was good to firstly use the Elizabeth Line underground to that part of London and it was not a bad journey from where I live. As soon as you come out of the underground station, there is a last gate of Woolwich Arsenal which was the historic area for making ammunition in the British wars.  It was also the original home of the football club Arsenal with the cannons or gunners still visible on the gateway. 

It was also good to see some of the local shops and market traders with their chants to entice people to buy from their stalls.

Once inside the library, there was a section on local history and community-based displays and resources.  It Singer sewing machine and HMV music gramophone were both on display in the library. Bromley library also had a great display of historical items from the Romans, Anglo Saxons and local heritage throughout there history.  These displays are great to see, especially as I don’t live locally and I usually have to rush back home or to the office.  This reminds me that I have been too busy to visit my local library but I hope to do so when I have some time later this month.

 Although some of my walks were normal travelling from one place to another, it was good to see some everyday things that still surprises me.  Such as a bus which was repurpose as a Barber Shop! It looked quite cook and it must have been a lot of bureaucracy to get the bus to be permanently based on the local square but certainly a great idea!  Just after seeing the re-purposed bus, I saw a London Taxi car also re-purposed to a mobile café.  They were really interesting and extraordinary. 

My journeys on the underground is a time when I think, prepare mentally for the day ahead and to observe what is going on around me.  This itself is a time to experience the everyday and extraordinary but perhaps for another time to write about my travels on London Transport.  For now, I will continue to admire the places, people, scenes and things that make me think or say – Wow!

Restoring the balance – Give me five!

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It is that time again when I am thinking what shall I blog about. I really have not been out much later since the post festive season and a busy time generally.  The weather has not been great too and therefore I am looking forward to Spring! The inspiration for this blog came from my journey on the train to work when I spotted an advert for HelloFresh for restore the balance.  This resonated with me as I was preparing some work about burnout and finding a balance the weeks before.  I think the whole world feels a bit too war torn and bruised and you really have to seek out humanity.  There has been a lot more discussed on making choices that improve and maintain our wellbeing, as well as kindness at the core of what we do.

I will explore five tips to pledge to myself – I can’t promise I will stick to it but it is a note-to-self.  Here goes…

  • Wellbeing and Healthy Living – It will be five years since the pandemic and on a professional aside, there are still significant changes that have not made life easy or straightforward.  I have learnt to look after myself and my wellbeing for over 18 years of constant change that may not have always made me feel settled.  One of the positives of this is that I have gained resilience but I still have to remind myself to stop, take some hours for myself or do something that I enjoy. I would like to spend more time going to a spa or for a massage like some of my female friends, but again it is the time required to do this.  I hope I can put this on my to-do list every day.
  • Exercise – should be at the centre of all our lives and I admire people who set aside time to go for a run, get on their bike, hot the gym or any physical activity that would maintain and improve their quality of life.  I stopped my gym membership over a decade ago but since then I have tried to keep busy by doing Pilates, walking, swimming and cycling. I can still all of these but I need to ensure that I add time in the week, and especially at the weekend to do this. I am looking forward to Spring when I know it will be easier for me to step out and trying some more physical activities.  Hopefully I can fit some of this fresh air and exercise as soon as tomorrow with my first weekend with little planned.
  • Good Nutrition – requires some proactivity and planning. I don’t eat junk food (perhaps only once a week I get a take away) but I have been eating things on the go in the office or getting home later to leftovers which may not be suitable for me to eat.  I do like salads and fresher foods but being in the heart of winter, I gravitate to warm and comfort foods I am married to an Italian – so I have to keep my pasta intake in check as it could be 3-4 a week if we eat the same meals all week. I need to get back to preparing meals at night or as someone pointed out recently, I can get a salad at a discount rate in the staff canteen. At home, I need to ensure that I put my items on the shopping list so that I plan my meals ahead. Wish me luck!
  • Socialising – and spending time with friends is definitely what I do when I have time.  However, I had a busy autumn and cold winter so I have not socialised much lately.  I am pleased to get texts from my friends in the last couple of days for us to meet up.  I have also arrange a meet up with my close friend in the next couple of weeks.  My school friends from the Caribbean are also visiting me in Spring and with a couple of trips planned. So I have no excuse but to organise some fun, entertaining and even sightseeing. Spending quality time with family and friends so boost our moods (I know not all the time). There is only limited time on this earth and I am counting my blessings all the time.
  • Celebrate the small stuff – as I mentioned above, there is a whole lot of craziness going on in the world.  I literally have to zone-out from terrible things that we see in the news and it has changed for the worst in recent years.  It is not that I am a realist. Instead I am reminding myself of beauty, joy, kindness and love. I reminds me when there were other tube posters with ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ which I loved. I am not very so active in community events at present but the best part of kindness helps me think of the role models I have and the way they may have done something because it needed to be done, given or shared.  Kindness is also natural and ingrained where you may not have even had time to think of a reaction.  So it really to build in this inner compass to help you when times are tough.  I am especially pleased to see that this is talked about a lot more in leadership styles and it is safe to show compassion, manners and good old fashion principles.

So these are notes to myself and they seem sensible and not too difficult to follow. Hopefully I am setting up myself to succeed and hopefully my life would be a little but richer because of this list.  Wish me luck!

Heroes – we all need them

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I have made time for some leisure time the last few weeks and happy to cover some of these here.  I was able get some of the seasonal fun on colder days and nights as well as to see a couple of exhibitions that were easy to access.

Although I was in Bromley for a work-related workshop, I was saw wintry scenes from the German market on the high street and Bromley library ready for the season with a Christmas tree indoors.  The German market has some interesting stalls for beer and sweet lovers but it was early afternoon when I went past, and therefore I didn’t stay to sample some goodies but there were other shoppers checking out the stalls.  Another time when I am not so busy, I would love to travel to another European city to experience their Winter markets.  We are seeing them more in London and I remember seeing on the Southbank about 10 years ago. 

