tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30962542498083962682024-02-20T15:15:34.764-08:00Nicole's Nightly Nimbus Ride"And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-82680553031308547052009-09-22T00:03:00.000-07:002009-09-22T16:33:41.149-07:00finding Harry Potter"Small wonder that spell means both a story told, and a formula of power over living men." ~J.R.R. Tolkien<br /><br />It's always kind of sad at the end of each Harry Potter book, another year at Hogwarts has passed, Harry must go back to his miserable Muggle life. He misses his friends and longs for the magic of the wizardry world where he truly fits in. This is how I feel. I am very fond of London and it's magical energy. I've been working on this blog every day since I've been home and it's been hard to bring closure to this experience. I have a ton of more research to share, but there's just too much...<br /><br />I must put the Nimbus away for now until London will have me again. Thanks to this experience, my future has never been more uncertain. My nightly Nimbus ride took me places beyond own imagination. The moments I cherish the most were so beautiful, beyond pictures and words and blogs. My adventures in the London Underground showed me parallel universes with just three minutes between each portal. I loved going down the rabbit hole only to emerge and try to make sense of the mad world around me. Here is where the Knight Bus comes to a screeching halt and I get off, and try to move on with my life. I'll never forget all the friends I made and people who have touched my life forever in a very cosmic way.<br /><br />I'd like to thank <a href="http://findhogwarts.com/">FindHogwarts.com </a>for guidance and inspiration in my search for Harry Potter in London.<br /><br />I have photo albums for the rest of the trip, links are below. I recommend clicking Slideshow in the top, right corner of each album. Check out my pictures please for highlights from the rest of my time in London including:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Skate%20park/">Skateboard park in Waterloo</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Wicked/">Wicked the Musical</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Day%2023/">Girls night out</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/The%20London%20that%20Inspired%20Harry%20Potter/">Haunted London</a><br /><br />Coco Before Chanel movie @ the Barbican<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Tower%20of%20London/">Tower of London &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Tower%20of%20London/">Underground Heroes exhibit</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Happy%20Birthday%20Nicole/">Housmans Radical Bookstore & </a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Happy%20Birthday%20Nicole/">my birthday pictures</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Coal%20Hole%20pub/">The Coal Hole pub</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hyde%20Park%20Speakers%20Corner/">Beatles Magical Mystery Tour &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hyde%20Park%20Speakers%20Corner/">Hyde Park Speakers Corner &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hyde%20Park%20Speakers%20Corner/">Hard Rock Cafe London museum vault &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hyde%20Park%20Speakers%20Corner/">the London Eye</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Arcadia/">Dali Universe & </a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Arcadia/">Arcadia the play</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Museum/">Sherlock Holmes Museum </a><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Museum/">&</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Museum/">Bunhill Fields cemetery &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Museum/">Hamleys toy store &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Museum/">Troubador</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stonehenge/">Stonehenge &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stonehenge/">Bath </a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Highgate%20Cemetery/">Highgate Cemetery &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Highgate%20Cemetery/">second visit to British Museum</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/">The Globe Theater &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/">high tea at Fortnum & Mason</a><br /><br />Links for Paris and Amsterdam photo albums:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hard%20Rock%20Cafe%20Paris/">Hard Rock Cafe Paris</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Picasso%20at%20the%20Lapin%20Agile/">Pere La Chaise Cemetery Paris &</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Picasso%20at%20the%20Lapin%20Agile/">Picasso at the Lapin Agile</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Place%20de%20la%20Tour%20Eiffel/">Place de la Tour Eiffel & </a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Place%20de%20la%20Tour%20Eiffel/">The Louvre</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Amsterdam%20canals/">Amsterdam canal ride</a><br /><a class="link current" onclick="tr('breadcrumb_album_click');" href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Bibliotheek%20Amsterdam/">Bibliotheek Amsterdam</a><br /><a class="link current" onclick="tr('breadcrumb_album_click');" href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Van%20Gogh%20Museum/">Van Gogh Museum</a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Brussels/">Brussels & Amsterdam</a><br /><br />I still haven't made a dent in writing about all the Harry Potter stuff I saw and researched. I highly recommend The London that Inspired Harry Potter Tour by <a href="http://londonwalks.com/">londonwalks.com.</a> Check my <a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/The%20London%20that%20Inspired%20Harry%20Potter/?albumview=slideshow">photo album </a>of this excellent <a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/The%20London%20that%20Inspired%20Harry%20Potter/?albumview=slideshow">Harry Potter tour in London</a>. These London Walks are a really excellent, cheap way to see and learn all about London.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.walks.com/Homepage/Sundays_Walks/Harry_Potter_-_3_pm/default.aspx#13933">THE LONDON THAT INSPIRED HARRY POTTER</a><br /><br />"Nothing like a night-time stroll to give you ideas"<br /><br />Let's put the cat amongst the pixies: Harry Potter isn't just kids' stuff. There are very real tales - and real locales - behind the stories of Harry and friends. Those tales, those locales inform this walk. Was there really an invisibility cloak? What's the truth behind the Philosophers' Stone? What place inspired Diagon Alley? Where was the legend of Dracula born? Where in a famous movie did a werewolf go on a rampage? There's good gripping London stuff behind a lot of the Harry Potter goings on - everything from characters' names to the origin of monsters. We'll solve a mystery or two: e.g., where is the entrance to The Ministry of Magic and can we get in? In short, this walk is a serious study of a subject more fantastical than fiction. And, yes, there's even some magic. As one walker put it, "<a href="http://bullyscomics.blogspot.com/2006/12/hoofing-it-posh-west-working-east-and.html">dead brilliant</a>."<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stonehenge/?action=view&current=UKPix013.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stonehenge/th_UKPix013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Harry Potter in Latin<br />Bath, EnglandNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-21309349324485539552009-08-14T02:25:00.000-07:002009-09-22T01:57:05.855-07:00Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design @ V&A<a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/index.html">Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design</a><br /><br />“The fairy tale, which to this day is the first tutor of children because it was once the first tutor of mankind, secretly lives on in the story. The first true storyteller is, and will continue to be, the teller of fairy tales.” ~ Walter Benjamin<br /><br />Personal reflections: This exhibit is a supreme example of how our desires and fears are manifested in fairy tales. To find this exhibit was a great treat because I’ve been researching magic and fantasy in British youth literature while I’m here in the UK. My research project will examine how youth relate to magic and fantasy to help them confront the mysteries of life and their own fears. The “huggable (nuclear bomb) cushions” art piece inspired me to think about how fantasy in literature is often just moral lessons in disguise, “allowing us to literally embrace our fears.”<br /><br /><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/index.html"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 424px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 81px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/ttlogo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />all photos from www.vam.ac.uk<br /><br />The exhibit <em>Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design</em> at the V&A explores the recent trend among European designers for unique or limited edition pieces that push the boundaries between art and design. All of the art is inspired by the spirit of story-telling. A narrative quality connects all the objects. They tell us tales through their use of decorative devices, historical allusions or choice of materials. By referring to fairy tales, conventions of status display, or anxieties about mortality- our fantasies and our fears- these objects call on a pool of shared experience.<br /><br />The exhibit flows through three dramatic sections. In <em>The Forest Glade</em> a background of printed gauze screens and dappled lighting evoke the forest of myths and fairy tales. Against all the evidence of an industrialized, globalized, high-tech world (or perhaps because of it) some contemporary designers are retreating to the pastoral setting of fairy tales, myths and nature. In so doing they return us to our most primitive state. No doubt their designs are escapist, even naïve, and can be quite deliberately childlike. Their faux-rustic objects look as though they belong in a forest glade straight from classical mythology or northern European fairy tales, or perhaps even the biblical Garden of Eden. But these designers are deadly serious about wanting to disengage us from ordinary life and reconnect us to a state of innocence and wonder.<br /><br />“Fig Leaf’ wardrobe, 2008<br /><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/staticf54.html" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from www.vam.ac.uk" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/th_fig_wardrobe.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Adam and Eve were the first to wear fig leaves. Ironically, the wardrobe only becomes “dressed” when the user is not.<br /><br />A distorted palatial atmosphere will be the setting for second section. We now leave the Forest Glade and enter <em>The Enchanted Castle</em>, furnished with marvelous and fantastical objects. Many recall design in the 18th century, a period that was frequently evoked by later writers and illustrators of fairy tales. The 18th century was also the age of the rise of the novel, a new way to tell tales. Early novels, such as Daniel Defoe’s <em>Moll Flanders </em>(1722), were descriptions of the material world of Georgian life, as were William Hogarth’s print series, such as <em>Marriage a la Mode </em>(1745). In both, style and design were a visual language that indicated social and worldly status.<br /><br />Morality of fairy tales relies on oppositions of good and evil often taking a visual form.<br />Witch Chair, 2004<br /><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/staticf51.html" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from www.vam.ac.uk" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/th_witchchair.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Witch Chair is scaly, dark and sinister.<br /><br />Princess Chair, 1968<br /><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/staticf53.html" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from www.vam.ac.uk" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/th_princesschair.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Princess Chair is like a child’s fantasy of Cinderella at the ball, effervescent, elegant, light and fanciful.<br /><br />Kiki Carpet Special, 2001<br /><a href="http://style-files.com/2007/05/23/brick-carpet-by-kiki-van-eijk/" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from www.vam.ac.uk" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/th_kikicarpet.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Changes of scale disorient us so we see familiar sights in new ways. The texture and pattern of carpet are wildly out of scale with the room. The same disorientation of shrinking and growing was sought by Lewis Carroll in 1871.<br />“But, grandmother, what big eyes you have,’ she said. ‘The better to see you with, my dear.” ~Little Red Riding Hood, 1857<br /><br />The final section uses spotlighting and diagonal walls to create a disconcerting <em>Heaven and Hell</em>. At the end of the 19th century, the advent of psychoanalysis opened up the subconscious and offered new interpretations of drams and the imagination. With this came a renewed awareness of mortality and a sense of anxiety about the mutability of life, which Freud described as the “death drive.” Inspired by this, we here present works that evoke the universal conflict of life and death, heaven and hell, judgment and salvation. Some of these designers refer to the forms of Baroque art; others conjure up <em>memento mori</em> – reminders of our mortality. Still others create agitated designs that explore our anxious state in troubled times.<br /><br />Huggable Cushions, 2004<br /><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/statich65.html" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from www.vam.ac.uk" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Globe%20Theater/th_huggablecushions.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />These cushions diffuse our horror of nuclear annihilation by allowing us to literally embrace our fears. We are infantilised, as the atomic subject is made into a child’s object. The soft toys, therefore, act as psychological prostheses using irony to help us confront what may at first seem impossible to face, the threat of total nuclear desolation.<br /><br />All notes for this journal entry come from the exhibit program at the <em>Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design</em> at the Victoria & Albert Museum. In addition to extensive notes on fantasy, the program had quotes, interviews and the text of a Grimm fairy tale, <em>Little Red Riding Hood</em>.Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-44776284043950729222009-08-03T23:28:00.000-07:002021-05-31T18:06:39.204-07:00Waterloo and Charing Cross public libraries<a href="https://app.photobucket.com/u/librarian_nikki/a/6274158b-c081-4810-8d1a-35fd0e82e48a?mode=slideshow">Slideshow of Waterloo and Charing Cross libraries and more</a><div>
I wanted to see more public libraries in London, so I made my second extra library visit a sort of field trip to some nearby libraries. I started with Waterloo, which is where I'm staying. I actually found <a href="http://www.london-se1.co.uk/places/waterloo-library">Waterloo Public Library </a>when looking for my local discount grocer!</div><div>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture005.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Waterloo public library" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture005.jpg" /></a> </div><div> It was a busy library and I was excited to learn that it is also an active job resource center. In addition to regular lending services and instructive programming, the library also has a room dedicated to assisting jobseekers. In hard economic times, it was no doubt this library was thriving and staff were doing their best to keep up. In fact, they were so busy, I was not able to interview any librarians. I picked up tons of pamphlets and literature on all kinds of literary subjects and information resources. Overall this library has a great community feel, easily accessible, easy to share info/resources. Of special interest to me was the dedicated children's library. a nice collection plus play area in front windows of library.</div><div>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture004.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Waterloo public library" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture004.jpg" /></a> </div><div> Once again I found the Questseekers summer reading program theme, a childrens librarians worldwide can appreciate those busy summer reading program days! It was great to find such a gem of a community library so close to my London home in Waterloo! </div><div>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture003.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Waterloo public library" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture003.jpg" /></a> </div><div> Just a couple of Tube stops away is <a href="http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/libraries/findalibrary/charing/">Charing Cross Library</a>. I was surprised to learn when I arrived that this library serves the Chinatown of London. This library was rich with Chinese reading materials and resources.</div><div>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture024.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Charing Cross Public Library" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture024.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture031.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Charing Cross Public Library" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture031.jpg" /></a></div><div>
It was a large library and also very busy. It had an urban feel and was open late!</div><div>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture027.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Charing Cross Public Library" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture027.jpg" /></a></div><div>
There is a music collection with a wide range of CDs, there are frequent <a href="http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/libraries/news/employment/">Employment Advice sessions</a>, and regular <a href="http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/libraries/children/under5" name="CP___PAGEID=">sessions for the Under 5s</a> are held in the library.</div><div>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture029.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Charing Cross Public Library" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture029.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/?action=view&current=Picture025.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="call the goverment from the library!" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/th_Picture025.jpg" /></a></div><div>
Call the goverment from the library! I think this is an excellent idea, let's share this one in America!
