#5flickr GET A DOG!!

This photo which I found on flickr is the spitting image of my dog Ollie. He has the same cheeky expression on his little face!!

I grew up with an absolute fear of dogs (thanks to my Mum who was petrified of them) and it wasn't until recently that my family talked me into agreeing to have a puppy.

Thus Ollie came into our lives at age 8 weeks and proceeded to take over our lives. We now wonder how we survived without him! He is very cute but very naughty.

I walk Ollie every day and am no longer so afraid when I encounter other dogs on my travels. So the moral of my story is..... GET A DOG!!

Shhh Please !!! This is a library!

I have worked in libraries for nearly 30 years and have seen new technology completely change the nuts and bolts of library services. There is one thing doesn't seem to have changed and that is the idea people have that you should be quiet in a library.
I currently work in a busy regional public library and one of the joys of this job is the cross-section of the community that comes in each day.
We have people from all walks of life who come in for a myriad of different reasons ranging from groups of excited children to seniors who are looking for a quiet place to read/rest.
So what sort of an environment should the library be providing - quiet and restful or noisy and stimulating.
We enjoy inviting book discussion groups into our midst - unfortunately this has aggravated at least one customer to confront the group and suggest that they would be better off at the pub!!
We also enjoy having groups of kids in for different activities - but you can hardly hear ourselves think when 20 kids are excitedly chattering.

So what is the answer............ As a staff member I encourage the sound of people chatting and enjoying our facilities, but am I also responsible for upholding a quiet environment for those that want to concentrate.