The end of last term saw a pop-up library established in English Room 4 whilst new windows were being put in. This ended up being three plus weeks of work instead of the one and a half to two weeks that was I was originally told. Well, I suppose four of the windows were the full height of the library and caused complications as the old ones proved very difficult to remove – they ended up breaking the glass to then buckle the old metal frames to get them out… will probably still be hovering up little teeny pieces of glass from the window area for ages.

A week away at the beginning of the school holidays meant I didn’t see the final mess that was left but I was worried about what I would see on return – it was not good, but I have to say better than I expected. Dust everywhere, and although some polythene screening was used around he windows the builders were working on, and some shelves cover, not everything was. It took a week for me to clean shelves and books, as well rebuilding those shelves that were dismantled and unboxing and reshelving books (including the three trolley loads from the pop-up library).

I can’t emphasise enough my extreme thanks to the cleaner who does this space as she has done a heck of a lot too. Carpets are now cleaned too and anything that was on floor can go back. In the meantime, though I have got distracted (writing this blog post) and stripping and tidying my peedie 2m x 2m office.

During this process I have also taken the opportunity to rearrange stock: weed and consolidate non-fiction (so now no NF books on very low shelves); weed and consolidate reference books to enable study support books to be moved from the project shelves; reorganise Orkney collection (so The Orcadian back copies not on floor anymore); create new library guiding and signage (still main info posters to do but need to wait for info on any general changes which might effect library opening); weed magazines; give plants tender loving care and potting some on (at home); sort the big storage boxes of display materials and Xmas decorations (including dumping old tatty decorations); lots of paperwork dumping (recycle or shredding); create a couple of new archive folders for newsletters and old school magazines (still have a box of school and library archives to go through – another year!); clear out small filing cabinet and tidy drawers (How MANY pens does a school librarian really need to have in stock?); tidy office and clear out stuff that hasn’t been looked at or use in ages; oh… and I need to do all the prep for next term.

At least I will know the library and my workspace has had a darned good clean and is neat and tidy. Hopefully that will infuse into my head to organised all the thoughts and ideas flying around. Now – where is my ideas book?