Check out my pictures for the rest of the days activities!
Dr. Martens store, combat boots
Rough Trade record store on Brick Lane
Rootsmaster vegan double-decker bus</div><div>
<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Waterloo%20and%20Charing%20Cross%20Libraries/">Pictures of Waterloo and Charing Cross libraries and more</a></div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-89698216732197871342009-07-29T22:29:00.000-07:002009-10-13T17:04:46.785-07:00Scottish Storytelling Centre and Library<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?albumview=slideshow">Slideshow of Scottish Storytelling Centre and more<br /></a><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPix062.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Scottish Storytelling Centre" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/th_UKPix062.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was really excited to discover the <a href="http://www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk/">Scottish Storytelling Centre</a> while walking around Edinburgh. It was the perfect thing for my day off Edinburgh to do one my extra library visits for class. I was especially excited to learn the Centre does have a Library, and I was able to access the library and learn all about this innovative new Storytelling Centre in Scotland.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/UKPix079.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 497px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 277px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/UKPix079.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />mural: <em>A Mile of Stories</em> by Julie Lacome<br /><br /><a href="http://www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk/centre/scottish_storytelling_centre.asp">Whether you’re looking for an entertaining evening out, fun family activities or the chance to discover more about Scotland’s stories and the art of storytelling, the Scottish Storytelling Centre is the place to start. We present an exciting programme of live storytelling performances, theatre and literature, plus exciting visual arts, workshops and training events. Our programme aims to promote storytelling as a vibrant contemporary artform and to provide opportunities for everyone to celebrate Scotland’s rich storytelling heritage.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPixx070.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/th_UKPixx070.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Storytelling Centre has only been open for three years. I had the opportunity to explore the interactive exhibits and storytelling areas.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPixx071.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/th_UKPixx071.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPix086.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/th_UKPix086.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />interactive exhibit: Raised in Edinburgh and steeped in Scotland's stories, Robert Louis Stevenson contributed to many different literary genres. Vistors can touch the green button at the bottom right of each panel to sample Stevenson's tales of travel adventure historical romance and his poetic and spiritual vision.<br /><br />The George Mackay Brown Storytelling Library<br /><br />Of special interest is the The George Mackay Brown Library on the 2nd floor. The Library and its associated education facilities are named after the Orkney poet and storyteller George Mackay Brown, who was the founding patron of the Scottish Storytelling Centre. The library is supported by The Barcapel Foundation, The Russell Trust, St Margaret's Chapel Guild and many individual gifts and donations. Additional volumes are loaned by the Scottish Arts Council Literature Department.<br /><br />The collection includes folktales and fairy tales from around the world, plus an extensive collection of Scottish fairy tales. The collection also has teacher resources and some juvenile fiction. One section of the library has a collection of preschool books on display. Recently one of the storytellers has volunteered their time to organize the library. This library is an excellent Ready Reference resource for any involved with childhood literacy.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPixx081.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/th_UKPixx081.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPixx080.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/th_UKPixx080.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPixx079.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/th_UKPixx079.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Check out my pictures to see the rest of the days activities!<br />George Heriot's School, J.K. Rowlings inspiration for Harry Potter<br />Fringe Store, the gift shop for the original Fringe Festival of the world<br />Ghost & Ghouls Trail, haunted tour of Edinburgh's underground vaults<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Scottish%20Storytelling%20Centre%20and%20Library/">Pictures of Scottish Storytelling Centre and more</a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-21065305926114942502009-07-28T03:22:00.000-07:002009-09-21T04:00:36.568-07:00National Archives of Scotland<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?albumview=slideshow">Slideshow of National Archives of Scotland and Poltergeist Tour</a><br /><br />I would like to thank our professor, <a href="http://ocean.otr.usm.edu/~w146169/">Dr. Teresa Welsh</a>, for arranging these in-depth and behind-the-scenes tours of British libraries. Today, like many of our library and museum tours, we were taken into the stacks to see and sometimes handle rare collections. It has been a privilege to be treated as professional librarians abroad. I’ve heard librarians can’t even get behind-the-scenes tours at the Library of Congress, but over four weeks we have seen stacks, conveyor systems, digitization, conservation, processing and cataloging. The librarians of Great Britain welcomed us, shared valuable knowledge and took interest in American libraries as well.<br /><br />Our second full day in Scotland, we visited the <a href="http://www.nas.gov.uk/">National Archives of Scotland</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/UKPix013.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 422px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 696px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/UKPix013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Their mission is to preserve records as an agency of the Scottish government and make the records accessible. The library has three buildings, 160 staff, eight websites and two Divisions, the Records Services Division and the Corporate Services Division. The library has over 70 kilometers of local records shelving, from 12th century to 21st century. The General Register House is used by students, researchers and the public to research ancestry. To access the print and electronic materials, researchers must apply for a Reader’s Ticket. The librarian shared with us some special items from the collection. We saw letters from 1838 that had vertical and horizontal writing crisscrossed and overlapped to save expensive writing paper. Also rich with history was the court documents from the <a href="http://burkeandhare.com/">Burke and Hare case</a>. We also saw Suffragette material.<br /><br />Megan, a science librarian, asked me to join her to visit the <a href="http://www.museum.rcsed.ac.uk/content/content.aspx?ID=1">Surgeons’ Hall Museum</a>.<br />I found it amusing that I was the only one willing to go with her; she knew I’m into the creepy stuff! We had great fun at the Museum and also shopping around Edinburgh, we found some good counter-culture stuff. The Museum was closed when we arrived, but the very nice gentlemen at the door let us take a five minute tour, and he even showed us the Medical Library, which doctors can’t go in there until they’ve passed their exams. The Hall also has<a href="http://news.scotsman.com/scottishmuseums/Detecting-signs-in-Holmes-from.2788045.jp"> Sherlock Holmes fame</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix022.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Medical Library," src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix022.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was delighted to find the witchy little <a href="http://www.wyrdshop.com/">Wyrd Shop</a>, “Scotland’s oldest occult store.”<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix030.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="The Wyrd Shop" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix030.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I learned the meaning of “hedgewitch.” I also LOVED the list of house rules, “Pax Wyrdica”! They told me all the rules are necessary based on actual events in the shop. Rule #16: Only one re-incarnation of Aleister Crowley in the shop at any one time!<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/UKPix033.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 398px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 657px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/UKPix033.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix045.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="do we look scared?" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix045.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Edinburgh is known for its haunted history. I took advantage of the ghost tours available for entertainment and history. The Mackenzie Poltergeist Graveyard Tour is possibly the scariest tour in Edinburgh, and I love the chance to tour a graveyard. Turns out Greyfriars Kirkyard is a very historic graveyard, with some Harry Potter connections as well!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix055.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Mackenzie Poltergeist Graveyard Tour" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix055.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />J.K. Rowling sat in Elephant House, writing much of the early Harry Potter novels in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle and Greyfriars Kirkyard. It’s likely this scenery inspired the mystical settings of Harry Potter. Did J.K. Rowling use Greyfriars Kirkyard for ideas for names of Harry Potter characters? In Greyfriars Kirkyard are graves for Tom Riddle and a McGonagall.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix064.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Tom Riddle?" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix064.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix068.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Professor McGonagall?" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix068.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Greyfriars Bobby is a famous little dog in Edinburgh, supposedly not leaving his master's grave in Greyfriars. He is honored nearby.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix094.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Greyfriars Bobby" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix094.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The view from the graveyard of George Heriot's School at night was really atmospheric! This is the school that Rowling has said inspired Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Could she see the school from The Elephant House maybe? I'm going to visit Heriot's School tomorrow.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/?action=view&current=UKPix090.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="school that inspired Hogwarts" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/th_UKPix090.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/National%20Archives%20of%20Scotland/">Pictures of National Archives of Scotland and Poltergeist Tour</a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-23370473108767879532009-07-27T20:00:00.000-07:002009-09-21T03:07:06.029-07:00Birthplace of Harry Potter<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?albumview=slideshow">Slideshow of The Elephant House</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=Picture163.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Elephant House" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_Picture163.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm sitting at The Elephant House, the place where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter.<br /><br />The Elephant House: Birthplace of Harry Potter<br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/Picture164.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 397px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/Picture164.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=UKPix039.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Elephant House" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_UKPix039.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />They have a wall of articles dedicated to J.K. Rowling.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=Picture171.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="JK Rowling articles at Elephant House" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_Picture171.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=Picture167.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Elephant House" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_Picture167.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Rowling liked to the view in The Elephant House overlooking Edinburgh castle and Greyfriar's Graveyard for inspiration when writing some of the first Harry Potter novels.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=Picture172.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Edinburgh Castle from Elephant House" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_Picture172.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels, and Alexander McCall-Smith have both also frequented The Elephant House, as well as many others.<br /><br />I really love this place! I'm using the internet cafe to finally upload some pictures. I'm sipping my new favorite beverage, Cider (and not that cider beer stuff, the real cider alcohol drink.)<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=Picture173.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="i love cider" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_Picture173.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And they are playing Michael Jackson and Billie Holiday. Ahhh! Finally... things are have slowed down enough for me to stop and just take in the evening and atmosphere.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=UKPix040.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Elephant House" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_UKPix040.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/?action=view&current=UKPix042.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="friends @ Elephant House" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/th_UKPix042.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />More blogging soon, and don't forget to click on the links to the Photo Albums at the end of most blogs.<br /><br />Wish you were here!<br /><br />-Nicole<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Elephant%20House/">Pictures of The Elephant House</a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-73175805068934867582009-07-27T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-21T03:57:50.784-07:00Edinburgh Central Library<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?albumview=slideshow">Slideshow of National Library and Edinburgh Central Library</a><br /><br />Just across the street from National Library of Scotland is the <a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/leisure/libraries/your_nearest_library/Central%20Library">Edinburgh Central Library</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures119.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Edinburgh Central Library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures119.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When this lending library first opened in 1890, they had closed stacks. This library is an excellent example of a <a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/UKPictures128.jpg">Carnegie Library</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures127.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Andrew Carnagie library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures127.