The festive scenes inside the library was wonderful and I like seeing all age groups using the Bromley library.  There were some great local inventions, inspiring quotes and books but also  local heroes displayed around the library.  There was homage to David Bowie – I knew he was born in Brixton but apparently his parents moved to Bromley South where he lived to until 1969.  I like local history and finding out of the people who lived there in the past.  It is amazing that the quote perked my curiosity to find out more about his connection with the area.  I am due to go back to Bromley in the new year and hopefully I will find time to learn something else about the area. 

David Bowie in Bromley (or Bickley, or Beckenham)

I was invited to attend the Precious Awards held by the wonderful Foluke Akinlose.  It was a great night to meet inspirational people of colour.  The venue was in Central London and a short walk  from the tube station.  The reception and networking dinner were amazing to see and meet so many women who are excelling in their choose fields and areas.  Everyone was dressed for the evening and I saw some amazing fashion with some warm greetings from those in attendance. 

The Precious Awards is a great example of showcasing talent and achievements of persons whose stories don’t usually get told, or for women of colour who usually have to work harder to get the recognition they deserve in their areas of expertise. 

Over the three hours, there was some great chat, dinner and acceptance speeches from organisations and women who are creating spaces and pushing forward with progressive work from business, science, arts, academic, etc.  I took some notes on the awardee speeches, such as women – ‘Sitting in a seat at the table, and occupying the space and belonging in it”.   It was a sermon on how to celebrate hard work, sacrifice and to come out as winners on the other side.  Most of the stories spoke of uplifting themselves but also leaving the ladder so that others can be uplifted. Many spoke of the families that have been there to enable to succeed – and the power and energy in the room was warm and real. I was working the next day, so I did not want to stay out too late but I did have a little boogie at the end before I headed back to London Underground at midnight. 

And before I forget, it was good to see the Christmas lights on Oxford Street.  It was a sign that the nights are definitely darker with all the bright lights visible, and that the festive season is just around the corner on one of the busiest streets of the year. I hope I can pop down in December to get some of the festive vibes – I can tell that it is still popular with the number of the users on the Victoria London Underground late at night this time of year.  

It seems appropriate for me to fast forward here to the Medieval Women exhibition at the British Library.  One of the privileges of working for a national library the ability to see most of the exhibitions but also to have staff tours and talks with the curators that bring to life the stories, fact and context of the items on display.  In secondary school in the Caribbean, we studied the Renaissance which was an era of social change, renewal and creativity but we briefly touch on the Medieval times before this period.  It was interesting to see evidence of written literature and scripts that spoke about the lives of women and society at that time.  On the opening night of the exhibition I was heard some beautiful Medieval singing by a life choir.  

Obviously, we have been evolving but it was good to see women being represented from drawing and text from childbearing, self-care, to love, marriage, work and importance from their lives at home and work.  There were displays of scented aromas created by women as they used flowers and herbs for perfume, for helping with well-being and beauty routines.  To them being mentioned in prayers and marriage agreements.  Some of my favourite items I saw are:

  • Well, I smelt the beautiful Italian perfume made of herbs and flowers that will be just as luscious if it was bottled and sold today.
  • The books that displayed graphic symbols of fertility, sexuality and the female form
  • The chest that was created for when a noble woman moved to be with her husband in medieval Italy
  • The jewellery of a queen in the beautiful form of a heart
  • The evidence of nuns working and dedicating their lives to the church
  • A signature of Joan of Arc and her symbol of national significance to France
  • And the amazing scroll that was put together for women who were saying goodbye on the death to Lucy of Hedingham from the 1200s

I hope I can go back to see the exhibition before it closes in February and that I am able to attend some of the talks that usually accompany the exhibition. 

One of the highlights of this month was also our Start-Up Day at the British Library.  It was full day of events to inspire and support business start-ups.  We have been hosting these events for a while and it was great to see the steady flow of attendees who wanted hear from other successful founders and entrepreneurs.  With my colleagues, I like helping customers to navigate our resources and the expertise available.  I also like hearing from successful entrepreneurs who tell how they are applying some of the practical tips we show to our customers, such as business planning, creating value, building brands and the authentic voice and stories they have with the failures and successes that come with building businesses.  I found the speakers to be funny and interesting this time, and it was great to see so many people after the recent years of only online events. 

I have had a few social events this year but today I visited the William Morris Gallery to view their exhibition on ‘William Morris and the Islamic World’.  It was good to see the link with creativity and designs from Islamic traditions link to Morris’s designs.  It was the first time I saw there is a meaning to the Turkish word Isnik. When I went to university, there was a nearby Turkish restaurant with this name which nice tiles décor and it made me realise the link with the word and the name of restaurant.  Their website also mentions the ‘Iznik is not only renowned for its ceramics and history but also for its culinary heritage.  I hope to try it out soon.

As we go into the full festive season, I am likely to be busy with work but also out any about with friends and family.  I hope to write a reflection of 2024 in my next post.  In the meantime all the best for the season and I hope you and yours celebrate with warmth and happiness at this special time of the year. 

Public Libraries – the story continues

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I have not spent a lot of time doing social and fun things since my summer holidays and therefore I have a lot more to say on libraries and the work I have been doing lately.

This month though I have been energised and as enthusiastic as usual. I was invited to attend the Camden Libraries Staff Conference.  The conference had a programme of interesting and motivational work by teams and staff on the work that they do with their various branches across the borough.  The day started with an icebreaking team working game for us to build a structure our of paper cups that would be judged to be the highest. I haven’t been to large team building days recently but it certainly was good as an icebreaker to get to know people better.  We also had Head of Camden Libraries, Fiona Tarn, address staff and guest at the conference on her purpose for the work that she does.  This truly was inspirational to me as I have tried to use the same angle of the ‘why’ are you working in libraries. Sometime you have people who work in libraries because it is a job, for others it is a lifetime of work or purpose for their goals to help as much as we can in our roles in libraries …physical or virtual.  Therefore, I have since mentioned this a few times to my library world contacts and colleagues. 

