Category: Information

Fun outreach work in interesting places

Published on by Seema Rampersad1 Comment

In recent weeks, I realised that I have been ask to work with partners at their locations for events or conferences.  I actually like working elsewhere on occasion as this adaptability must spring from my sense of adventure in going to new places and meeting new people.  This is probably a good thing as it helps me to think outwardly, as well as see what is on the horizon beyond my every day.

It was nice to be invited to the Camden Libraries staff conference at their Swiss Cottage Library again.  It was inspiring and motivating to hear the great work they are doing from the launch of their Reading Strategy (which I was able to take part in as part of their Reading Strategy board), work from parts of their libraries from new Health and Wellbeing Librarian or to the newly refitted Holborn Library, where we have also delivered two workshops.

There were great presentations from maker spaces to talks on how valuable libraries are for culture, creativity and for literacy. One of the presenters mentioned spending lots of time as a child in the summer holidays in the library whilst her parents were at work – the library was a safe space but also facilitated the development of her love of reading, learning and eventually working in libraries and the community too.  I was able to also present a workshop on customer service especially since we had recently hosted Camden Libraries along the theme of ‘The Reference Interview’, and it was a natural follow up for us to discuss how good customer service links with a good user experience and exemplary library services. I also attended a workshop on implementing the Camden Reading Strategy, and it was reassuring to hear from volunteers at their Highgate Library talk about ways that they encourage children to read and do interesting activities in the library, which also improve their literacy and use of space. There was also an explanation that their users are usually mixed demographics as there are areas of deprivation in Highgate despite the area being perceived as a wealthy neighbourhood in most parts.

In the lunch break, I was able to have a look around the library to see the children’s Library with the inviting seating areas, mini theatre and reading spaces.  I also like the physical items that you can see which demonstrates that this is a community library with the 60-year-old building still being useful and beautiful.  In the lunch break, there was an energising and great vibe for the Flamenco dancers and guitarist.  It was a great colourful and rhythmic session that got a few people off their feet for a lunch time dance.  I truly look forward to working with Camden Libraries again in the next few months and hopefully years to come.

I also had an invitation for our British Library team to present and help support businesses at the Festival of Upholstery in Sandhurst.  It was a little further than my normal route, so I was able to spend one night and two days at the festival with a hotel overnight stay.  Sandhurst is world famous as a military academy and grounds is great and wide – especially for those military parades that it is known for. The building inside is a training centre, so there were many rooms for this purpose.  Once inside, it was striking to see all the colonial links especially with India with many pictures and images of Indian soldiers.  I obviously thought of my Indian ancestors.  There were several Gurkhas on the premising and surrounding area too.

The Festival of Upholstery was held in a great hall with other exhibitors in the industry, businesses and interesting furniture, makers and materials.  I loved the prints on display, and there were some more important themes of creativity, restoration and reuse with new and old furniture and the items on display. 

It was great to see a thecutting-board by Erica Jane, that enable someone to do their designs on their dining table.  There was also some interesting materials used for filling the upholstery from horse hair to coconut husks called coya ( it reminded me of old-fashioned mattresses in the Caribbean).  However there was a great discussion on this in relation to sustainability and natural fibres or materials.  I was invited to be on a panel on the first day to discuss how we can support business but it was also great to hear the challenges and stories of upholsters on practical and inspirational advice they wanted to share with attendees – from renting spaces to studios, to switching careers, using social media to gain customers, pricing models, or to choosing materials that will not be wasted. The event had about 800 attendees over two days, and it was interesting speaking to several people on why they were there, how excited they were after doing courses on upholstery or that they just had an interest or business in upholstery.  One of the committee members and tutor mentioned that upholstery started 800 years ago, and it was fascinating to hear how it started with fabrics, cushions, stitching etc for chairs.

There was also a fabulous dinner in the evening with a delicious authentic curry.  It was nice to meet and chat to several of the dinner guests who all had great stories on why they were there.  There was definitely a tribe for those who had careers and family commitments, but now wanted to start something new that has always been a passion.  I also spent time chatting with an upholsterer Amanda from New Jersey, who is one of the few American upholsters, and I learnt a lot about some of the terminology on traditional or modern upholstery.  I also realised that it is a skilful trade that you also have to be physically adept.  I left the Festival of Upholstery feeling happy, welcomed and hoping that these lovely people will go on to make nice things and carry on the art, hobbies and businesses they have.  I hope my colleagues and I can continue to support them in future festivals or for visits to the Library.