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />bust of Andrew Carnagie, 1891<br /><br />Notable Carnagie library characteristics at Edinburgh Central Library include the entry steps and the quote on the front of the building, "Let There Be Light."<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures140.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Let there be light" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures140.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Currently there are 50-60 staff members. The library uses Library of Congress classification, except in the children’s collection they use Dewey Decimal System. What is seen on the shelves is only 10% of the collection. The library card catalogs are still active. Two-thirds of the collection is cataloged online. The Reference Library has built-in card catalog drawers. The Reference Library used to be segregated; ladies and gentlemen could not sit together.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/UKPictures131.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 420px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 695px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/UKPictures131.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Music Library carries “the finest music in Scotland” including bagpipes. It was nice to hear the Scottish music playing in the library. The Fine Art Library carries fine art, art history, architecture and photography books.<br /><br />Of special interest to me was the <a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/leisure/libraries/your_nearest_library/central%20library/CEC_children’s_library_at_the_central_library.__">Children’s Library</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures011.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="children's library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures011.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Like the other UK libraries I’ve seen this summer, we once again see QuestSeekers as the Summer Reading Program theme. I also saw this library is promoting Bookstart, a literacy program for babies. Check my Children’s Literature links above for more information on these UK public library programs.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures009.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="children's library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Children’s library provides storytimes, rhymetimes and book crawl. Children are limited to borrowing 12 books, but there are no charges for damaged picture or board books. The Children’s library collection includes thousands of story books, picture books in lots of languages, board books, information books for homework, toys and games, Playstations, computers, internet, DVDs and books on CD. I found Harry Potter on audio in the children’s library.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures138.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Harry Potter" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures138.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We had a great talk from Librarian Colm Linnane, of the Reading Champion program. He talked to us about some efforts of the library to reach out to readers. He emphasized the importance of partnerships, such as their partnerships with the Edinburgh Book Festival and UNESCO’s Cities of Literature. Their version of The Big Read is One Book, One Edinburgh. I learned that book groups are very popular in Britain. He shared a great source, <a href="http://www.826valencia.org/">826 Valencia</a>, a publisher of books for kids written by kids.<br /><br />Memorable quotes:<br />“In public libraries, we don’t do technology as well as we might.” (So true!)<br />“When you impose tastes on what young people read, you’re not validating them as a person.”<br />A challenge for libraries is how to make a library visit more meaningful. The library can do things to make sure youth leave the library wanting to come back. One example is Make Noise in the Library Day. Some other outreach efforts include, taking kids to a book store to give them a sense of ownership. Mr. Linnane told us about his experience providing reading materials for bedtime at group homes. When left alone with their thoughts at nighttime, things would go haywire, reading helps! The overall message from him was to be consistent with child literacy.<br /><br />This was a very insightful discussion to UK libraries. I’m so pleasantly surprised to see such similarities between American libraries and UK libraries. The struggles of librarians are very much the same. We try to do our best to reach out to youth and promote literacy, while also dealing with budget cuts and hard economic times. Reluctant readers can be found anywhere and librarians around the world can share ideas on reaching these youth.<br /><br />After the Central Library, I followed our professor and some our classmates to the <a href="http://www.spl.org.uk/">Scottish Poetry Library</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=drwelshpoetrylib.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="friends at Scottish Poetry Library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_drwelshpoetrylib.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some of the students were using this library as one of the three extra libraries we must visit on own time.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures153.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Scottish Poetry Library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures153.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />“With the motto By Leaves We Live carved into its entrance, the library feels like a tree house- a hidden, airy and welcoming haven.” – The Herald<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures152.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Scottish Poetry Library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures152.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Scottish Poetry Library is a national poetry resource offering free reference and lending services. The collection includes, contemporary Scottish poetry, a wide range of other poetry, a junior collection, CDs and tapes, poetry magazines, resources for teachers, readings and events.<br /><br />We had to go to Hard Rock Café for dinner, of course. I’m collecting HRC shot glasses from every city for my friend Gail who lent me her digital camera! For my nightly pub experience, I went to Deacon Brodie's Tavern. The story of the true resident of Edinburgh, Deacon Brodie, was the inspiration for the character of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures142.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Deacon Brodie's Tavern" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures142.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I took the night bus home back to Dalkeith Castle. This "<a href="http://nimbus-2009.blogspot.com/2009/08/canterbury-and-dover.html">Knight Bus</a>" ended up being quite the adventure. After riding around through pitch black Edinburgh, I finally made my way to Dalkeith. I met a nice girl along the way. I had the chance to talk to her about Harry Potter. She said she loved HP just like most kids. She said Harry Potter is popular reading in Scotland just like everywhere else.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures146.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Tolbooth Tavern" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures146.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Tolbooth Tavern in Edinburgh, Scotland<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/">Pictures of National Library and Edinburgh Central Library</a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-13252116863222096732009-07-27T18:20:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:56:59.492-07:00National Library of Scotland<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?albumview=slideshow">Slideshow of National Library and Edinburgh Central Library</a><br /><br />The library originated as the Library of Faculty of Advocates of 1689. The library as granted the right to claim a copy of every book published in the British Isles under the 1710 Copyright Act. In 1925, the Parliament established the <a href="http://www.nls.uk/">National Library of Scotland</a> as a legal depository for government documents. The current building for the NLS, on George IV Bridge, opened in 1956. The library has a special focus on the ephemera from Scotland.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures117.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_UKPictures117.jpg" border="0" alt="National Library of Scotland" /></a><br /><br />Of special interest to me was to learn about the library’s substantial collection of <a href="http://www.nls.uk/collections/rarebooks/collections/childrens.html#a5">school prize books awarded from 1775 to 1956</a>.<br /><br />The School Prize Collection<br /><a href="http://www.nls.uk/collections/rarebooks/collections/popup/prize.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/th_NLS.jpg" border="0" alt="photo from nls.uk" /></a><br />photo from www.nls.uk<br /><br />I was fascinated to learn about the historic children’s <a href="http://www.nls.uk/collections/rarebooks/collections/chapbooks.html">chapbooks</a>, which were cheap booklets sold by peddlers. I imagine that for some children, this was the only opportunity for leisurely reading, like a library bookmobile. The library also has a Theater collection. Other special subjects include sports and leisure, genealogy, official government publications, rare books, manuscripts, Scottish Screen Archive, maps, John Murray Archive, Gaelic and Scots, mountains and mountaineering.<br /><br />Librarians use exhibits to make the collection accessible. The current exhibit highlights the wealth of materials the NLS had to offer.<br />14 million books and manuscripts<br />2 million maps and atlases<br />300,000 music scores<br />32,000 films and videos<br />25,000 contemporary newspapers, magazines and journals<br />6,000 new items every week<br /><br /> <a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Edinburgh%20Central%20Library/">Pictures of National Library of Scotland and Edinburgh Central Library</a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-63704213219105066212009-07-26T02:56:00.000-07:002009-09-17T21:22:07.141-07:00Hogwarts Express<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of Hogwarts Express!</strong></a><br /><br />Sunday: Today we take the train to Edinburgh for our short stay in Scotland this week. It feels very much like the <a href="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/hogwarts/hogwarts_express.html">Hogwarts Express</a>, the magical train to Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardy in the Harry Potter books. It feels like we are typical witches and wizards in London packing up for our studies. We find our Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross train station and off we go! We have been saving up funky, London candies to have a "candy party" on the train, just like Harry and his friends.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/?action=view&current=UKPictures102.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="candy party on Hogwarts Express" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/th_UKPictures102.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/?action=view&current=UKPictures104.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="candy party on Hogwarts Express" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/th_UKPictures104.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/candy.html">squeaking sugar mice</a> like in Harry Potter<br /><br />The feeling of being students off to Hogwarts is even more so when we arrive at <a href="http://www.dalkeithuk.com/att_detail.php?id=54&cid=565&f=Dalkeith">Dalkeith Castle</a>, a 300-year-old castle where we'll be bunking up.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dalkeith_Palace_2008.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 392px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 301px" alt="photo from Wikipedia.org" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/Dalkeith_Palace.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We settled in our creepy old rooms and then went out to celebrate <a href="http://pappyosheadoeslondon.blogspot.com/">Chaitra</a>'s birthday. Happy Birthday Chai! <br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/?action=view¤t=UKPictures114.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/th_UKPictures114.jpg" border="0" alt="Happy Birthday Chaitra!" ></a><br /><br />Back at the castle, a few of us girls watched a movie. Late at night, I explored the castle looking for ghosts, even reading up on the <a href="http://www.darkasylum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=395&p=796&highlight=dalkeith">castle's history</a> online to see if I can scare myself!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/?action=view&current=UKPictures105.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Dalkeith Dungeon" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/th_UKPictures105.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Dalkeith Dungeon<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Hogwarts%20Express/">Pictures of Hogwarts Express!</a></strong>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-70971313715771941762009-07-25T00:26:00.000-07:002009-09-15T23:57:23.430-07:00Camden Town<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of Creative Crypt, Camden Town and Beach Party</strong></a><br /><br />Day 16: Today we had a free, non-academic day. I did all my usual haunts today. The Creative Crypt next door to our dorms is one of my favorite places to relax. It's a small churchyard cemetery, the rest of the grounds has mosaic sculptures.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures036.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="the Creative Crypt" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures036.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures042.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="the Creative Crypt" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures042.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />See the pic below, there's a memorial bench with names in mosaics of the local homeless who have passed. The Waterloo area was called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard_City_(London)">Cardboard City </a>because there was a high homeless population here until they were displaced in 1998. There are plenty of drifters returning to the churchyard daily. It makes a nice place for a memorial.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures047.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Jenn and Nicole" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures047.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I eat at House of Crepes as often as possible, no shame in eating there twice in one day, first cheesy crepes, then sweet crepes!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures050.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="House of Crepes" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures050.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's a group effort!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=crepes.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="we love crepes!" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_crepes.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I went with the girls to <a href="http://www.camdenlock.net/goths/gothtour.html">Camden Town</a>, also a very favorite of mine. I end up there almost every day. I love the goth culture and the beautiful canal.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures064.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Camden Town" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures064.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures068.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Camden Town" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures068.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures059.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Camden Town" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures059.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures056.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Camden Town" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures056.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/UKPictures062.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 434px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 700px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/UKPictures062.