Another beneficial aspect at this conference was to see all variety of library services and the community outreach that are provided by Camden Libraries.  We heard staff mentioned story times with children, children’s library, launch their reading strategy, start businesses, poetry bus for elderly adults, podcast and radio station, music service and not forgetting their physical spaces, collection and archives. I was again inspired by their story teller on the ‘Libraryverse’ especially from an enquires point of view on the typical questions and answers provided to customers by their staff. We were treated to live Asian music during the lunch break.

We were treated to a tour of their archives at the Swiss Cottage Library. There was also a piano in the main entrance as well as a beautifully built 1960s building in the shape of book ends! I prepared and ran a workshop on collaboration with their staff who were welcoming and great throughout the day.  The library was closed for the training but it was nice to see a lady bringing her young child after school to use the space – it was good to know that on a normal day – this would have been a part of their routine.

And as part of my normal work, I visit other libraries to deliver business and IP workshops with my colleagues.  I have been several times recently to Catford Library which is open planned in a shopping centre. There are always curated books on display and it does make you want to set aside time to read the books showcased. In my business workshop, the Catford Library staff mentioned that their library card gives you access to eBooks, magazines, newspapers, and other resource via their Libby App and Press Reader.  That very night I was excited to look at some of my favourite magazines and newspapers available to view on my own devices.  I haven’t borrowed any eBooks from my local library, who runs the same scheme, but once I get more time – I am looking forward to reading more with new found resources from local public libraries.

I sometime have to get up earlier than usual to visit libraries for work. Last week was my first trip to Putney Library for a business workshop.  It was good to see their layout and customers who were using the space for working too.  There was another Black History Month displace with a safari African theme which beautiful art objects displayed on the wall.  Nowadays, libraries are really multifunctional for meeting places, reading as well as keeping customers informed on important information on topics or community news.  Putney Library also had a café in the main reception area despite being close to other shops on the high street. 

I am likely to be inspired by more libraries in future but everyday there is something about the physical spaces that make me proud to be in this profession.  I recently heard and saw some amazing singing for the opening of the ‘Medieval Women in their own words’ exhibition but I am still to see it and I look forward to the guided tour with the curators.  I also get to go behind the scenes to basement areas to say hello and support staff on Saturdays and some evenings. It was nice to see the seasonal things that happens by our own staff members.  These include puzzle in the staff downtime areas, free library and decorations for day of the dead (it gets better for Christmas!).  We recently met informally to make time to meet each other for a chat and catch up.  I strongly believe in good team spirit and working having worked in good teams in the past.  Although I no longer work with a lot of people – I do appreciate they precious time we spent together as colleagues, and some are also now lifelong friends. 

I thank you for bearing with me whilst I write again about libraries and information professional, but hopefully I will find have some social activities and good old fashion fun to share with you soon.  Who knows, some of this fun may include time at a library or museum.  Public libraries are always at threat of cuts or are sometime misunderstood.  Hopefully you can also find the time to visit your local public library and would be surprise on how they have changed in recent times.  We also need all of you to continue to support libraries and make sure that are users and here to stay.

Celebrating Green Libraries

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In October, libraries will be celebrating Green Libraries Week from 2-8 October with the theme ‘Go Green at the Library’. Awareness and activities for a more sustainable future are more important than ever with the impact on climate change.  There many aspects that we have to remember the impact of good practice will have on our lives, our users live and the work that we do.  

The Green Library Manifesto was launched in 2023 with a partnership of many British organisations, including CILIP and The British Library.  I also attended the first Green Libraries Conference in March 2023, which was great for hearing all the initiatives and excitement of others sharing their activities and ideas for reaching these shared goals. This year CILIP’s Green Libraries Conference will be held at the British Library in November.  

Here are some small ways that I have tried to improve my own carbon footprint or share my knowledge of green libraries and sustainability in the last few months:

Improving our Knowledge and Skills

With entrepreneurs and business who we meet at the Business & IP Centre, we actually have the privilege to meet businesses who try to solve some of the world’s problem with business models or ideas that are sustainable.  Sustainability means many and different things to everyone but here is a quote I have used in the past to discuss sustainability:

WHAT DOES “SUSTAINABILITY” MEAN IN BUSINESS?​

​In business, sustainability refers to doing business without negatively impacting the environment, community, or society as a whole.

Sustainability in business generally addresses two main categories:​

The effect business has on the environment​

The effect business has on society​

Source: HBR Online What is sustainability in business?

https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-sustainability-in-business

For businesses, there are a lot of support for encouraging best practice from organisations such as FSB, Gov.UK, the Carbon Trust and other organisation that help with best practice and insights for leaders and organisations to adapt and implement better sustainable businesses. 

Infrastructure and Physical Spaces

Living more environmentally conscious and compliant can only be achieved if our infrastructure and physical spaces are able to adapt and mitigate against damage and devastation to our natural resources and habitat. Although, one of the most annoying aspects of our infrastructure in the city are the pollution and litter that are times too visible for me.  I can’t help picking up some weeds and litter that are frequently left in my neighbourhood.  It is disappointing too that the streets are not cleaned regularly and that small items like 100s of cigarette butts can be found if you took a mile walk around my neighbourhood.  I do blame the council for not having contracts with cleaning companies that truly care about the environment and for doing more to protect our environment.  I recently went to another part of London, and even Boston USA in July, where I felt envy for the clean street they had compared to my own neighbourhood.  I know that buildings and infrastructure are expensive but I hope that we can take steps to make improvements. 

Positive Action and Collaboration  

As with an activism or change, it is actually harder to do on your own.  It is great to see that a new generation of consumers are making choices for their future and there are also people of all ages standing up for environmental issues.  You may recall about 20 years ago when we were protecting our planet by “Think Before you Print” messages in the office.  It did create a shift of mindset for us to not work paper – which eventually saves trees! Likewise, there has been several issues great shifts in our attitude and behaviours for aspects such as plastic pollution and single-use plastics.  Most of the people I know now re-use bags or recycle their plastics.  At work we have also encouraged the use of re-useable cups.  In most public spaces, there are a few bins for our recycling of different materials.  This too was a great shift from about 20 years ago.  I remember I only had one large bin and just a crate for recycling when I first moved to my current home, but now we have four bins for recycling! 