Closer to home, I was invited to take part in a Fashion event at the new reopened and renovated Soho Theatre. I was free on that Saturday and was able to meet some local designers.  One of them, Naila, is actually showcased on the British Library’s business page, and I am able to have a good chat with her.  It was good to see a milliner, sustainable fashion designs, patterns and other great items on display.  I didn’t have time to ask my friends to come along but they would have liked it too.  I was able to quickly check out the new restored grand stage, and will certainly try to book a show there in the near future. 

Obviously, I still help run workshops in my local area and therefore meet businesses all the time. I must admit that I have been a bit quiet on the local activities in recent years and that is because my professional life has been a bit too busy, but I hope I can find a better balance so that I enjoy and support more local causes.  For me, being asked to take part in these events enables me to understand various sectors, people and communities better and give me an opportunity to meet people and have some fun too!

Trip to Bonnie Scotland

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I visited Edinburgh about 24 years ago and it was great to see Scotland then when the train trip only cost about £36.00 in advance and the internet had not infiltrated out lives has it has now.  I do have printed photos somewhere but need to see them again one day.  Last time I went we also visited Portobello and Leith but this time was I mainly here for work and some leisure at the weekend.

On my way to the University of Sterling, I stopped at Edinburgh for a while to see the city again. One of the best aspects of going to Edinburgh by train is the coastal views from York to Edinburgh – I was mesmerised by the green of the grass and the blue-grey skies so close to the railway route.  In the distance you can see Holy Island which I still remember from the ‘Lindisfarne Gospel’ held in the British Library. It is also amazing to see the town of Berwick upon tweed as it curves on the same route to Edinburgh.  I would definitely recommend a trip to Edinburgh by trip just for this journey!

 It was great to see the sights of the hilly city with the imposing Edinburgh Castle perched on the hill, the Monument, the gardens and my favourite recollection of the Royal Mile with great shops and architecture.  Princes Street also seemed to have changed from the shops that were once there and the famous Jenner Department store is no longer there. 

There is definitely something magical about the hill and the ability to see views to far out of the city to the sea and rolling country side.  The shops around the Royal Mile features a lot of the things that Scotland is famous for – whisky, cashmere, tartan, shortbread, haggis and many more.

It was great to see the Adam Smith statue and to see the location where the true inspired story of the novel on the Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. There is also the sound of the bagpipes player at various spots in the city and it true resonates across the city. I do like the undulating hills around Edinburgh which enhances the architecture from the various angles you may see it. It great to go back again and unfortunately, I didn’t realised that I was actually quite close to the National Library of Scotland but hopefully I can visit again another time.

I got a short train journey from Edinburgh to Sterling for the Business Librarian’s Conference (BLA) as they celebrated their 50th anniversary.  I was encouraged to go by my ex-colleague who recommended their conferences for their relevance to our work.  The conference was great for getting to know other Business Librarians who are mainly based in academic business schools.  There were a lot of synergies with our library services in a publicly funded business library and we have similar resources and framework for our users.  The challenges and opportunity with artificial intelligence and new developments in the sector were discussed, presented and digested in a conference over three days. Business information suppliers were also in the exhibit hall and they presented their products and services.

Delegates were warmly welcomed and it was good to meet about 70 other delegates from across the country and abroad.  The campus at Sterling was set in beautiful green grounds with surrounding forest, ponds and buildings that were quietly set in this scenic part of Scotland. The facilities, hospitality and library were great to see and I felt that wellbeing benefits ranked highly in this setting. Thanks to the organisers of the BLA conference and I look forward to taking part in future.

Sterling was very green, clean and beautiful with the journey from the train station to the campus at the University of Sterling.  It was nice to see the monument to William Wallace who was the main character in the well-known film Braveheart. Some of the historic aspects of the stories are still around – such as the bridge where the battle occurred.  Also famous for the Sterling Castle from a distance and to also tour the castle at the weekend.  I loved the garden and views of the surround countryside especially on a beautiful sunny day (there was a heatwave in other parts of the UK on this day).  The Castle itself is steeped in Scottish history with its’ most famous resident being Mary Queen of Scots, and a statue of Robert the Bruce in the main entrance.  The castle tour and views are truly worth the visit. I also had dinner with our conference delegates at the Sterling Castle Hotel with a surprise tour of the observatory at the top.  I couldn’t believe it that I saw two observatories in one month! I would definitely recommend a visit to Sterling Castle with its proximity to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. 