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Later that night our friend from the psychology class found a really cool beach party at the Festival Pier by our dorms! We partied on the rocky beach with several hundred people, live DJs and spectacular views of the Thames at night, and the London Eye. The skateboard park nearby had live graffiti artists.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures091.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Festival Pier beach party" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures091.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures096.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="London Eye" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures096.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures082.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="skateboard park" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures082.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/?action=view&current=UKPictures079.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="live graffiti" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/th_UKPictures079.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Camden%20Town/"><strong>Pictures of Creative Crypt, Camden Town and Beach Party</strong></a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-85892173568131127002009-07-23T19:30:00.000-07:002009-09-19T23:12:25.217-07:00Bodleian Library, Oxford University<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of Oxford University</strong> </a><br /><br />July 23: To get to Oxford, we took the train from Paddington Station. Perfect photo-op with the famous British children's character, Paddington Bear!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=UKPictures019.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Paddington Bear" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_UKPictures019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/bodley">The Bodleian Library</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=drwelshbodlian.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="LIS group at Oxford University" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_drwelshbodlian.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Our tour started in the <a href="http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/bodley/about/visitors/individual/divinityschool">Divinity School</a>, a theology school built in 1427. The architecture has an elaborate, Gothic style. The symbols in the architecture represent Christian theology, such as the open book. <a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=bodleian">The Divinity School at Oxford was used for the Infirmary and Dance lesson scenes</a> in the Harry Potter films.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=UKPictures029.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Divinity School" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_UKPictures029.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=bodleian" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from findhogwarts.com" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_infirmaryscreenshot.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Hogwarts Infirmary<br /><br />Duke Humfrey gifted manuscripts to start the library collection in the 15th Century. <a href="http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/bodley/library/rooms/dh">Duke Humfrey’s Library </a>was constructed over the Divinity School and opened in 1488. The Sir Thomas Bodley copyright agreement of 1610 says the library shall receive a copy of all books printed in Britain and Ireland. The materials at the Bodleian Library are housed in closed stacks and do not circulate. In the past, readers had to purchase a catalogue to search the books, an effort to raise money for the library. To provide extra storage space an underground book store was excavated in 1912; it was at the time the largest such store in the world, and the first to use modern compact shelving. Today the collection holds eight million books. It is the second largest research library in England, the largest is the <a href="http://nimbus-2009.blogspot.com/2009/08/british-library.html">British Library</a>.<br /><br />Our group toured the tunnel that is used for the conveyor belt and tracks. We saw the movable stacks. We also toured the Upper Reading Room, Lower Reading Room and Duke Humfrey’s Library. The Duke Humfrey’s Library is for Graduate students only. Duke Humfrey’s Library is the film location for the library scenes in the Harry Potter films.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/100_1892.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 533px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 799px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/100_1892.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />school library at Hogwarts, photo from EW.com<br /><a href="http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20190897_6,00.html" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from EW.com" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_harry-potter_library.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Of special interest to me at the Bodleian Library is the <a href="http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/rarebooks/rbdnp.htm">Opie Collection of Children's Literature</a>, acquired in 1988. The collection contains 20,000 examples of children's literature, mainly British, ranging in date from the 16th to the 20th century, including 800 18th century books. It was amassed by Peter & Iona Opie, authors of numerous books on children's nursery rhymes, stories and games including <em>The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes</em>. I did not get to see this rich collection of Victorian children’s books because it is not open to the public. I did see some references to the collection around the library including a plaque and some great artwork in the Bodleian shop.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/opie.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 347px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 500px" alt="photo from postcrossing.com" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/opie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />postcard of Opie Collection of Children's Literature<br /><br />Memorable quote: The Bodleian Oath<br />On seeking admission to the Bodleian Library, every reader is required to repeat aloud the traditional declaration:<br />"I hereby undertake not to remove from the Library, or to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document, or other object belonging to it or in its custody; nor to bring into the Library or kindle therein any fire or flame, and not to smoke in the Library; and I promise to obey all rules of the Library."<br /><br />Memorable quote: our tour guide’s husband attended Oxford, and then Harvard at the same time Barack Obama Sr. was attending Harvard. She emphasized the importance of education!<br /><br />I loved the old library smell at Oxford University! The Bodleian Shop had some excellent literary items. I picked up a book for my mother on fall of the Berlin Wall by Oxford University Press.<br /><br />After the Bodleian Library, I sought out <a href="http://www.new.ox.ac.uk/">New College </a>to find the cloisters used in the Harry Potter films. New College was founded in 14th Century to educate priests after the plague known as the Black Death had killed one third of England’s population. The cloisters were completed in 1400. The New College cloisters is the only one in England that is completely enclosed for meditation and reflections. <a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=newcollege">The cloisters at New College at Oxford University were used in Goblet of Fire in the scene where Mad Eye Moody turns Draco Malfoy into a ferret.</a> The massive tree seen in this scene is a 140-year-old Evergreen Holm Oak.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=newcollege2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Harry Potter film location" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_newcollege2-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=newcollege" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from findhogwarts.com" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_newcollegeferret.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Ferret Scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire<br /><br />Some of the Hogwarts corridors were also filmed at New College cloisters.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=1248729923.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="film location Hogwarts corridors" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_1248729923.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view¤t=newcollege1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_newcollege1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="New College cloisters" ></a><br /><br />Next I went to <a href="http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/">Christ Church College and Cathedral </a>to see more Harry Potter sites! In 1546, Henry VIII designated Christ Church College as a cathedral, which in turn established Oxford as an official city. <a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=christchurch">The Christ Church College Dining hall inspired the set of the Great Hall. </a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=UKPictures015.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Dining hall that inspired Great Hall of Harry Potter" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_UKPictures015.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/pictures/galleries/newsid_1630000/1630515.stm"><img alt="photo from Children's BBC" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_great_hall.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Great Hall in Harry Potter movies, photo from <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/pictures/galleries/newsid_1630000/1630515.stm">Children's BBC</a><br /><br /><a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=christchurch">The grand staircase that leads to the dining hall is used as the entry staircase to Hogwarts where McGonagall greets the first years before the sorting hat ceremony. </a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=100_1901.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="grand staircase used in Harry Potter films" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_100_1901.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=christchurch" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from findhogwarts.com" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_greathallstairsmc.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Being a Harry Potter fan site has certainly increased the number of visitors to Christ Church College. The college has been open to visitors since the late 1930's and usually received 500 visitors a day. Once the Harry Potter movies were released, visitors have increased to 5,000-6,000 a day.<br /><br />The college also has a rich literary history. Lewis Carroll was a mathematics tutor at Christ Church in the late 1800s. He used to tell tales to the Dean's daughter Alice, which inspired <em>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</em>. Many of the characters in the book were inspired by Christ Church people and objects. The Dining Hall has many connections with <em>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</em>. One stained glass window shows portraits of Alice and creatures from the book.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/UKPictures017.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 532px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 799px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/UKPictures017.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The brass 'firedogs' have long necks: Alice's neck grows long in the story.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=UKPictures018.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="long brass neck, inspiration for Alice in Wonderland" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_UKPictures018.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The White Rabbit was based on Alice's father the Dean. He left dinner every night down a narrow spiral stair behind the raised 'High End Table' (behind the panelled door, far left)- hence the rabbit hole in the book.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=UKPictures053.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="hidden corner door, inspiration for rabbit hole" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_UKPictures053.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Above the High Table there is a large portrait of the college's founder King Henry VIII, who famously executed two of his wives. In Alice's adventures, the Red Queen continually shouts "off with her head!"<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=UKPictures037.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="King Henry VIII" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_UKPictures037.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Lewis Carroll worked in the library and often watched a cat called 'Dinah' in the large chestnut tree. It belonged to the Dean's daughter Alice, who could also be seen playing in the garden below. 'Dinah' became the Cheshire-Cat in <em>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</em>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/?action=view&current=100_1906.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="tree of the Chesire-Cat" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/th_100_1906.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After a full day of chasing Harry Potter in Oxford, we caught the train back to London. I'm always anxious to get back to London and spend time with my new friends here.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Oxford%20University/"><strong>Pictures of Oxford University</strong> </a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-35387435113653754942009-07-22T03:00:00.000-07:002009-09-15T02:27:57.584-07:00National Art Library, Victoria & Albert Museum<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of the Victoria & Albert Museum</strong></a><br /><br />Wednesday: Our group once again received an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/nal/">National Art Library</a> at the <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/index.html">Victoria & Albert Museum</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=1248317421.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Victoria and Albert Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_1248317421.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=1248317350.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Victoria and Albert Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_1248317350.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The National Art Library joined the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1857.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/100_1858.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 533px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 800px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/100_1858.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The library is a public reference library and researchers may obtain a Reader’s Pass to view materials in the Reading Rooms. The library also serves as the Victoria and Albert Museum's curatorial department for the art, craft and design of the book. Of the two Reading Rooms within the library, the first is a silent room and the second has computers for online access to catalogue and databases.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=UKPictures058.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="National Art Library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_UKPictures058.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The collection has over two million items and growing. The materials are under closed access, so patrons must order their materials with a Requisition Form and the librarians will fetch the items from the stacks. The library uses an in-house classification system, except for the ready reference items which are shelved in Dewey Decimal classification. The collection holds books and periodicals in every major European and Asian language. There are 8,000 periodicals of which 2,000 are current publications. The library uses COPAC which is a union catalogue used in 25 major institutions in the United Kingdom. The museum budget allocates the library budget. Most of the collections budget is spent on journals. The library does no weeding except for some of the Reference collection.