Improving Travel and Accessibility

I am pleased that I use public transport to get to work and I tend to use my car less and less due to restrictions and charges for driving around town.  I do still have a car for longer journeys but also for getting items that are larger than usual for a delivery.  There are issues with rail transport in the United Kingdom as it is really expensive to use the train for traveling further away from city to city, or up and down the country. If I lived on the European continent, I do believe that I would also use the trains more but the cost and time to travel sometimes do not encourage us to do this as often.  Therefore, I know that I use aeroplanes for overseas travel – I do know that I will not be traveling forever but hope to see the countries still on my list and then perhaps slow down to places closer to where I live.  

Accessibility sometimes comes at a cost.  As I make my way on public transport and travel overseas by planes, trains and boats – I do see that there are issues with accessibility if you have a disability or if you are a bit slower. Hopefully there will be better designs as old ways of traveling are replaced with accessibility in mind. 

We have also seen a shift on hybrid services from our workplaces to services being offered online by video conferencing.  The impact has improve journey times, enabled us to be open to the world and to choose some lifestyle changes from the time not traveling. However, Technology also has contributed to vast amounts of carbon emissions for servers and other negative energy effects.

Raise aware for the issues on sustainability

The good news about a topic that is talked about and for those who are still learning about it, is that there are of resources by information professionals or resources that can be used for raising awareness and understanding of the topic.  There are some great articles and current awareness articles for keeping on track on the latest trends and developments on the topic.  As with a living aspect and ecosystem, such as our environment, climate and wellbeing – there has to been a constant conversation and research into new information and evidence of the impact on our lives and the environment around us.  For this October, I have little time to cover everything on this big topic but I hope these personal thoughts will help to Celebrate Green Libraries initiatives and action.

Resources for further reading:

My Italian holiday – a escape worth waiting for

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In depths of the pandemic, I thought of nice places I would like to be when we get back to normal.  One place on top of my list was a trip for a summer holiday to Italy! I still have buckets full of places I would like to visit in Italy. I know I have just returned from the USA but that was partly professional travelling and development, with some time spent with family in relaxing Boston – it didn’t feel too overwhelming, urban and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The last couple of weeks spent in Italy was different for me as I did not take any work with me, and it was a holiday.  It was slightly different too as it was mainly my husband and I, as we do often go away with family in the past. So here is a recap on how I relaxed and thankfully it all went very smoothly.

My husband is Italian and had visited Ischia before in the 1980s but I have never been and was looking forward to it. I booked the trip in early Spring so I knew I had something to look forward to even though I have been ‘burning the midnight oil’ with professional commitments. Getting to Ischia was fairly straightforward from flight to airport in Naples then to the port to catch the ferry to the island.  From door to hotel, it took about 12 hours but it was good to enjoy the ferry and sights on the way there.  It was spectacular to see the Bay of Naples as the ferry left the port with the city buildings covering the hillside, and to the right you can see the volcano Vesuvius in all its magnificence. As we left the bay of Naples, there are a few islands to spot, such as Procida, before we got to Ischia’s port.  The ferry trip like I had started my holiday already with the trip past the islands.  One aspects I must mention is the colour of the blue skies and the Mediterranean Sea were beautifully blended to a bright blue canvas and it truly was a vision to behold!

We stayed in a great hotel about 20 minutes from the Port of Ischia and even the taxi ride had me excited as I saw the shops, cafes and places to enjoy great Italian cuisine on the way to the hotel.  The floral promenades and typically Italian island streets made we so happy as I knew I can truly take it ease and gear down to slower pace whilst on holiday.  I had no choice to take it easy as it was a lot warmer than London and you literally have to have a rest if you are not working as it is too hot to spend time out in the heat of an Italian summer.

From the first evening, the views across the sea and the nearby hills were amazing.  The food was great as usual and it was amazing to savour the local ingredients that definitely tastes better in Italy. It was great to have lots of seafood, regional mozzarella, ice cream and pasta obviously.  The nights were cooler for a pre and post dinner or passagiata as the Italians call it. At times it felt like we were straight out of our film set with local children splashing around in the water whilst a few hundred metres away, diners were have meals on the seafront whilst the sun was setting.  There was a nice walk after the restaurants to the Aragonese Castle or to the Port at night. 

During the day, we mainly stayed around the pool as all the beach clubs were mainly booked in advanced.  In the afternoon we went to the parts of the beach that were free for you to pitch your own spot.  It was great to be around local or holiday makers.  We did venture out on a local bus to Moronti Beach, which one of the island’s largest beaches.  It was close to the picturesque Sant’Angelo area and beach.  The volcanic beach sand was so hot, you had make sure you wore your beach shoes as I am sure you could burn the sole of your feet.  The beach itself was beautiful and was inspired seeing so many people swimming and making the most of the good weather, sunshine and warm water.  The bus was not expensive at all but it was a small bus as the streets leading to the beach were sometimes very narrow.  I realised then that I probably won’t drive on the island even if I had planned to.

Ferragosto is a holiday that is celebrated annually on the 15th August and I was looking forward to see how it would be whilst on the island.  We spent the day around the pool and beach but in the evening, we booked into our hotel’s rooftop restaurant for a special taster menu for the celebration.  Whilst there was a DJ and great ambience and amazing views, we could also here the service from the nearest church and the choir singing.  It truly was a special way to spent the night and close to midnight there were fireworks around certain parts of the island. 

For the next couple of days, we mainly relaxed, went for walks and the hardest decision was where we should go to eat that evening.  All in all, I loved Ischia and would to visit again in future years.  I still have some other part in my list to see.  The hotel was very friendly, welcoming, and we felt really relaxed and rested.  I would certainly recommend you visit the island if you have already been to mainland Italy.