This is exactly what I did once the conference was finished.  I went to Glasgow by train as I had never visited the city.  We also have partnerships with the Mitchell Library for their Business & IP Centre but I had haven’t visit it as yet.  Glasgow was also a bit hilly in parts with the river Clyde running through it.  You can tell that the city had a long history being close to waterways and there seemed to be elaborate Victorian and Glasgow style architecture.  The city was urban and edgy especially on a lively Friday and Saturday night.  There were great areas for restaurants and bars – with the obvious influence of immigrants from Italy with long established restaurants and cafes.  I also visited the Kelvin Grove art museum and was pleased to see the areas which explain the history of the Scottish people that was in my imagination as I saw Scotland.

I couldn’t write about Scotland without mentioning Whisky! I was able to have two whisky tasting sessions and it was an education on the drink and how it developed over hundred if years as direct result of the farms and earlier residents of the country.   It was actually know as priests in the early days as aqua vitae.  The two taking session had a similar format and told the story if the famous drink but one was set in a quaint temper building in Sterling and the other was in Glasgow near the river Clyde and docks. 

I have always wanted to see the wilder rural side of Scotland but knew I didn’t have a lot of time to do so due to other work commitments.  So I booked a trip by mini-bus to see Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and another round trip to Sterling. The Loch was only about 40 minutes outside of Glasgow and I would definitely recommend if you visit Glasgow.  It was so grand and big – it was amazing to take the ferry on the Loch to see in the hills in the distance and the expansiveness of the Loch.  The best part of the mini-bus and boat tour are the audio recordings which told the stories of the Scottish people and the natural beauty of the landscape. The tour also took us to the beautiful secret scenic spot in the Trossachs to see the vista of beginning of the rolling highlands, trees, ferns and heathers. We were taken to see some highland cows that were in a field near a convenience and tourist shop. 

This was only a short trip mixing work and play in Scotland, but would definitely like to see more of the highlands, shores or islands of Scotland. I am so glad that was able to see it again and this time I have some newer memories that I will be talking about for a while to come on Bonnie Scotland!

Key Takeaways from Pittsburgh

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Earlier this year I knew that there was going to be a Special Libraries Association (SLA) Conference in Pittsburgh USA in June, but I thought that I would not go as I had made plans to go to another conference by the Business Librarians Association in Stirling, Scotland.  However, there was news in early March that the SLA had started to make plans for the dissolution of the organization. Obviously, I was sad, worried and deeply moved to see this news as I was their President only a few years ago in 2023, and had only just rolled off the board.  However, I was not totally shocked and thought perhaps it was the best way to deal with some of the challenges the association and in the industry.  I also thought it was likely to be my last chance to say farewell to a professional organisation that I have been part of for over 20 years.  I was also the SLA Awards Chair 2025, took part on the Scholarship Committee and the conference programme was interesting for my professional development, which gave me ample reasons for going this year.   Therefore, I ended up booking my place at the 2025 SLA Conference in Pittsburgh, but it was not close to other cities where I have family, so I didn’t travel anywhere after the conference.

I flew into Pittsburgh late on a Friday night and was ready for the conference the next day.  The city itself seems remote so I was going to be packed with learning, networking and working whilst I was there.  I went for an early morning walk and the architecture looked very brutalist and concrete with large imposing buildings.  However, amongst the campus and the surrounding shopping and office areas, I realised that this was quite a well-planned and designed university city with a focus on education and enlightenment of the people who lived here over the centuries.  Pittsburgh is part of the indigenous Allegheny county and some of this heritage is still recognised in the surrounding areas.  The city was heavily industrialised in the 1800s due to steel works and was known as the steel capital of the world. However, the new civic and university buildings have great emphasis on inspiring and facilitating advancement of its people such as the Cathedral of Learning which was unmissable over the city skyline.  There was also a great public library at Hillman Library and various inspirational aspects to the campus location and its’ multiple buildings.

