Orkney! (It Makes an Impression)

My first week at the library was unbelievably fun. Everybody's been so generous about taking time to sit down with me and chat about what they do and answer all my questions. (Well, I guess the boss scheduled them in for that, so it was literally their job to talk to me...but still, they've all been so friendly and fun and welcoming.)

I've learned about both the library's physical sites, the mobile library, the Home Library Service (for homebound people), the Family Boxes (sent out to people on the really far islands that the mobile library can't get to), all the fantastic book groups/author visits/writing groups/other events they do here, and I learned how to use the stocktaking software, so that I can actually do something helpful instead of just following around being excited about what other people do.

I also got an unofficial crash-course in using the catalogue to check books in and out, because I was doing my inventory work at the front desk, and felt bad when people came up wanting to check books out and I had to point them to someone else because I didn't know how to do it. So I learned – at least the basics – and it was very satisfying to be able to help people myself.

There's so much still to come; I've yet to meet the children's librarian, or the guy who does the amazing social media, or really get to know the Archives upstairs, and I'm going to help out with (more than one) author event, and pay a visit to the mobile library in action...

Yes, I'm a little obsessed with Booky McBookface, Orkney's gorgeous mobile library. It's a really amazing service they provide from this one unassuming vehicle. Here's my dear Booky McBookface:

And on a personal bookworm level, okay, yes, I do realize I'm just being silly at this point...in my first two days at the library, I checked out probably more books than I can read in my whole month here. Plus a bunch of audiobooks (not pictured). It's the danger of reshelving and doing inventory, you see all these things you want...

(The top two are Orkney authors, the next is the book I need to read ahead of a book club I'll be helping out with, then an Icelandic author I spotted on the shelves and someone said was good, then another Orkney author, then just a few books generally on my recommended/want-to-read list.)

I seized the weekend, knowing how little time I have here and how very many parts of Orkney I want to see... I went to Maeshowe (5,000-year-old Neolithic tomb...amazing) then wandered around the Stenness Stones and Ring of Brodgar and the whole area between two lochs that's a major archeological site still in the process of being excavated. It was a stunningly beautiful day, sandwiched fortuitously between lots of days of rain (and occasional snow). In one of the lochs, just as I was leaving to catch the bus back, I saw seals. How is this place even real.

The Barnhouse Settlement, remains of a Neolithic village: 

 

One small bit of the Ring of Brodgar:

 

Oh, you know, just some more standing stones. (Stones of Stenness.)