Our adventure, as my husband called it, continued to the mainland.  We got the ferry back to Naples and then took a train from Naples to the little hillside village on our next stop for a few days.  We stay with some family who were also on holiday in the Campania region but the Salerno Province of Italy. The location was so stunning with views from the hills overlooking the coast along the Mediterranean Sea.  It was relaxing to sit and admire the view.  The first two nights were stormy with a lightening show in the sky and over the sea but during the day it was sunny and hot. 

We spent some time around the little village where other were also holidaying and it was nice to see the typical narrow roads and hillside architecture.  It really was a coffee culture in the morning and evenings and a great way to get to meet everyone.  In the day we also spent some time at Acciarolli beach – it was great and it reminded me of Maracas – a beautiful beach with similar waves in Trinidad.  It was good to spend time chatting and enjoying the seaside.  The beach clubs were useful if you wanted a cold drink, snack or to use the toilet. They also played music which created a nice beach vibe.  I am grateful to our relatives who invited us to this beautiful part of the country and for their hospitality and kindness during this time.

This was exactly the type of holiday I was looking for – where I can just enjoy the views, local delights, rest and relax.  I did have a few days in London before I went back to work. I felt so relaxed – I didn’t look at my email until the night before I return to work. When I think back to the lockdown days – I am pleased I had this holiday. I have also since heard my husband say that it was a “really good holiday” and we had an amazing time.  I totally agree with him and I look forward to another time when we visit another beautiful part of Italy.

Campus to Cape Cod – a trip to New England

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The SLA Conference 2024 was arranged in the University of Rhode Island as it was the perfect venue for us to find a location on the East coast of the USA to host a conference within our budget and for the right size for this year.  It was also the 115th anniversary of SLA and I was looking forward to attending as a member of the SLA Conference Committee 2024.

I flew into Boston a couple of days before the start as unable to fly directly to Rhode Island. Boston has always been on my consciousness having friends and family there.  It was in a middle of a heatwave when I arrived and it was great to see a very big and modern looking city.  Having spent one night there, I made my way by Amtrack train to the University of Rhode Island in Kingston. I was unsure about booking my tickets initially but it all went smoothly in the end and the cost was very reasonable.  I got a non-stop train and paid $20.00US extra for business class to be sure that was a reservation to get me there in time.  There were several trains and it was not an issue in getting there.

Arriving at the University of Rhode Island was quieter than I have been before – there were some corn fields and forest close by with a campus spread out with several buildings close by.  It was great to see the wildflowers and planting in the grounds as well as the various campus buildings from the Library, Business School, Multicultural Centre, and many more that we were to use for the next few days.  I saw about five groundhogs and deer on my first few hours around the campus.  Obviously, it was very quiet those few days as it is the summer break but it was great to meet SLA staff, friends and colleagues who I have been working with over the last few years.  I also stayed in the dorms for the student experience, vicinity to the conference locations as well as the cost was affordable.

My obligations as Past President for SLA meant that I had a Board Meeting on the first day and I was as enthusiastic and grateful as ever on how far we have come and how we have all worked extra hard with our Association Management Company to get to this point in record time.  I was pleased to see staff and leaders who work behind the scenes and to meet my fellow board members.  I absolutely do not take this for granted! I feel privileged to be given this opportunity for the last three years plus my time with SLA Europe.  I am just basically ecstatic that we are doing much better and we can celebrate with members, partners and guest in this learning environment in such a special location.  Obviously, we did serious work of strategic planning and building better relationships for the best of SLA for us to last hopefully a long time in future.

I was truly proud that we were organised a programme in such a short space of time and it definitely felt like we were on the right track to give our conference delegates some great insights, knowledge, experience and take-aways. The SLA conference opening and closing keynote speaker was Brian Pichman who gave a motivational and informative keynote on Artificial Intelligence for Libraries and information professionals.  Brian was very cool and genuinely highlighted the current landscape, new technologies pros and cons, and the value of our professional role in this paradigm.  It was great to be in the lecture hall and although the seating was very steep – it was nice to see the 300 plus delegates in one space.  For the next three days, I attended several talks on Generative AI, Information Literary, News Gathering, Leadership and Career Development, technical standards (e.g. engineering standards by British Standards Institute).  We were really happy to have a full exhibition hall and for our partners to full up the exhibition spaces.  We have received great feedback from our exhibitors and partners, and we thank them for being with us in 2024!

It was not all work…there were many social moments to meet other international professionals from our dorms meeting, international 115th anniversary reception, a quiet chat in the gardens, a bar trip to the hotel venues, to dinner in the University’s dining halls and the famous SLA Dance Party in the ballroom.  I haven’t lived in the USA but being in this setting was great for my reality check on the many American school ballrooms movies I have seen in the past. Of course, I loved this part of the conference and it made me happy meeting people and the informal conversations we had.  I do feel it is a special time and I will cherish these memories with nice people at the conference. I also have time to meet some British contacts. I look forward to our future endeavours in person or online.

After the conference goodbyes, I was picked up by cousin to spend time with her family just outside Boston.  It was great to see more of the countryside in this region, and to have her as a local guide for all the interesting sights, cultural and local knowledge that she was able to share with me.  I obviously love the New England side houses and gardens – I never got bored of looking at the various designs and flowers, especially at this time of year when everything was in bloom.  We went to Hyannis on Cape Cod where we drove very close to the area where the Kennedy family estates are on the ‘Cape’.  It did make me curious to how they would have spent their time in the beautiful part of the country.  It was interesting to read on why the Kennedy family have homes there and the glamour they brought to the area.  The beaches were also nice – not too built up but relaxing, clean and warm.  I would certainly recommend going to there and it really had a good holiday vibe with shops and restaurants not far from the coast.