The conference itself was great for me to meet staff, the current SLA Board, members, scholarship winners (a few from London), old and new acquaintances from SLA.  I was able to hear from the current committee at the open board meeting about their decision making, process and some of the reasoning behind the dissolution plans. SLA members were also informed in May that SLA is likely to propose a merger with ASIST. By this time, I was happy about the finer details from both parties at the conference and how this merger will be a good fit for us to proceed – members on both sides will still need to vote for the merger.  Being at the conference left me more upbeat about the legacy and future entity of SLA and I am looking forward to the possible merger with ASIST in Autumn.  I would advocate for members to vote for the merger.

The conference programme highlights for me was the Opening Keynote by Emily Drabinski  about the challenges facing American libraries and some of the issues that affect us all from banned books to the blocking of tagging or metadata of terms for searching and findability. Emily also spoke of growing up in a small town in Idaho and how it differs in some aspect to a big city.  I also attended many talks on harnessing the power of Generative AI to shared insights on cyberattacks, tips for financial pressures, using data to proving our worth to taking on new leadership roles for multiple terms.  Past President Tara Murray Grove also gave a research presentation on history of the SLA International Conference.  I attended other presentations from SLA Asia to ideas on how to run AI workshops for staff and users.  There were also some great presentations from other specialist library and information professions who worked in business and corporate libraries which were very similar to my current role.  This collective sharing and learning are valuable to me and my personal and professional development, and I am hoping to adopt some of these insights in to my work plans.

There was the usual mix of informal networking and getting to know other new delegates.  I was pleased to meet a board member who only a few years reached out to me as President asking if he can volunteer his time on any committee.  The person was so great, knowledgeable and committed – I was pleased to see that his participation has grown from strength to strength.  It was also nice to say ‘thank you’ in person. Although I have said so online many times.

I also loved the lunch and dinner gathering at the University.  Some of the students were around but generally we were able to mingle and chat in the canteens and halls.  One of the halls had a great library which displayed photos of Princess Grace of Monaco who visited the university. In the canteen, there were student volunteers, and you could see the proud yellow and blue colours of the ‘Pitt’ campus. We also had the SLA Dance Party in one of their ballrooms which seemed to be a space for their own performances and even a ballroom.  I also found that the buildings were well maintained and thought that the students must love using the spaces. The dance party with karaoke and DJ was great fun and helped us to unwind after a couple of busy days and nights. 

I worked a couple of nights into the early morning (as I am doing now) whilst I was in Pittsburgh as I had to get some work completed. Therefore, I had little time to see a lot of the city.  But there were three great activities I did outside to the conference that was fun, and they were:

  • Trip to the Allegheny Observatory – The Physic, Astronomy and Mathematics (PAM) community organized a trip to the Allegheny Observatory and it was educational for me to understand some of the aspects of astronomy and the inspirational stories of industrialist and high society of Pittsburgh and their pursuit for the observatory for science and entertainment.  Our tour guide was amazing and also conduct programmes for young children and other groups.  The library was also spectacular to see and how important it was over the years.
  • The Phipps Conservatory and Botanics Garden – For may last few hours in Pittsburgh, I was able to see the beautiful Phipps Botanic Garden.  The Garden has achieved many awards over the years for sustainability and botany.  There were beautiful areas of the different plant types and displays of animals in their ’Jungle Quest’ which blended in to the planting.  I was so pleased I was able to attend event if it was a couple of hours.
  • Carnegie Museum of Art – Last but not least was the trip to the Pittsburgh Carnegie Library and Museum of Art.  It was great to see some of the world’s best artist in on display as well some of the local history art including an image of Andy Warhol, who is born in Pittsburgh.  There is a Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh but I didn’t get time to visit.  Andrew Carnegie also lived in Pittsburgh and made a fortune in the steel industry there, but it great to see the story of his life displayed and his philanthropy still evidence in the city today. 

I hope this brief recap of my trip to Pittsburgh gives you an idea of how good it is to visit, and it has earned a place in my heart for the obvious appreciation and celebration of learning and education – even if you were just visiting for the day, you can’t miss the buildings and homage to learning.