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=UKPictures061.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="National Art Library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_UKPictures061.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We also had the opportunity to view some very special collections up close. Of special interest was William Shakespeare’s First Folio from 1623:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=UKPictures065.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Shakespeare's First Folio, 1623" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_UKPictures065.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some books in the collection are preserved for their artistic value, since it is an art library, of course! This cut-up comic book from 1969 is considered Pop Art:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1875.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="pop art, 1969" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_100_1875.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This original piece from 1987 with a bagpipe look is classified as a 'book object'<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1877.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="A Hint of Remembrance, 1987" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_100_1877.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I really love the Victoria and Albert Museum and will be bringing my mother back here for sure when she comes to visit. I also want to return to visit the <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/">Telling Tales</a> exhibit for research on my fantasy and magic themes.<br /><br />The Sculpture Gallery was spectacular. I think my very favorite sculpture from this London trip was Eve from 1900. Eve seems self-absorbed, with her head bowed as if in shame, and her left arm placed protectively across her breast:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=1248317344.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Eve, 1900" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_1248317344.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Because of my background in Theater, I took the chance to visit the Theatre & Performance Gallery. We had fun with the interactive costume exhibit:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=1248317417.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="costumes in the Theatre collection" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_1248317417.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There were also a lot of music and concert memorabilia, including a Les Paul guitar smashed by Pete Townshend in 1976.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/?action=view&current=1248317352.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Les Paul guitar, 1976" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/th_1248317352.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Victoria%20and%20Albert%20Museum/"><strong>Pictures of the Victoria and Albert Museum</strong></a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-10807377292687604962009-07-21T23:39:00.000-07:002009-09-15T02:26:48.143-07:00British Museum, Paul Hamlyn Library<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of British Museum and more</strong></a><br /><br />Today we visited the British Museum. On the way we stopped at the site of the <a href="http://www.dickensmuseum.com/">Charles Dickens’ house</a> during the 1830s.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1833.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Charles Dickens house" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_100_1833.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=drwelshdickens2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_drwelshdickens2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/">British Museum</a> is known for it’s grand, round <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/the_museum/history_and_the_building/reading_room.aspx">Reading Room</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=drwelshbritishmuseum.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="group at British Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_drwelshbritishmuseum.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1836.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_100_1836.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=britmuseum.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="group in British Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_britmuseum.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1838.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Lion of Knidos, 350 BC" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_100_1838.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Lion of Knidos, 350 BC<br /><br />But the Reading Room is now used for special exhibitions, so the research facilities can now be found at the <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/libraries_and_archives.aspx">Paul Hamlyn Library</a> in the British Museum.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/100_1844.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 396px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/100_1844.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Among the well-known people who used this room were politician and historian Thomas Babington Macaulay, novelist William Thackeray, the poet Robert Browning, Italian nationalist Giuseppe Mazzini and naturalist Charles Darwin. Novelist, Charles Dickens also studied here, and told his biographer John Forster that his days in this reading room were the most useful he had ever passed.<br /><br />The Paul Hamlyn Library is a public reference library generously supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. I took the opportunity to speak with a librarian, who told me the museum’s collections can be searched online. The library is used for access to the British Museum website, research books, resources for teachers, children’s books, family trails and backpacks. The Museum’s archives can be seen by appointment. The library holds 18,000 volumes including archaeology, history, art, numismatics, Egyptology, classical antiquities, oriental art and museum studies.<br /><br />Of special interest to me was the Children’s Collection and resources. The librarian explained there have been efforts to make the British Museum more family friendly. The library has recently expanded the children’s corner which includes books, reference and non-fiction, children’s magazines, an art area with free art materials and block activities. I even picked up a bookmark by librarians on Websites for Children.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1848.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="The Paul Hamlyn Library @ the British Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_100_1848.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The library offers the free Hamlyn Family Trails booklets to help children and parents explore and enjoy the Museum’s collections. I picked up three booklets: Sailing on the Nile: A voyage through ancient Egypt, Spreading the Word: A trail about writing and communication and Chasing Rainbows with Mama Wata: A trail about colour and shapes for young children. The library also provides free activity backpacks with puzzles and games to help children explore certain areas of the library. Backpack themes include African Adventure for ages 5-9. Great Greeks or Egyptian Mummies for ages 7-11. Roman Britain Job-Seekers, God’s, Goddesses and Wise Men: A South Asian adventure, Archaeologists’ Adventure and Marvellous Mexico for ages 9-12. The librarian allowed me to check-out one backpack and view its contents. In the God’s, Goddesses and Wise Men: A South Asian adventure backpack, you can dress up as an ancient Greek, try the children’s games, sniff the bottles and guess the smell, meet the elephant head god, build a temple and listen to Tibetan instruments.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1851.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="children's backpacks for check-out" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_100_1851.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The British Museum even had a special gift shop for children.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1855.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Children's Shop @ British Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_100_1855.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Later I had a pub dinner with a London friend and he took me to see the Freddie Mercury statue at the Dominion Theatre.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=100_1856.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Freddie Mercury" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_100_1856.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then I met up with library friends to finally see the new <a href="http://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_info/m11358/">Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince at the Odeon Cinema</a>. The movie was really good, kind of dark. It left me wanting more! We even spotted Emma Watson, who played Hermione, in a fashion ad after leaving the movie.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/?action=view&current=1248317423.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Emma Watson fashion model" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/th_1248317423.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Museum/"><strong>Pictures of British Museum and more</strong> </a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-1008085718772991832009-07-20T22:09:00.000-07:002009-09-15T02:24:35.395-07:00Greenwich National Maritime Museum<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of Greenwich, Brick Lane and pub life!</strong> </a><br /><br />We started the week with a boat ride on the Thames River to Greenwich, the “center of the universe.”<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1775.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Tower Bridge" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1775.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Tower Bridge from the boat<br /><br />Our group visited the <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/researchers/library/">Caird Library</a> at the <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/">Greenwich National Maritime Museum</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1777.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Greenwich National Maritime Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1777.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1779.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Greenwich National Maritime Museum" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1779.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The library dates back to 1937, founded by Sir James Caird. It is one of the largest maritime reference libraries in the world. Special topics include emigration, navigation, piracy, astronomy, voyages and explorations, naval architecture, merchant navy and Royal navy sources. The library serves as a joint library and archive. The library is free and is used by academics, legal researchers, historians, genealogists, etc. They have 34,000 visitors a year. The library is operated by 13 professional librarians and archivists.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/explore/collections/by-type/archive-and-library/the-caird-library-collection">Library collection</a> includes over 100,000 books, 20,000 pamphlets, 20,000 bound periodicals including 200 current titles and 8000 rare books dating from 1474 to 1850. They archive 5,000 items a year. Currently, the library storage is a few miles away during redevelopments. The library collections and manuscripts collections are searchable online. The online catalog is Unicorn with MARC standards, an interface I’m familiar with from Kansas City Public Library! I’m always surprised to see so many similarities in American libraries and British libraries.<br /><br />We had an excellent tour of the library including a diverse sampling of special collections. It was really impressive to see such a specialized collection and how important items to history are being preserved. We saw <em>Historiae Coelestis Libri Duo </em>by John Flamsteed, published in 1712. Flamsteed was the first Astronomer Royal of the Royal Observatory. The Royal Society published this volume without Flamsteed’s consent and Flamsteed later published a corrected version in 1725. There is an inscription identifying “this volume as the one that Halley published and Flamsteed burned.” We also had the special opportunity to hold a signal book from 1800 that was weighted with musket shots so that if the ship were ever captured, the book would be thrown overboard and sink with its secrets. It was heavier than it looks, you could see lumps of the bullets in the spine.<br /><br />For lunch, some of us went to Brick Lane seeking Indian food. Mission accomplished!<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1785.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="we had lunch at Nazrul on Brick Lane" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1785.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We went thrift store shopping, and saw lots of colorful grafitti too.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1789.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="thrift store shopping at Brick Lane" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1789.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1801.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Brick Lane" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1801.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1791.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Brick Lane" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1791.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_1807.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Brick Lane" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_1807.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Got some good pub time in this Monday evening. Also went to the club later with the girls! (Because the pubs close so early!)<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/?action=view&current=100_18251.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Chaitra and Jenn @ Stamford Arms" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/th_100_18251.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Greenwich/"><strong>Pictures of Greenwich, Brick Lane and pub life!</strong> </a><br /><br /><strong></strong>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-50381642284388883582009-07-18T17:53:00.000-07:002009-09-15T02:20:29.373-07:00Canterbury, Dover and the Knight Bus<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of Canterbury, Dover Castle and White Cliffs!</strong></a><br /><br />Saturday morning<br /><br />We didn’t arrive back in London from Stratford-upon-Avon until 2:00am and had to turn around and be back on the bus at 8:30am for a day trip to Dover and Canterbury.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_17211.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Dover Cast" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_17211.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Our day started with a visit to <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.14571">Dover Castle </a>in Kent, England. There has been some type of castle at Dover since before Roman times. The castle protects the stretch of coast closest to the continent of Europe. The architecture of the castle reflects the concept that battles are won on the open field, and that retreat to a castle is the last stand. Dover castle’s older defenses are more concerned with attacks from land; the WWII defenses are concerned with attacks from sea. The sites of the Roman Pharos (lighthouse) and Saxon church are the oldest parts of the castle being almost 2,000 years old.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_17001.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Dover Castle" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_17001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_17301.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Dover Castle" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_17301.