From within or from without

I sit here on a course about Blogs… rather ahead as I already have one but the upcoming bit about RSS feeds is a new quantity, anyway, I digress.  I have come to the CILIP Yorkshire and Humberside branch day school to widen my horizons from merely school-based.  Networking opportunity it has proved to be and I fully intend to become more involved.  So I am widening from my blinkered school sector view.

It occurs to me that this could be a good thing.  I may be able to advocate more successfully from outside the confines of being a school librarian.  Use my experience from another angle and push for statutory provision from another standpoint.

Could it be that we get nowhere because most advocates and supporters are from the profession and sector already?  Is it a case that people think ‘Well you would say that wouldn’t you?” and don’t take us seriously…

Hmmmm… food for thought….  And it was a lovely lunch here at the National Science Learning Centre in York.  Recommended as a venue that’s for sure!  Skid Row at Sheffield’s Corporation tonight… The Rock Chick is back!!!

Another Poppy Day over

I confess I didn’t stay silent for 2 minutes, but I think I’ll be forgiven as having young children makes it virtually impossible. I’ve probably been considering the whole spectacle more than most though. Thanks to this brilliant song and video originally posted to my facebook funwall and passed on to all and sundry by me… http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlrrAWCTRg “A Pittance of Time” Terry Kelly (Canada)

It says it all for me (though I am undecided about the “hatemongering” lyric line) . I cannot understand how anyone no matter what their personal opinion of people who sign up for the military nor the reasons behind any war past, present or sadly future… I cannot understand why anyone would not feel it reasonable, nay obligatory, to pay our respects to the men and women brave enough to put their lives on the line so I can sit in comfort whinging about my lack of pay rise!

I have been wondering if, should push come to shove, if I would be brave enough to stand up and fight for my Country. I like to think I would have stood up to be counted against Hitler, and would probably have supported my menfolk in WW1 (given that freedom of press would not have revealed enough to be a knowledgeable conscientious objector) but would I? Really?

I hope I never have to find out, and I hope my children and grandchildren and on and on never have to find out. I may not agree with a person’s personal convictions or attitude, I may not respect or revere entire groups (BNP being a case in point) but I respect their right to have such an opinion in a Country where you are still relatively free to think what you like. A quote I live by “I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death your right to say it”. Literally? I do not know, but I sure as heck agree.

And for that reason I respect those who willingly or not, went further than I may be prepared to and laid their bodies and souls to death for my freedom. As Terry Kelly says two minutes really is a pittance of time. It is this attitude that is now so sadly lacking. We should respect our elders for the wisdom the majority show and support our Armed Services properly. We’ll worry about the rhetoric whilst they worry about their, and our, lives.

Is it time…

…to look for another job?  Or am I in my annual funk?

I got like this last year you see, and was seriously looking, and have started scanning relevant websites and job listings already, but do I really want to go?

My main annoynace is that, because I am at the top of my local authority scale, the only increase I get each year is linked to inflation,  Sadly nothing else seems to go up at this level so effectively I get a wage decrease each year.  Already my t’other half and I are counting down til our youngest hits 3 and childcare gets cheaper, but that’s a year away.  Can I rely on credit cards for another year to pay for this?  Should I? 

My other problem is that there is simply NOWHERE to move onward within the school librarianship profession.  To remain in libraries I would have to sideways move or perhaps a small jump, into another arena, (public libraries being a no-no as they are even worse of than schools and are statutory!) perhaps college or universities.  And the transferable skills ideal seems to have been a pile of crap as all like-level jobs needs years of direct experience.  SO do I leave Librarianship to remain in education?  No, I don’t want to.  Independent information literacy is SUCH an important skill our children need, as is literacy, i.e. plain old reading.  But does anyone listen to us fabulous (mostly) but nonstatutory persons?  Do they buggery.

I love what I do and the relative freedom I have.  I love the work with my students, I love my reading groups, events, debate society, clubs, helping them ad hoc.  But is that enough reason to stay?  Am I being a martyr?  Is this a vocation?  I would let them down if I left mid-term or even mid-year, so when would be a good time?

What do I do?  Put the job and vocation first?  Or put financial neds of my family first?  I’ve got myself most of the school holidays off, would I want to lose that time with my girls?  But bills have to be paid…

It all boils down to the wage doesn’t it?  And the fact I am way underpaid for what I do and this is unlikely to change and is causing me anxiety and growing resentment at Senior Management.  Is the writing ont he wall?  Should I risk it and go freelance in training?  As if! Shall I become a famous author? Double, as if!

No doubt I’ll feel better soon.  And re-visit this during next year’s annual funk.  Ho hum…