The same day, we also drove to Plymouth which has great significance to the early English Puritan settlers to the region.  Ironically, I also learnt about this history when I was in primary school in Trinidad and Tobago (I did go to a private primary school with British and International expats at the time).  I remember the visual images like the ones I have shared her and it is hard not to remember the story of the ship Mayflower which took these settlers to America. Plymouth has a famous rock which residents are proud of (as my Plymouth-Trinidadian secondary classmate point out). The story of the indigenous tribe and their relationship and coming together with the settlers is now one of the most endearing stories of the American story. The food on my visit was really good as most of the time I was a guest and it good for people to recommend things to me.  The region was famous for lobster, chowder and local specialities and they all takes great.  Even the ice cream had nice flavours and as it was so hot – it was good to try them.

Back in Boston, we spent a day in the city and it was a really contrast to the countryside.  There was a lot of modern skyscrapers, but more relatively old and historic buildings for New England.  We walked in the Haymarket Part of the city which had a very European design to the buildings and we also did a Duck tour on the city streets and on the river in Boston.  It was great to have the tour guide and hear about the history of the city and the buildings in Boston – I do recommend it and it was good to for seeing as much as you can if you time is short.

We also went to Cambridge to see MIT and the Harvard Campuses.  I used to order publications from Harvard Business School Press and even now, the Harvard Business Review is popular with British Library users. The campus, history and architecture were truly amazing to see and the area has a general buzz for those visiting even if there were no classes on for the summer. I know you can book official tours if you want to see more but I am certainly pleased to visit the campus – even if it was only once in my life.

On my last day in Boston, it was recommend that I visit Salem, and it was nice of my family to take me there before we went to the airport. I didn’t know much about Salem but it is a residential and tourist area attraction for the story of the Witch allegations and executions on the 1692.  It was a Saturday afternoon and there were lively activities, ghost tours and several museums to visit if you want to do more.  I am still a bit busy but it would be nice to read more about the Salem Witch Trials and the wider history of the new England region.  They certainly have several places with the names of English towns!

I only had a few days in Boston due to work and family commitments but I certainly like Boston and Rhode Island.  Driving around the region was good and perhaps I can visit again another time to spend more time seeing the beautiful architecture, history and gardens in this part of the world.

Celebration and reflection of 30 years in the library and information industry

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Just as the development of the Interstate Highway System led to the creation of McDonald’s hamburgers, Holiday Inn and a thousand other new commercial developments that would have been impossible without the Interstate Highway System, in the same way we will see the emergence of information services on a nationwide basis that will be extremely profitable and nearly ubiquitous. – Al Gore, 1993

It seems only appropriate to recognise how long I have been working in the field of library and information this month as I have a vivid memory of when I started my first ‘proper’ job in the office, library and information centre (whatever you want to call it).  I have great memories of a time when life seems a little bit simpler, and I was lucky-go-happy in my outlook to life. 

The early 1990s was an interesting time to be an information professional as we were on the cusp of developments in technology but we also have traditional collections which still held books, journals, annual reports, newspapers, places to study, work and access to communal computers.  The most interest aspect I still mention to today was that the next-best-things we were expecting were the Internet, World Wide Web and cd-roms. Online searching and database creation were truly skills that were in high demand at the time.  Most organisations may have had online databases but they were the dial-up version that requires a modem for connection to a remote database, probably hosted in another country.  I still tell library users using online resources that we had an ‘online searching room’, which was quiet for staff to do their searches without distractions. 

Looking back now, some of my colleagues did not have a computer on their desk if I recall rightly.  I remember I had a computer on a small desk next to my normal office desk, and I enjoyed was getting used to using WordPerfect having used Wordstar at university. Email (just internal messages) was in the infancy, and the library management system (LMS) on DOS called Soutron (who are still around today). Nowadays, when someone tells me some of our current databases are taking long to load, I have to point out that in the past I had to sometimes run reports overnight in one of our databases in the early 1990s.  Even simple aspects of company accounts had to ordered from Companies Houses, and you may also recall Excel Cards (for company information), had to couriered to the offices if they were needed urgently. I used to put books on a shuttle bus to get from one building to another too. 

I am grateful for the training and ability to use library management systems (LMS) like these which helped me to understand acquisitions, serials (useful for SLA membership information renewals), cataloguing, classifications and metadata, financial management and reporting using for reporting on service levels to my manager.  Some of these basic aspects are still very important in my current role such as reviewing KPIs. I am still mentioned the great manager I had who helped me learn the practicalities of running a library and information service, and great for the training I received then. I was asked to participate in the recruitment of staff at an early stage and this exposure has helped me to this stage in my career.  I have met some amazing people over these years and it is interesting to see how some are still in the industry, but some are doing things that are very different. 

Our challenge is to find ways of using the Internet and World Wide Web as a mechanism for learning for understanding, and as a mechanism for “seeing things,” not just as a highway system for haphazard. – Kimberly Rose, 1995

The sourcing of books was different too as we were frequently sent newspaper articles or journals that mentioned a report or article that we then had to source.  Some customers obviously had reading lists, such as the HMSO daily list, which they read and then sent the information to be sourced from our procuring services in the library.  There were also several telephone calls that I received daily for customers asking to source information, and to order or borrow publications from the information centre. This still helps in my current role for sourcing information in catalogues, other libraries and from publishers.

The reference desk (Quick Enquiry Desk we called it) in the library was one of the most interesting aspects of the information and research work we did at the time.  Having started off in a business information library – we were constantly called for financial information from exchange rates, FT indices, share prices, stock exchange data and other financial queries.  We also had queries to use the collection and other electronic database at the time.  We even had one computer with a modem to access the internet in the library.  I do recall my colleagues going to an internet café after work to check it out!

In the 2000s, the industry was changing rapidly with the internet changing the way information was managed, provided and consumed. There were companies in the Dot.com generation, our information providers also changed.  However, there was a movement to ‘get rid of libraries’, especially physical ones. This was the period when the library’s hard copy budgets began to shrink as more content was available online, but the age of formal contracts for eprocurement.  I remember working with business analysts to understand our workflow for providing library services from enquiry, research to library materials in hand.  In came eBooks used by the Learning and Development team but we also had very expensive business information databases for research. The hardest part was the loss of physical spaces and collection depletion, with the physical library not being as prominent space or a hub as it once was for the organisation.