Peak Time with friends in Europe

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After many years dreaming of fun times like these, I spent the last few weeks with school friends travelling around parts of Europe.  It has not always been easy or accessible when we were younger as we lived far away in the Caribbean, the cost to travel was expensive, and we needed pre-arranged visas etc to travel to some European countries. Our education, work and family lives were also given priority, so dreamy and carefree travel like this was put to the back of our minds.  However, this time has now come for us to explore the world (within reason) and spend quality time together.  This is exactly what I did and I hope you’ll enjoy the recap here of my recent trip.

Getting the Eurostar train from St Pancras to Paris is always a good start and such an easy journey from central London to the heart of Paris. The view of the English and French countryside are great to see from the fast-moving train, especially with the yellow mustard fields.  This time we stayed near the Champ Elysée and Arc du Triumph. This part of Paris is always filled with tourist checking out the shops and landmarks.  It is also one of the best walking spots from the Arc to the Louvre Museum.  You get to see one of the most famous Paris avenues down through the Place de la Concorde and Tuileries.  I remember my first visit and it is still magical to take in the Panorama. The best aspects is also that the weather held up and the rain that we were expecting did not happen. 

Later that evening, we went out for a walk around the Eiffel Tower, a cruise on the river Seine and dinner in a French Brassiere.  The Eiffel Tower looked amazing at sunset and lit up as the night crept in.  The cruise was a musical cruise and it was nice to hear some of the most famous French music whilst on the Seine with the glimmering lights and cool breeze.  We saw some of the Parisian nightlife from persons jogging, cycling and exercising along the river to restaurants and riverside shows for locals and tourists.  Although we spent just over an hour in Paris – it was great to get to see some of the beautiful aspects of the city and I hope I can visit again one day, especially on my way to visit Versailles (which I haven’t seen as yet). A bientot Paris!

Our next stage of our trip to Switzerland was fairly easy to get to from Gare du Lyon to Zurich.  It was great to get the train direct which took just over four hours with a reasonable amount of comfort and amazing views on the way.  Once we got to Zurich, it was great to settle into a nice hotel which was only about 10 minutes from the Lake Zurich which dominated the views with scenic buildings and promenades all along the lake.  Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and is known for being the global centre for banking and finance. We had a walk along the lakefront shops and saw some of the other parts mainly whilst we were going to other places but we certainly had two major treats from our base. One was the day trip to Mount Titlis and Lucerne, the other was the Lindt Museum in Central Zurich.

For our trip to Mount Titlis, we asked our hotel to organise the trip with a local tour company and we booked the trip for the next day from the coach park near the main Zurich train station.  We got the coach with a tour guide who gave us insightful and funny stories of Swiss history, culture and facts. It is so worth it to learn about the landscape, people who lived on the land and building of the country from romans to modern Swiss engineering and innovators.  The mountains, valleys, chalets, and natural springs were all fantastic to see.  We went past a few original chalets and many modern homes.  I could help remembering the book ‘Heidi’ which I received as a child from my primary school.  More than anything, I would like to actual spend some time in a chalet and enjoy the views a bit longer should I visit Switzerland again.

When we got to Mount Titlis, I was not nervous but I haven’t for such a long journey on a cable car before – I have only briefly been on one in Sicily in 2019.  We were also not sure how cold it was going to be but in hindsight, it was not very cold at -2degrees.  The cable car was truly spectacular and the ascent was breath-taking.  I was a little nervous but it was not shaking, plus the second part of the journey we also go into the first revolving cable car! The snow-capped Swiss Alps and altitude is an experience, especially for three women from the Caribbean. It was also awesome to see skiers in deep snow so high up the mountains. 

 It was also good to spend time in the shops at the top or to grab a bite if you were hungry. The ice cave was also another bonus to the tip – I have only seen these in images from Scandinavia and it was interesting to go into a glacier – it is making how humans can create these places despite the temperature and altitude!  As an adult, Mount Titlis was brilliant for exploring somewhere I have never been too before it was like a real-life amusement arcade for all the family.  I would certainly recommend it!

We also had an hour in beautiful Lucerne with the lake, good shopping areas and the splendid ancient bridges. One other note is that Rolex is a Swiss brand, and like other clock and watch makers – there are many world-class Swiss watch makers which you can see as you go around the shopping areas. The views around these areas were really interesting to see and apparently in the heart of warmer weather, the bridges and chalets are decorated with beautiful colour geraniums which must be a sight to behold.