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Dover Castle sits high above the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_cliffs_of_Dover"> White Cliffs of Dover </a>along the English Channel. Across the channel you can (barely) see France. The cliffs are white because they are mostly chalk. As we were leaving our bus driver drove down by the Channel and came back up along the cliffs so we could get photos of the White Cliffs of Dover.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_1735.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="White Cliffs of Dover" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_1735.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was grateful for the opportunity to see the ocean and (sort of) see Europe for the first time.<br /><br />Next we went to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury">Canterbury</a>, the town that inspired <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Canterbury_Tales">Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales</a>. The Medieval Cathedral draws large crowds of tourists to Canterbury. There has been a cathedral on this site since the 600s.<br /><br />gate to cathedral grounds<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_1747.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Canterbury Cathedral" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_1747.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I skipped the long line to the Cathedral and walked around High Street with its many shops and cafes. I did some great shopping in Canterbury and really enjoyed the picturesque streams and buildings. I even saw a liberal side to Canterbury with its Fair Trade giftshop and radical YMCA and women's centre, but overall I felt Canterbury was too touristy.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_1742.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Canterbury" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_1742.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />timber-framed buildings of Tudor England<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_1765.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Canterbury" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_1765.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />City Fish Bar lived up to it's name<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=100_1758.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="fish &amp; chips" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_100_1758.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I’m always happy to get back to the city and I miss London terribly when we are away on these day trips. Tonight I heard about a concert of a German industrial band called <a href="http://www.myspace.com/officialkmfdm">KMFDM</a> and the show is near Camden Town. Got dressed up, left a note for my friends about where I’m going, and jumped on the Tube to get to the show. I really liked the venue, O2 Academy Islington; it was small, but intimate. It was great to see KMFDM; I had always wanted to see them. The goth scene is very vivid in London, and I got to see a lot of different styles. Your ticket to the show also got you in free to the afterparty at the club Slimelight. This club had two different bars with a slight difference in the type of gothic rock coming from each room. The club didn’t even get busy till right at Midnight (the witching hour) and was really going by 2am. I guess they were open until 6am, but I found my way to the Knight bus long before then.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/?action=view&current=ukshow.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/th_ukshow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Since the Tube stops around Midnight, I’m grateful for my adventures on the Knight Bus. Riding the night bus in London truly does feel like the <a href="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/knight_bus.html#where%20name%20Knight%20Bus">Knight Bus </a>in Harry Potter. Hold out your wand, I mean, Oyster Card. You are surely to be eyed suspiciously by dark characters before boarding the tall, red, double-decker. Once you are in the top deck, front seat, the excitement really begins. The bus bumps, twists, turns and speeds through the city nearly missing bikes, cars and buildings. You wonder if the bus will topple over as it takes turns on narrow roads, but then it comes to a screeching halt right outside my dorm in Waterloo! Whew!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=green">The Knight Bus</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=green"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 350px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 348px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/knightbus1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />photo from findhogwarts.com<br /><br />I constantly feel like Dorothy from Kansas, skipping along the yellow brick lane, somewhere over the rainbow. But pretty soon when I tap my heels and say ‘no place like home,’ the Wizard’s hot air balloon will take me home,... right to Stamford Arms dorms in Waterloo.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Canterbury%20and%20Dover%20Castle/"><strong>Pictures of Canterbury, Dover Castle and White Cliffs!</strong></a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-78830350334301425132009-07-17T13:04:00.000-07:002009-09-15T01:16:49.075-07:00Shakespeare Centre Library, Stratford-upon-Avon<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare fun!</strong></a><br /><br />“I, now am I in Arden, the more foole I, <br />when I was at home I was in a better place, <br />but Travellers must be content.” <br />~As You Like It, Act 2 Scene 4<br /><br />Day 8: Friday. We have been here one week and today we had a bus trip to see the <a href="http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/content/view/19/19/">Shakespeare Centre Library </a>in Stratford-upon-Avon, “beautiful Britain in bloom.”<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16461.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16461.jpg" border="0" alt="Stratford-upon-Avon" ></a><br /><br />We ate well in Stratford-upon-Avon, probably the best I’ve eaten all week. Had lunch with friends at an Italian restaurant. <br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16501.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16501.jpg" border="0" alt="friends at lunch" ></a><br /><br />We saw Shakespeare’s birthplace on the way to the Library. The “Bard of Avon” was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16551.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16551.jpg" border="0" alt="Shakespeare's birthplace" ></a><br /><br />The Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive is a free resource library operated by <a href="http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/content/view/419/426/">The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust</a>. There are 12 staff, with five full-time librarians. The library is funded by donations to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. <br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16541.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16541.jpg" border="0" alt="Shakespeare Centre Library" ></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16531.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16531.jpg" border="0" alt="Shakespeare Centre Library" ></a><br /><br />The Shakespeare Collection and the Local Collections cover all aspects of the life and works of William Shakespeare and the history of his native town of Stratford-upon-Avon. The library adds about 400 titles a year. There is no access to 1,000 early printed books from the 1700s. Most of the materials, including manuscripts, photos, videos, music and reviews, are housed in climate-controlled stacks. One half of Shakespeare’s plays are printed on Quartos. No two copies are alike. <br /><br />The library maintained a card catalog until 2001, and everything acquired since is online. There are 300,000 photos on the Royal Shakespeare Company Image Database. <br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16841.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16841.jpg" border="0" alt="movable stacks" ></a><br /><br />Especially exciting for me was to see the collections of materials from the Royal Shakespeare Company dating back to 1879. In the underground stacks, we got to see shelves of Prompt books, which is the master script for the Stage Manager. These were beautifully archived with the Stage Manager’s original notes and sketches. My senior project for my undergrad was to write a Stage Manager’s Handbook! Any actor, director or stage manager considering a production would certainly want to look at these archived Prompt books to see how the play has been done in that Theatre in the past.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16901.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16901.jpg" border="0" alt="Prompt books!!!" ></a><br /><br />After the library, I followed along with classmates shopping and exploring charming Stratford-upon-Avon. We had dinner at The Encore, it was really delicious. I recommend the puddings and Blackcurrant Cider! Even the doors of the bathroom stalls were giant Shakespeare bookends!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16921.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16921.jpg" border="0" alt="The Encore" ></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16911.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16911.jpg" border="0" alt="bathroom stalls" ></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16941.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16941.jpg" border="0" alt="dinner with friends at The Encore" ></a><br /><br />I did Theatre as more than a hobby in my undergrad days, so I was also thrilled that we were going to see <em>As You Like It </em>by the <a href="http://www.rsc.org.uk/home/default.aspx">Royal Shakespeare Company </a>at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. It was also an extra perk to see <em>As You Like It</em>-related materials during our tour of the Shakespeare Centre Library, such as the title page of <em>As You Like It </em>in the 1623 <em>First Folio</em> and the RSC costume sketch from 1961.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16721.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16721.jpg" border="0" alt="As You Like It, 1623" ></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=100_16661.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_100_16661.jpg" border="0" alt="As You Like It, costume, 1961" ></a><br /><br />“Rosalind, the longest part Shakespeare wrote for a woman has attracted many of the greatest actresses of each generation.” (quote from <em>As You Like It </em>display at Shakespeare Centre Library)<br /><br />The production was excellent, one of the best Shakespeare productions I've seen. It was really neat to view the round theatre and thrust stage. It was long, three hours and 20 minutes! The play started out cold, stark, dark and uniform. As the plot developed, the characters, scenery, lighting and costumes began to lighten and become enchanted. It was also interesting to note the costumes and scenery became more modern as the play progressed. It was a special moment for me to hear the line "All the world's a stage," especially considering my new perspectives from traveling abroad for the first time.<br /><br />I really liked Stratford-upon-Avon; it had a whimsical feel to it. I can see how the picturesque English Tudor architecture and colorful blooms inspired Shakespeare, especially conjuring magical forests like Arden in <em>As You Like It</em>, and the enchanted forest of <em>A Midsummer Night’s Dream</em>.<br /><br />On the bus home, I began to discover the joys of flavored potato chips like Prawn Cocktail and Worchestire. We began sampling British candy. Megan turned me on to the chips and she had a great idea for a candy tasting party! Coming soon! I also picked up some <em>Harry Potter en de Halfbloed Prins</em> trading cards in Dutch! <br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/?action=view¤t=HP.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/th_HP.jpg" border="0" alt="Harry Potter en de Halfbloed Prins" ></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Stratford-upon-Avon/"><strong>Pictures of Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare fun!</strong></a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-42149926572026856842009-07-16T04:34:00.000-07:002009-09-20T00:03:01.257-07:00British Library and Platform 9 ¾<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of British Library, Platform 9 3/4 and hip hop!</strong></a><br /><br />July 16: Today we had an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the fabulous <a href="http://www.bl.uk/">British Library</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=1248729531.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_1248729531.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The building was designed to look like a cruise liner ship. The architect, Professor Sir Colin St John Wilson served in the Royal Navy during WWII. The Library was designed with the preservation of the book in mind. There is a 75-feet deep underground tower block, used as library storage. In this space, there are four floors of climate-controlled shelving and a water tank system. It is the largest public building constructed in the UK in the 20th century.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=1248729538.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_1248729538.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The library serves as the National Library of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Westminster Parliament funds the library, making the central government their parent institution. In 1941, during the German bombing of London library lost 225,000 items. Until 1997, a majority of the collection was housed in the British Museum . The British Library is currently a “working library” with 2,300 workers. The British Library is the largest research library in Britain.<br /><br />The British Library serves three principal statutory obligations:<br />1. To serve as the national bibliographic depository.<br />2. To preserve materials.<br />3. To provide access to the collection.<br /><br />There are 35 million books on site. Sixty percent of the total collection is in London with the rest in West Yorkshire . In addition to books, the library holds manuscripts, maps, newspapers, magazines, prints and drawings, music scores and patents. There are approximately 170 million items, adding three million a year. The library processes 8,000 new items a day. Twenty percent of the collection is restricted. Legally, publishers must send one copy of each book published in the UK and Ireland within one month from publication. There are 800 miles of shelves. The library still needs to find space for all of these items. The largest item in the collection is the Klencke Atlas of the world from 1660. King George III’s personal collections were gifted to the library in 1820 and were intended to be on public display. There are 67,000 items in “The King’s Library,” which is displayed in a beautiful glass tower in the middle of the library.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/100_16001.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 533px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 799px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/100_16001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />To gain a Reader’s Pass to access the collection you must have proof of ID and address. Before requesting the book, you must be able to provide the title and British Library shelf mark. You can search this information using the catalog, which is available worldwide. There are 11 Reading Rooms in the library, where patrons receive materials ordered through the catalog. Areas of research for Reading Rooms include Humanities, Manuscripts/Rare Books & Music/Maps, Asian & African Studies, Social Sciences, Science, Sound Archive and Business & IP Centre. Delivery of items from storage areas to Reading Rooms normally takes 70 minutes. Thirty-five percent of British Library readers are overseas researchers. The library has distributed 700,000 passes since 1997. The passes expire in one to three years. There are currently 114,000 “live” readers.