Although by this time we were having knowledge forum and sharing on collaborative networks such as Lotus Notes, and other communities of practices and forums (I remember reading forums in the 1990s).  It was heart-wrenching at one point but also exciting to harness the adoption and  development of information technology.  If you work in libraries long enough, you get to know the collections and users really well – you can even build communities and break down borders!  But it was also the era in the early 2000s where were had a truly professional global community where we can ask for help, enquiries, share information and knowledge more easily due to technological advancements.

It was also an age for Intranet and Portals with my colleagues worked on projects for introducing the intranet and resources management to the organisation.  I probably would have participated more on this project work but I was on maternity leave when the work started.  Newer roles also developed in the profession with other professionals using ‘Content’ and ‘Web’ in their job titles, but in hindsight it highlighted the skills and specialism that we had in this field.  The word ‘metadata’ and taxonomy were also banished about by others on the bandwagon.  However, even in my role in 2024 we are still using these word in the last week, and even today for a presentation I hosted on Philatelic collections at the library.

The age of a virtual library eventually became a reality in the mid-2000s and whatever hard copy collection was left ended up being a closet from my perspective! I didn’t actually mind because I was still very strong online providing information services, research and answering reference queries from the small collection, digital content and even the people-to-people contacts for expertise that users were looking for then (I still also do this in my current role). 

“Big data is at the foundation of all the megatrends that are happening today, from social to mobile to cloud to gaming.” – Chris Lynch, Vertica Systems

I first heard about blogs in this period and we started to see a great medium for storytelling and showcase expertise in a particular area from a professional capacity to even stories shared by other library and information professionals.  Towards the late 2000s, social media was becoming ubiquitous and popular mainstream in most people’s lives.  I was happy to see technology that was initial being used in an office environment was now becoming normalises in our relationships and everyday lives.  We started using the words digital and data more with ‘Big Data’ being a hot topic brought about with open-source access, data and the development of apps.  Throughout this time we continued to use library management systems and databases.  There were still human interactions and perhaps more so as we were able to connect with people on digital channels and social media. I started hosting events on professional topics such as Web 2.0, knowledge management, business and other areas of interest, such as those for staff women networks with my colleagues.

“Hiding within those mounds of data is knowledge that could change the life of a patient, or change the world.” – Atul Butte, Stanford School of Medicine

Moving on to the 2010s was interesting as I went through a few months of redundancy.  I still recall my now deceased manager trying to convince our decision-makers that we can still play a role in digital literacy, knowledge management, research, evidence-based, training etc. I also researched the role of an information professional at the time for our trade union response to the redundancy proposals.  However, there was still no believe in a future for us then from them.  In hindsight, it was a challenging time winding down a service that was in existence for a long time …but it meant I had a new start. I could have changed my direction and profession then but I was determined to see it through as I believed in what we can do then – and more so now and in the future. Take that!

There last 12 years at the British Library has been a time for belonging in the profession.  I still get inspired by the collection, our users, our stories, events and being in such a great library.  I am still learning something everyday, such as today whilst hosting the Philatelic Collection talk for SLA Europe.  I also have a natural enthusiasm for the profession, for people who use and work in libraries having had several changes in the last 30 years.  I think I use all the skills acquired over this time from acquisition, cataloguing, research, knowledge sharing, marketing etc.  Not forgetting planning, strategic development, management of library and information services.

Obviously, in this time I have grown as a person, especially with my volunteering roles in my community, as well as for my profession. I never anticipated being SLA President in 2023 way back in the late 1990s.  However, every day I learn and love to contribute to my profession and the development of others – and this is what I mentioned only a couple of hours ago to the Executive Director and Presidents of SLA.

“Information is the oil of the 21st century, and analytics is the combustion engine.” 

– Peter Sondergaard, Gartner Research

There are many memories of this time, the changes, places where I have worked and some of my colleagues are my dear friends.  I am not going to give up now but I will look to the future with this enthusiasm and relish on whatever the future holds. I am not going anywhere or changing my course.

Spotlight on Women Inventors and Innovators

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I have been meaning to write and research women inventors for a number of years for Women’s History Month in March.  There are so many interesting stories of women inventors who have been highly intelligent, practical, innovative and trailblazing as they look for solutions to problems, develop new products, simply fill a gap in the market, and so many other reasons for creating new inventions.  Having recently looked as some of the links and stories below, they have made me feel in awe of their abilities and drive to get these from idea to successful invention – some from everyday items in our life to the cutting edge of science and technology. I am also pleased to say that I found so many stories that I am unable to spotlight them all on here.  I will, however, share some of the most inspirational women inventors, and some of the context around their stories.

I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.

Madame C J Walker

Firstly, there would have been women inventors from the beginning of humanity but they may not have been documented for their inventions, as well as not given the credit for the inventions they produced.  In the last few centuries, women inventors have been recorded – with some of the earliest documented are Jeanne Villepreaux Power (aquarium), Nancy Johnson (ice cream maker), Ada Lovelace (First Computer Programmer) and Marie Curie (Research and Radioactivity) many more.  Some of these from the 19th century seem to be a direct result of the industrial revolution, as well as advancement and changes in lifestyles, homes and workplaces at the time.

Geographically too there have been a good balance. There are inventions that are happening now in all parts of the world, and I was pleased to see many international sites and even came across Globalwin (Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network), which featured Mark Sheahan – who is our Inventor in Residence at the British Library.  The world is very diverse and so too the types of inventions and innovations that are developed by women – from sustainable ideas to the use of natural resources available to them.  In my day job, I still meet several women founders who are planning their business with new products that they cannot source in current markets in the UK, or are using materials they have found in other countries and/or manufactured by international communities. 