The second treat to the Lindt factory was informative, educational and flavoursome!  The museum is easy to get to from central Zurich with many tourists especially there for Good Friday.  It was special being there for the Easter weekend.  The museum was curated with a giant chocolate fountains and tasting areas, the history of chocolate production and a section on the history of Swiss innovators and entrepreneurial businesses.  From Nestle, the Red Cross to Lindt founders – the stories of invention, and business development were showcased and celebrated.  The fact that Swiss engineering, standards and creativity are still respected today was highlighted at the museum (I also thought of the engineering of cable car up the cold and wet Swiss Alps!).  And to top it off – there was a lot of chocolate tasting stations in the Lindt Museum as well as amazing shop with all their flavours and brands. We left Zurich that afternoon but truly appreciative of Swiss culture, natural beauty and ingenuity.  

The final part of our continental journey was a flight to Venice.  I was impressed that when we arrived at Marco Polo airport that we were able to get a water taxi straight to our hotel for only 18 euros compared to other expensive taxi services in other cities.  The last time I went to Venice, I went via bus from Treviso so this really journey really had me in awe that you can go straight from airport to water transport!  Our hotel was in a residential area and really scenic along the waterfront. 

Venice is beautiful and it was great to plan trips to Murano and Burano the next morning.  As we approached the island – the colours of the buildings especially in the Spring sunshine was a feast for the eyes.  Murano is world renown for their glassmaking and our tour included a glass making demonstration.  The glass objects and jewellery on display and for sale were beautiful and hard to resist.  Burano had some great restaurants and piazzas for hanging out for a couple of hours.  There were some nice shops which is also famous for their lacemaking.  I haven’t been to the islands before but it was great to see them on this trip.

The final part of the journey was spent in St Marks Square and near the Doge Palace.  Venice had a high density of tourists so these part were exceptionally beautiful but also there were thousands of tourists.  The next day we also had a walk along the shops to the Rialto Bridge and surrounding areas.  The shops, buildings, waterways, markets and gondolas are great to see in this unique city.  When in Venice – there was a lot of shops to see and the Italian food was also great to savour, in particular the seafood, wine and pasta.  I most likely will visit Venice one day again in the future but for now, it is still such a magical place to see and experience.

We ended up our trip in London and even though I live in the city, it was great to spend time doing new things such as going to the Shard, seeing the show Mamma Mia, visiting some new restaurants and spending lots of time shopping from Oxford Street, Covent Garden, shopping malls to local retail outlets.  We also has fun checking out Borough Market and the Sky Garden in town which some of the best street food and view across the city. 

This time allowed me time to switch off from my busy schedule and spend time with friends whilst seeing more of the world.  Although it took us a long time to do it – it came at the right time for us to enjoy the sights and life in good company with laughs and memories to cherish for the rest of our lives. I truly appreciate and treasure the journey and the peak time spent together.

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!

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:

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.

Getaways – Finding some time for balance

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As I have been busy on all fronts, I try to find time to rest, relax, do some fun things and go to out. The best thing about warmer weather is that it encourages you to go out to explore be it in the city or countryside. There are still parts of England I would like to see and pencilling time to have a break is essential for our wellbeing, enjoyment and peace of mind. I am pleased to say that this exactly what I did.

I went to Wales for an Intellectual Property Masterclass training course which I have been meaning to go to for a number of years.  It was good to visit Newport again, and this time we were based on the waterfront.  The train journey and the views were amazing. I also like that the IPO’s office is in a governmental complex in the same location as the Office of National Statistics (ONS).  These are two great governmental department that I have used many times in my career as an information professional. It was also very nice to meet other partners from other locations in the UK.  I didn’t venture to Cardiff as I did last time but it was good to see some towns (e.g. Bath Spa) in the train journey that I hope to visit another time.

I have planned a more relaxing getaway in a seaside town but it was reliant on good weather. Luckily the weather was okay for a trip at the end of May to Bournemouth. I have been before but it was a cold windy day to be on a beach.  The weather was nice and it was a pleasant time to get out of London – which can be claustrophobic if you stay here all the time.  It took about three hours to get there with clear traffic and I can certainly visit again especially if the weather is guaranteed to be good. Bournemouth had a nice seaside but liveable vibe about it and I liked the sandy beaches.  I obviously made the most of the views and one of their best restaurants down there. I like looking at the homes and the spaces they have and therefore the drive and country roads are also interesting whilst down there.

