Libraries

I LOVE libraries. Really they are wonderful and the staff tend to be rather superb as well.

Last year I tried to join the Otago University Library but I got several LOUD and CLEAR “no” s because I am not ex-staff or an ex-student. Some senior academics offered to write letters of recommendation for me, as I was trying to do research at the time but I didn’t bother (I got in a snit). I must add that this was the main library. The Hocken Collections are fantastic, as are the staff there.

Because of my lack of luck above, I used the interloan service of my local library. At $5 a request, I used it sparingly, but again an excellent service. The McNab staff at the central library were also incredibly helpful.

But my aim for 2011 is to save up* for alumni membership to the Massey University library

“For only $100 per year you can have the same borrowing privileges as an undergraduate distance student. Borrow books in person or have them delivered to you anywhere in New Zealand“

which seems like a great deal even if you can’t access the databases :-(.

Otago University Library – BAH I say, BAH!

*Any contributions gratefully accepted



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Broadcasting from a new location

I’ve moved house and although I posted a few entries here about not needing an office, I actually have ended up with a room of my own with a view (apologies to Woolf and Forster). I haven’t set it up yet, but the unpacking has begun.

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Deep Sea Dive

“Writing is a deep-sea dive. You need hours just to get into it: down, down, down. If you’re called back to the surface every couple of minutes by an email, you can’t ever get back down. I have a great friend who became a Twitterer and he says he hasn’t written anything for a year.” -Dave Eggers (from an interview with the Guardian)

Found here

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Horses for Courses – a response

“Just thought I would let you know that the Wanaka Autumn Art School was set up in 1990 with the intention of providing local people with ready access to tutors from outside the district thus avoiding the heavy travel and accommodation costs associated with attending courses and festivals in some of the northern cities. Some 60% of participants are from Central Otago. The school was set up with Creative NZ assistance, but, for the last 20 years, has been completely self funding.
Robyn van Reenen
Co-ordinator”

Which is all EXCELLENT news really.

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