<br /><br />Surprisingly, to maximize space in the underground storage, the books are classified by size. They also use Dewey Decimal System for the small amount of material in the Reading Rooms. All materials are non-circulating, meaning they can be viewed in the Reading Rooms only. Typically, the library retains only one copy of each book. There are efforts to digitize at the library. They are digitizing 75,000 pages a day. </p><p>The library uses an integrated catalog system. The Automated Book Retrieval System (ABRS) prints two slips, one slip holds the place on the shelf, the other slip goes into the book. With the Mechanical Book Handling System (MBHS), the book goes onto the scan tray and down the conveyor belt. There are one and one fourth miles of conveyor belt. </p><p><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=100_15851.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Mechanical Book Handling System" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_100_15851.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Items of interest in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery included Shakespeare’s First Folio, Gutenberg Bible, Codex Sinaiticus (1,700 years old), Magna Carta, Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook, Lewis Carroll's Alice 's Adventures Under Ground, Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, poetry of Sylvia Plath and Beatles manuscripts.<br /><br />The striking tapestry on the west wall of the entrance hall is titled ‘If Not, Not’ by R.B. Kitaj, 1976. I was able to get a handout on the tapestry from the information desk. The tapestry shows colorful literary references woven by master weavers of the Edinburgh Tapestry Company.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=100_15921.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="If Not, Not" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_100_15921.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The bookstore at the British Library was an excellent resource on British children’s literature. The staff was as knowledgeable as the experienced librarians, and they suggested the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Book-Guide-Great-Guides/dp/1408104385/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1">Ultimate Book Guide </a>as a good source on British children’s literature. I also spotted more children's and adult editions of Harry Potter, in better condition than the public library books! Note the difference in title from the American edition <em>Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone</em>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=100_16091.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_100_16091.jpg" border="0" alt="children's editions, Harry Potter" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=100_16101.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="adult version of Brit Harry Potter" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_100_16101.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Memorable quote: “Our job is to know where it is and how to make it available.”<br /><br />Overall, I loved the larger-than-life feel of the British Library. We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of a couple of large reading rooms and was inspiring to see all those people quietly researching. The library also had a bookstore, gift shop, history gallery, art gallery, café, restaurant and rooftop garden. It was like a librarian’s Disneyland!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=drwelshbritishlib2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="British Library" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_drwelshbritishlib2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Platform 9 ¾<br />I went to nearby King’s Cross Station in search of Platform 9 ¾ from Harry Potter. I found construction work in the actual space between platforms 9 and 10. I also found this helpful sign:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=100_16151.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Platform 9 3/4" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_100_16151.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Around the corner I found the designated site for the magical portal.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=100_16191.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Platform 9 3/4" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_100_16191.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Later, the LIS grad group got our picture at Platform 9 ¾<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=platformgroup.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="librarian group at Platform 9 3/4" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_platformgroup.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the movies, Platform 9 ¾ was actually filmed between platforms 4 and 5:<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=UKPictures100.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="film location of Platform 9 3/4" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_UKPictures100.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=platform.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="film photo from findhogwarts.com" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_platform.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://findhogwarts.com/">photo from findhogwarts.com</a><br /><br />Next to King's Cross Station is St. Pancras Station. <a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=stpancras">In Chamber of Secrets, the exterior of St. Pancras station is used to represent King’s Cross Station in the shot where Ron and Harry fly the flying car overhead. </a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=100_16261.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="St. Pancreas station, site of flying car in Harry Potter" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_100_16261.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=flyingcar1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="film" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_flyingcar1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://findhogwarts.com/">photo from findhogwarts.com</a><br /><br />Thursday evening the entire British Studies Program group was invited to our local pub, Stamford Arms for a Welcome Reception. I escaped just in time for them to start karaoke. I went to nearby Southbank Centre to see hip hop and spoken word as part of the <a href="http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/festivals-series/london-literature-festival-09">London Literature Festival 2009</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?action=view&current=untitled.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="London Liming" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/th_untitled.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />London Liming: where spoken word meets carnival. Highlights included MC <a href="http://www.myspace.com/rinsemusic">Rinse</a> (of Scotland), MC <a href="http://www.myspace.com/spaceapeuk">Spaceape</a>, poet <a href="http://www.myspace.com/i_am_halfcaste">John Agard </a>(of Guyana) and cellist <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.myspace.com/ayannawitterjohnson">Ayanna Witter-Johnson</a>. I recorded video of some of the performances. The venue was extremely hot, but it was great to get a glimpse of London hip hop.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/British%20Library/?"><strong>Pictures from British Library, Platform 9 3/4 and hip hop!</strong></a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-70689324063169178842009-07-15T22:36:00.000-07:002009-09-15T02:11:58.299-07:00Museum of London<strong><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/?albumview=slideshow">Slideshow of Museum of London and more</a></strong><br /><br />July 15: Today we had a lecture and tour of the <a href="http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/">Museum of London</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/?action=view&current=1248729695.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Museum of London" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/th_1248729695.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Jon Cotton, Senior Curator of Prehistoric London presented the history and vision of the Museum of London collection. The museum was opened in 1976 by the Queen. Two collections were brought together from the Old Guildhall Museum and the London Museum. The Museum of London focuses on the archaeology of the whole of greater London, “telling the story of London from the earliest time.” The Museum of London contains half a million years of history. They have 400,000 visitors a year. The current collection is a history of London through 1550. The section of the museum that is 1550+ will open in 2010. The Museum of London is the “largest urban history museum in the world.” The National Curriculum requires a history subject, but the government has decided on no prehistory subjects. Traditional learning in the UK starts with Roman times, Victorian, etc. The Museum of London is the main source for prehistoric London.<br /><br />Mr. Cotton provided some interesting insights into the prehistoric life. The collection considers people and place. For example, they took clay casts of imprints on pottery to see the fingertip used to make the indentions. From here you can begin to consider the individual who made the pottery that had a small finger and pointed finger nail. He also talked about some English Heritage sites like Stonehenge and <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/544947.stm">Seahenge</a>. I was fascinated to learn about the upside down Oak tree from 2050 BC. There was a standoff between local new age Druids and persons who wanted to excavate the site. But eventually the formation was excavated for preservation.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/?action=view&current=Seahenge.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Seahenge photo from megalithic.co.uk" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/th_Seahenge.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/EventsExhibitions/Permanent/LondonBeforeLondon.htm">London Before London </a>exhibit explores prehistoric London, specifically the landscape, river, people and legacy. The key element of the landscape of London is the Thames River. Londoners tend to stick to their side of the river. The river Thames is known as the “sacred stream.” The displays explain the motivations behind prehistoric items and their rich spiritual and cultural world. Of special interest to me was the Dagenham Idol of Scot’s Pine. This replica of the original figure made from evergreen wood is significant to Norse mythology. The evergreen tree was symbolized as a ladder between the cosmos, earth and underworld. The god Odin hung himself from the tree and sacrificed one of his eyes in order to gain wisdom from the springs that flowed from its foot. Note the damage to the figure’s eye and the sexual ambivalence. As a shaman, Odin was also perceived as sexually ambiguous.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/?action=view&current=1248729422.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Dagenham Idol and club" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/th_1248729422.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Museum had a couple of displays in the foyer relating to events after 1550. The London’s Burning: the Great Fire of London 1666 exhibit was particularly interesting and I learned the entire history and impact of the fire. The fire burned so much that most of the city had to be rebuilt. The exhibit included multimedia, personal stories, artifacts and interactive displays. What I learned in this exhibit has influenced how I perceive modern London.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/?action=view&current=1248729685.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Museum of London" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/th_1248729685.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Although no photographs were allowed, I was especially excited to see the <a href="http://www.historytoday.com/NewBlank.aspx?m=33510&amid=30286322">“Forward to Freedom: The Anti-Apartheid Movement and the liberation of southern Africa”</a> exhibit at the Museum of London. The display documented 50 years of struggle against apartheid in Africa. It was a powerful display and I was surprised to learn of the creative tactics of the passionate freedom fighters of London, such as boycotts, protests and campaigns.<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/?action=view&current=FreedomBadge.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Forward to Freedom photo from museumoflondon.org.uk" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/th_FreedomBadge.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The rest of the day was busy with errands. Bought a UK cell phone. Stocked up on batteries, water and groceries. Enjoyed my nightly walk on the Queen’s Walk and returned to Gabriel’s Wharf for some yummy gourmet pizza.<br /><br />Tonight was the opening of <em>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</em>, (YAY!) but the library group is going to see it later because most of the showings are sold out. I did go to the nearby IMAX theatre to see their Harry Potter posters.<br /><br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/1248729523.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 533px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 799px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/1248729523.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Museum%20of%20London/">Pics from Museum of London and more</a></strong>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-12969730998961113442009-07-14T19:49:00.000-07:002009-08-31T18:40:46.247-07:00Barbican Library<strong><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?albumview=slideshow">Slideshow of the Barbican and Placebo concert</a></strong><br /><br />Day 5: This day turned out to be one of my favourite days of this trip. The <a href="http://www.barbican.org.uk/visitor-information/barbican-library"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Barbican</span> Library</a> is a large urban lending library. I’m passionate about public libraries, so this was a great experience. The library is on the second floor of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Barbican</span> Centre which is a cultural arts venue for film, art, music, theatre and dance. The site was a Roman ruins, but was bombed during the Second World War. The current arts centre and surrounding residential buildings opened in 1982. Look at <a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/">my pictures</a> to see the ‘<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">brutalism</span>’ architectural style of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Barbican</span>, reminiscent of the Roman times.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?action=view&current=1248729365.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/th_1248729365.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The City of London is the parent institution to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Barbican</span> Library. It is a free public library with free membership to anyone who lives, works or studies in the City of London. The collection includes fiction, non-fiction, arts, financial, DVDs, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">mP</span>3s, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">CDRoms</span>, music <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">CDs</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">audiobooks</span>, children’s books, children’s recordings, maps, travel guides, large print, graphic novels, periodicals and magazines. The library has <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">internet</span> access, reading groups and special events. Your City of London library card also provides access to online resources such as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">KnowUK</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">NewsUK</span> and Oxford Reference Online. The library also has a very large music collection including <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">CDs</span>, music scores, listening booths and an electric piano. I was surprised to see Dewey as the classification system for this British library! I was also surprised to note the Bibliographic Records in the catalogue were familiar, and the library even used <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Pharos</span> to operate the public computers, the same system we use at Kansas City Public Library! For Outreach services, the City of London Libraries offer Home Delivery Service to the elderly and disabled.