We were on the Dorset coast and the first time I heard about the region was whilst studying Thomas Hardy’s poems.  So it was interesting being in Hardy country.  Our book actually had an image of the hedgerows and therefore it was truly interesting visit World Heritage site Lulworth Cove (better known as Durdle Door) and Jurassic Coast. The drive was along rural roads to country lanes, and therefore there were some nice sites to see along the way.  Durdle Door was really impressive and one of the best social media attractions in the Covid years and therefore I found out about it when most people were visiting it then.  The coast is amazing to see and I admired the persons doing the cliff walk on such a really windy day.  You really have to be fit and wear the right clothes and gear to do these extraordinary cliff walks.

We stopped for a few hours in Shaftesbury on the way back to London.  I have seen beautiful photos of the town over the years and it known for being the famous location in Gold Hill for a Hovis Bread advert.  Apparently, the advert showed people with a Yorkshire accent but obviously the setting was in Shaftesbury.  The drive to Shaftesbury was interesting and seemed popular with local people for the hilly roads, bends and turns!!  It was nice to take some photos on Gold Hill and have a wander around for a little while.  The Friar’s church was good to see with the views over the rolling hills – which were truly beautiful and picture perfect. 

This was a short break outside of London but closer to work and home – I had some other outings.  I attended a celebration of SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) at Small Business Research and Enterprise Centre (SBREC) – previously known as the City Business Library.  I have been visiting this library since the 1990s and it is great to see that they are still around.  It is great that they are funded and based in the Corporation of London. In a right reflection to the city, it was a pleasure to spend their celebratory event in an old Roman Amphitheatre whilst networking to jazz music from the London Guildhall School. In my past role and currently, we have supported each other for providing research and business support for users.  Most frequently, we have been cross-referring to SBREC as we navigate our cyber-attack recovery.  It was great to hear about their current strategy for business in the city and best wishes to SBREC and their staff!

The E17 Art Trail was back aging in June, which celebrates and showcases local artist, arts, crafts and designs. I made time to visit some of the locations in my neighbourhood with a friend who was displaying her artwork in a florist and also checked out the art studios and venues in the vicinity.  It was nice to see some of the regenerated areas of Walthamstow and how new businesses are repurposing old and new spaces.  There was an established artist space for an exhibition and newer multifunctional spaces such as an indoor climbing wall – which in itself looked like art with the multicoloured climbing wall.  The venue also had co-working spaces, a gym, café and family activities.  It is great that this has evolved in this area and it was a great use of space as well as building communities around these activities.

I guess you know by now that I like gardens and plants.  It was really good to take some walks around the neighbourhood for longer spells or just for my routine walks.  I was planning on visiting a garden in East Grinstead today but I had to change my plans.  However, I still have so lovely photos here of the community gardening in a local church and some of the nice plants in the front gardens in my neighbourhood. 

A David Gurteen Knowledge Café at Ipsos was another event I made time for recently.  It was in the lovely St Katherine Docks in London.  I held a birthday party there once and it had lovely memories for me.  It was nice to finally attend David’s café and be inspired but the discussions, meeting new people and seeing a venue and host in town.  Ipsos presented some interesting and provocative insights on Demography and Politics in their ‘Ipsos 2024 Generations’ report. The discussion was interesting to hear how the world population figures are being predicted and the impact it may have our own lives and resources.  I also live the concept of the Knowledge Café (having hosted one with David at London City Hall and at the British Library).  I hope we continue to use these café in-person to share our knowledge, insights and make new connections.  Over a decade ago, I met someone at one of these cafés who became a friend who then frequently met me at the British Library, presented a session at City Hall for me and even played in the Notting Hill Carnival with me. This friend passed away about three years ago.  So sometimes something as easily accessible as this can have deeper meanings. 

I am likely to be a bit busy the next couple of months with work, conference and family.  I hope to be able to spend some time balancing all these commitments.  Life is short and therefore we have to do everything in moderation but I will certainly make time for balance.