The time warrior

Well, after a week focusing a bit more on the immediate work environment, it’s time to catch up on all things CDG. I’ve spent this afternoon drafting papers for our National Council meeting which is only a few weeks away now – it’s the biggest business meeting in our calendar and I’m exhausted just thinking about it! Plus we have our Scottish Division AGM tomorrow at the Saltire Centre, Glasgow Caledonian Uni – I’ve visited before but I’m always interested to see how university libraries look (and sound!) at different times of the year. And this time next week I’ll be on my way to Cardiff for our national conference on workforce development.

This week’s Doctor Who classic DVD has been The Time Warrior – we’re back in the 1970s with Jon Pertwee. A Sontaran finds himself stuck in the early Middle Ages and has to make the most of the primitive technology he finds there. Meanwhile some scientists go missing from modern day England – the Sontaran officer is forcing them to work for him on some circuitry. Hot on their heels is of course the Doctor and, having stowed away on the TARDIS, investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith. It’s a marvellous meeting of multiple eras and personalities. I hope that we as information professionals can take something of Sarah’s approach – no nonsense; brave; able to process new situations and sources quickly; able to wear dubious fashions and still look cutting edge; able to connect with those around us, even when they may be hostile axe-wielding maniacs.

A further thought with reference to last night’s new episode: the Ood are ‘born with their brains in their hands’ – do librarian Ood have extra big hands in order to carry the collected wisdom of the ageas and to do their customers’ thinking for them?