0845: The caffeine has worked and I’m ready for action. Listen to my phone messages and sort into priorities for action.
0900: De-briefing with the Deputy Head of the ALIS (G). Discuss staff training and development and implementation of a revised training programme commencing in September
1000: Meeting with my line manager, a Lt Colonel with the title SO1 ETS UKSC (G), which translated is Staff Officer 1 Educational and Training Services, United Kingdom Support Command (Germany). We discuss the implementation of the Storybook Soldier project in British Forces (Germany), a project that will enable soldiers to record stories for their children prior to deployment. We discuss the recruitment of a co-ordinator to manage the project, writing of the job description and business case to secure the funding, subsequent training requirements and the feasibility of achieving all of this to be effectively operating by end of October.
1130: Back at the office, prepare a draft job description for the Storybook Soldier Co-ordinator and a justification for the creation of the post; email to SO1 ETS.
1300: Phone rings...it’s an ALIS colleague asking for my thoughts about a marketing DVD that will be played continuously in Army Education Centres (AEC). Asked to provide three key points about ALIS to be included in the DVD and be prompt about it! Discuss with my deputy and email our thoughts. Another email arrives asking for our thoughts about the proposed ALIS Librarians’ Conference but have to access Smartstore to view the proposals....oh deadline for reply is 22 August … sigh … breathing space!
1330: A hefty lunch and reprieve is needed! Off to the Civilian Mess.
1415: Organise my travel arrangements (flight, car hire and accommodation) for a meeting in the UK in September. Travel has to be arranged six weeks in advance and be accompanied by a statement of estimated costs, an itinerary and a justification.
1445: Ring Service Children’s Education (SCE) to chase potential delegates for a Display Training Course organised for September, only to find that as it is the summer holiday all staff with any remote connection to teaching are away for the whole summer. Drat! We are getting perilously close to the deadline to apply and I need the numbers …
The training is a joint initiative between SCE and ALIS (G) although all the organising rests on our shoulders. The training will be held on three separate days in different areas of British Forces (Germany), so transport, accommodation and working lunches need to be co-ordinated for each venue. Ring CHBS to arrange accommodation for the trainers and facilitators. Ring ETS to confirm latest application form for working lunches.
1515: With a cup of steaming tea in my hand I catch up with my stock selection, a welcome task indeed!. Trawl through several copies of the bookseller and publications of the week and the Bertrams/THE July catalogue. The August copy is sitting ominously on my desk but that will have to wait …
1535: Phone rings … it’s the Officer Commanding of an AEC in Hohne (about 4 hours away by car) wanting to discuss the audit inspection and subsequent development plan I carried out at an Army Library and Information Centre (ALIC) on his patch a few weeks ago. The ALIC achieved a good grade and we discussed how to recognise and reward the staff.
1555: Back to stock selection.
1600: Phone rings. Someone who shall remain nameless is asking me what I know about World Book Day … resist the temptation to say, quite a lot actually, I am a Librarian. I tell the person how we intend to use World Book Day to celebrate libraries and books …
1605: Back to stock selection
NB/ I haven’t mentioned opening post or checking emails because I assumed that everyone will know that these are routine tasks done every day and the latter throughout the day.
1730: However I will mention emails now because I am waiting for a specific one; I check for a reply from a children’s performing poet; children across BF (G) participated in the Team Read, this year’s summer reading challenge organised by the reading Agency in the UK so we want to include entertainment at the presentation ceremony and promote literature at the same time. Oh I hope he can come … he’s like a Billy Connolly for kids …no reply as yet so I’ll have to phone my public library colleagues for his contact number.
1745: I look at my community profiles folder. I am currently producing profiles for each ALIC in Germany to prepare funding bids for next year. Oops, still got a lot of work to do and I haven’t received a reply to my letter asking units for stock suggestions.
1755: A brief look at the pile of New Scientists waiting for me to review, and reach tentatively for the top one....no it’s far too late in the day to be THAT scientific!
1757: Going home, after a long day!