<br /><br />Of special interest was the <a href="http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Libraries/City_of_London_libraries/The+Barbican+Childrens+Library.htm">Children’s Library</a>, holding 25,000 items with books for the under 14s including board books, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ABCs</span>, counting, picture books, puzzle books, first readers, folk tales, fairy tales, parenting, reference and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">audiobooks</span>.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?action=view&current=1248729487.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/th_1248729487.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In addition to regular <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">storytimes</span> and reading groups, the Children’s Library hosts two different Outreach programs. The <a href="http://www.bookstart.org.uk/Home"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Bookstart</span></a> program provides parents and their new babies with reading support. A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Bookstart</span> pack includes free books and guidance materials for children at eight months, 18 months and three years. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Bookstart</span> is made possible by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Booktrust</span>, and independent charity. <a href="http://www.rif.org.uk/">Reading is Fundamental</a> is a national effort that provides funding for library outreach to all the playschools and nurseries in the community. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Barbican</span> Children’s Library partnered with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Starbuck</span>’s to reach children who don’t often have the opportunity to visit the library. I also picked up an awesome booklet: "<a href="http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2008/10/free-hunt-emerson-comic.html">BBC Tips for Storytelling</a>" by Hunt Emerson.<br /><br />It was nice to see the Summer Reading Program in full swing! This year’s theme is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">QuestSeekers</span>.<br /><a href="http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Libraries/City_of_London_libraries/The+Barbican+Childrens+Library.htm">Summer Reading Challenge<br />The Summer Reading Challenge for 2009 is called "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Questseekers</span>". It will start on Saturday 18 July and run until Saturday 12 September 2009. The aim is to read six books during the summer holidays and for each book that is read, there is a small prize and you get to put a sticker on a dragon! At the end of the challenge, those children who successfully read six books will be invited to attend a special awards ceremony at Guildhall and will be presented with a medal and certificate by the Lord Mayor!</a> (from CityofLondon.gov.uk)<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?action=view&current=1248729496.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Summer Reading!" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/th_1248729496.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Finding Harry Potter at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Barbican</span> Library<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?action=view&current=1248729355.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="finding Harry Potter" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/th_1248729355.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A search for “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">OPAC</span> resulted in six copies, most of them in the Children’s location of “Stories 10+” but two copies are in adult sections. I was curious why there were no copies of any of the Harry Potter series in the clearly defined “Teen” collection. The Children’s librarian explained the books are catalogued by the publisher’s recommendations. In Britain, there are adult editions and children’s editions of Harry Potter, note the difference in the covers. The librarian explained there is no clear Young Adult edition, so that’s why there are no Harry Potter books in Teens.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?action=view&current=1248729518.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="adult edition" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/th_1248729518.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I love the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Barbican</span> Library and I visit often, with my City of London library card. I feel right at home checking out books and using the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">internet</span>.<br /><br />While I was there, I took in as much of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Barbican</span> Centre as I could. I got to explore the exhibit, “<a href="http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=8908">Radical Nature: Art and Architecture for a Changing Planet 1969-2009</a>.”<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?action=view&current=1248729066.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="part of the Radical Nature exhibit" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/th_1248729066.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I even made a friend at the Waterside <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Café</span>, while he made me an “ice cream waffle.” Turns out three minutes is long enough to discover you have a lot in common with someone!<br /><br />My sunglasses broke, which gave me a good excuse to go to Camden Town and shop for new ones. I was already near North London after all! I finally had some fish & chips. As I was walking back to the Tube at Camden Town, the coolest thing happened to me. I was walking by a venue called The Roundhouse,<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/?action=view&current=1249616310.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="The Roundhouse is round" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/th_1249616310.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />and a band I love was playing that night, but I already knew it was sold out. I asked someone why there was a big “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">que</span>” for tickets, and they told me it was the line for letting 100 people in for free! I jumped right in and was one of the last 20 people to get in the door, I got so lucky! I got to see <a href="http://www.myspace.com/placebo">Placebo</a> perform in their hometown! Made a new friend from Brazil, she was also standing in line hoping to get in. We may have been the only ones dancing, but we <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">didn</span>’t care!!<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/the%20Barbican/">Pictures of the Barbican and Placebo concert</a></strong>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-3627635248313000522009-07-13T22:50:00.000-07:002009-09-15T00:58:58.273-07:00St. Paul’s Cathedral Library<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/?albumview=slideshow"><strong>Slideshow of St. Paul's and King's College</strong></a> <p></p><br /><br /><a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=stpaul" target="_blank"><img alt="photo from findhogwarts.com" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/th_StPaulsgeometric.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />July 13: At St. Paul's Cathedral, we had a behind the scenes tour with Librarian Joseph Wisdom. <a href="http://findhogwarts.com/index.php?page=stpaul">The geometric staircase at St. Paul’s Cathedral was used in Prisoner of Azkaban as the staircase that leads to the astronomy tower/Professor Trelawny’s classroom</a> (findhogwarts.com). This is not on the public tour and we were allowed to take pictures but cannot post them to the web. Email me to see my private photos! The current structure is the fourth cathedral on the site, designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710. The Trophy room has the <a href="http://www.explore-stpauls.net/oct03/docMM/TriforumGreatModelT.doc">Great Model of 1673-4</a>, Wren’s model of his plan for St. Paul’s. There are sketches of the different models Wren submitted. The room was originally designated to be the library, but never served as a library. This could be because St. Paul’s was on the list for copyright deposit and was anticipating far more books than it received. Of special note in this room is the stonework, including books with clasps. Wisdom pointed out some of the renovations within the Cathedral and explained the building is not stagnant, it changes with the times. <div align="left"></div><div align="left">The library is in the North Triforium and is not a part of the daily guided tours of the Cathedral.<br /><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/stpauls_library.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 324px" alt="" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/stpauls_library.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br />photo from stpauls.co.uk <p></p><p align="left"><br /><a href="http://www.stpauls.co.uk/Cathedral-History/The-Library">The library's collection was almost completely destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Wren's library chamber was restocked by the Commissioners for rebuilding St Paul's: they bought collections, including valuable Bibles and liturgical texts, and were fortunate to receive a generous bequest in 1712 of nearly two thousand volumes from the library of Henry Compton, late Bishop of London.<br /><br />The subject strength of the historical collections lies in theology, church history and patristics. Current acquisitions are restricted to major works on the history of the Church in England, on Wren and the building of the Cathedral, the Church in the City, and 'alumni' material. </a></p><p align="left">The first professional Librarian was hired in 1980. The library is open to any researcher. The collection has 20,000 bibliographic items in 13,500 volumes. The oldest book in the collection is the Book of Psalms, from the late 12th or early 13th century. The collection has copies of Bibles in Latin and all of the languages of the Bible. </p><p align="left">Memorable quotes from Librarian Joseph Wisdom: </p><p align="left">“Historically, there is no division between museums, archives and libraries.”<br />The room has a high ceiling where “ideas can float.”<br />“Annotate your own books,<br />Don’t annotate books in your care.”<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/?action=view¤t=drwelsh.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/th_drwelsh.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a><br /><br />We also saw the medieval structure Temple Bar (it used to have a bar across the front). The middle archway was for horse carts, the side passages were for pedestrians. Temple Bar is the original surviving gate to the “City of London.” </p><p align="left"><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/?action=view&current=drwelshtemplebar.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="group pic at Temple Bar" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/th_drwelshtemplebar.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Walked Millennium Bridge on the way back from St. Paul’s. I have been seeing Wicked signs everywhere, even on the red telephone booths. I'm excited to see Wicked in London!<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/?action=view&current=1248492836.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="follow the yellow brick road" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/th_1248492836.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Dressed up for the Welcome Reception in the historic Great Hall at King’s College. Went to our designated local pub, Stamford Arms and got to know some of my new friends in class and met some locals too!<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/?action=view&current=1248494881.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="new friends at Stamford Arms Pub" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/th_1248494881.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />People have been very friendly and easy to meet here. Everyone has different advice on social life and music scene, so much to offer here!<br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/St%20Pauls%20Cathedral/"><strong>Pictures from St. Paul's and King's College</strong></a></p>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-15402271225659407652009-07-12T18:47:00.000-07:002009-08-31T15:26:07.804-07:00London Alive!Walked the <a href="http://www.camdenlock.net/">Camden Town street market</a> and shopping district. Lots of goth and punk shops. Great pubs with all different kinds of music to choose from. A lot of music history here. My kind of place, will be returning here lots more! There is so much to see and the markets can be very crowded. Even though it’s on the other side of town it’s only 10 minutes on the Tube! There’s a House of Crepes near my dorm, that’s a new favourite!Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-80874611219878544902009-07-11T16:09:00.000-07:002009-08-31T15:25:00.983-07:00First Day of School<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/"><strong>Pictures from Walkabout London and Hard Rock Cafe</strong></a><br /><br />Our professors gave us guided tours of our choice.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/?action=view&current=1248478734.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="view of London Eye from Waterloo Bridge" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/th_1248478734.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I did ‘Walkabout London,’ a tour that included Covent Garden, a cool street market. Leicester Square, the theatre district. Prof pointed out the Back Stage doors at the theatres where you can sometimes meet the cast to famous plays. My bachelor’s degree is in Technical Theater, so there will be more theatre-related blog entries to come! National Gallery and Trafalgar Square, monuments of Admiral Nelson and the lions. Number 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives. The Horse Guards at Whitehall.<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/?action=view&current=1248478926.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Queen's Guards" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/th_1248478926.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />From a little distance we saw Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Took the red double-decker bus back to the dorms in Waterloo. Later, I went with some classmates to Hard Rock Café. It was the very first Hard Rock Café. Lots of Rolling Stones and The Who stuff!<br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/?action=view&current=1248478947.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="the original Hard Rock Cafe" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/th_1248478947.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/librarian_nikki/Walkabout%20London/"><strong>Pictures from Walkabout London and Hard Rock Cafe</strong></a>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-41598020031785167122009-07-10T15:49:00.000-07:002009-08-31T15:24:28.193-07:00Day OneDespite some exhaustion from jet-lag and nervous jitters, I managed to have a great first night in London! Our professor took us on a walk around the neighbourhood to get familiar. My dorm room is very close to Waterloo station, a huge Tube stop station. I love the freedom of the subway here. We walked the Queen’s Walk on the South Bank, also very close to my dorm. She took us to a cool pizza spot on Gabriel’s Wharf. Then we got to practice taking the Tube to Leicester Square and saw the theatre district.Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096254249808396268.post-54214548456768905622009-07-09T17:58:00.000-07:002009-08-31T15:24:00.896-07:00London CallingHi friends & family,<br /><br />I will be using this blog to fulfill my 'Reflective Journal Assignment' for my study abroad program in British Libraries. I will be graded on select entries, mostly the library tours. I'm taking an emphasis on British Children's & Teen Literature, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">particularly</span> Harry Potter. Any suggestions are welcome! I will also be posting additional blogs and photos about my experience. You are invited to follow me in my search for Harry Potter in Great Britain.Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06861405409681957703noreply@blogger.com4