Innovation by women are changing the world. However, women remain underrepresented in international patenting. – WIPO

The World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) has been celebrating the achievement of women inventors this month, but also highlighted some of the issues and challenges.  They have this resourceful page which states: “it is estimated that only 17.7 percent of inventors named in international patent applications were women in 2023. While numbers are rising, progress is slow”. Despite the lower numbers, there are some great case stories and the intellectual property that women inventors hold.  The case studies are international with various being developed from women across the globe on inventions or innovations ranging from solar energy, fish-skin products, beauty developments. There is still a lot to work towards filling the inventor gender gap, but there is certainly some special representative women who are doing their best to create new products and innovations across the globe.

Here are five inspirational women inventors who have been so interesting to read about:

Nancy M Johnson – Ice cream maker

Ice cream makers and equipment seems to be an invention that women were keen to develop. The Lemelson Center for the Study of Inventions and Innovations has a great blog post on Nancy M. Johnson who invented the ‘Artificial Freezer’ or ice cream maker.  It was very laborious to make ice cream in the techniques prior to her invention, and her inventions also help to save time to make a smoother more consistent ice cream. She was also one of the first women to file for a patent in her own name and not that of her Professor husband! Nancy was able to make her idea a commercial success but it was then bought by William Young who developed the ice cream maker further by making it even faster to make ice cream. The information in the blog hyperlinks to the Library of Congress’s photo in their online catalogue and short biography of her life. One thing leads to another – ice cream also need an ice cream scoop, and therefore that was another mechanical invention created Alfred F Calle.

Lisa Lindahl – Sports Bra

Lisa was a keen jogger in the 1970s, apparently running about 30 miles per week.  She realised that there was not enough support and garments for her and her friends Polly Smith and Hilda Miller who are also attributed in this link for the National Register of Inventors Hall of Fame.  What stood out for me is that she used ‘jockstraps’ support that was made of men and came up with a prototype for the jogging bra.  The rest they say is history: “When Smith sewed two jockstraps together and both Lindahl and Miller tested it on a run, they had the first workable sports bra prototype”. I have wondered about a ‘normal bra’ being developed over hundreds of years for women, but it is interesting reading about this and the photos are amusing too. I remember my colleague meeting with some female entrepreneurs over a decade ago where they were planning to create bras with better supportive straps that were more supportive for the larger busted women!

Katerine Johnson – Science Nasa Computer

There are quite a few women of colour who have created amazing products and helped with innovations over time.  It would have been more difficult as there would have been some discrimination in what was once a male-dominated world.  Katerine Johnson worked with other black women in the segregated states in the USA. This BBC Link with Science in Focus mentions: “Johnson and other black women initially worked in a racially segregated computing unit in Hampton, Virginia, that was not officially dissolved until NACA became NASA in 1958”. She worked on many space missions in the 1960’s and some of her black women colleagues were known to be the unsung heroes of NASA’s space mission. They were featured in the film Hidden Figures, which explored their story and the double standards at the time. It is a lot easier to see women in STEM celebrated, but for women inventor to file patents – it was difficult, especially women of colour. Such as Ellen Elgin who created the laundry wringer for clothes.  Although you did not have to disclose ethnicity in 1800s in the USA for patents, Ellen sold her patent for $18.00 at the time and was known to have said: “You know I am black and if it was known that a Negro woman patented the invention, white ladies would not buy the wringer. I was afraid to be known because of my colour in having it introduced into the market, that is the only reason.” Thankfully, the world has improved since then, and women inventors in STEM are thriving in the right conditions that support them.

“We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and will go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics.”

Katerine Johnson
Katerine Johnson – Source:
Katherine Johnson Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom
Source: Nasa Langley

Hedy Lamarr – Wireless Communications

I didn’t know much about Hedy Lamarr until I started this blog post research.  She was not only a famous Hollywood star – she seemed to be interested in inventions. Hedy was born to a Jewish family in Austria but fled to the USA when the country was invaded.  During World War II, she wanted to help the Allied Forces fight the Nazi from bombing. She worked with George Antheil to develop a new way to steer torpedoes. She knew that radio-signals used to control torpedoes could be jammed by the Nazis, which will make them miss their targets, and she wanted to come up with unjammable alternative. They both came up with different radio frequencies known as frequency-hopping (FH) which means the system could switch between keys.  This has been attributed to the invention to WiFi and Bluetooth – which was patented in 1942 but was not classified until 1981 and only used for military technology. There is a more detail explanation on this New Scientist article here. I can remember the first time I heard about WiFi and broadband in the 2000s, and even then, I was amazed by it.  We all know that we need and use WiFi every day now in our lives.

Marie Curie – Radio and mobile X-Ray

Marie Curie was a great scientist but also an inventor in some of the discoveries she made in her time. Her breakthrough discoveries in new radiation therapy for cancer treatment and x-ray machine advanced science and medicine.  She was most famous for radioactivity, a term she coined herself.  My first understand of of her was when I saw the Marie Curie Cancer Charity raising funds and caring for family who have been affected by cancer – her daughter had given them permission to use her name as the charity want to perpetuate her scientific medical research.  I haven’t really stop to think about what she did in as much details as I have in the last couple of days.  There are some amazing photos of her in her laboratory as well as in her personal life.  There was also a great Google Doodle and page celebrating her contribution to medical and scientific research as well as her contribution to humanity and saving lives. The next time I see the charity collection funds in her name – I’ll remember her immense contribution to the world.

“You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.”

Marie Curie

Further links to women inventors:

Beautylich – Black History Month https://www.beautylish.com/a/vzjmr/black-history-month-hair-industry-innovators-inventors

European Patent Office – https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/in-focus/women-inventors

Iderdrola – https://www.iberdrola.com/talent/women-inventors

Lemelson Center for Study of Invention and Innovation – https://invention.si.edu/diverse-voices-women-inventors

National Women’s History Museum – Inventive Women – https://www.womenshistory.org/exhibits/inventive-women

USA Today – 50 things you never knew women invented – https://eu.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/money/2019/03/12/50-things-you-never-knew-women-invented/39158945/

Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_women_innovators_and_inventors_by_country

WIPO – https://www.wipo.int/en/web/ip-advantage/women-innovators-stories