Dinosaurs were “big”

Jane Keenan reflects

In the 1980’s Children’s Librarians underwent a renaissance. No longer were we merely about good books, we also became entertainers extraordinaire, creators of wonderful holiday programmes, and educators.

Holiday programmes at this time were especially grand, and one I remember in particular – mainly because it was all so traumatic it is embedded in my brain. (Could all people involved in Health and Safety stop reading at this point, you won’t like what I am about to tell you!)

I was at Shirley Library and we were looking for a theme for the holiday programme. Barbara Reed – someone renowned for ideas – suggested that we do dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were “big” at this time (excuse the pun) and we knew that this would be a cert in terms of bringing kids into the library. Barbara for some reason, had a supply of crab claws – we decided that these looked just like dinosaur claws, and would make great pictures. They were a bit smelly, but what the heck. The next idea we came up with was a Brontosaurus BBQ. Mince was supplied by the local supermarket, and we set up the electric frypans in the staff kitchen. We also thought that a dinosaur piñata would be a great idea, so out came the papier mache. The only problem was we didn’t leave it to dry for long enough, and it was a bit on the soggy side. Oh well.

The day of the programme dawned bright and sunny. We opened the doors, and in they came, and they kept coming and coming. We were over-run with eager children. Soon crab claws were strewn around the library. (I’m sure a few of the smaller children were sucking on them), and everyone was waiting in anticipation for the Brontosaurus BBQ. Half the staff by this time were out the back frantically hurling mince patties into the frying pans, and slapping them onto buns with a dash of Tom sauce. It all became so hectic that I’m sure a few half cooked patties must have found their way into hungry mouths! The carpet was now strewn with crab claws with a topping of bun and squished mince.

The anticipation was running high as the children awaited for the piñata. We hung it up in the children’s library and gave the kids a few sticks and they started whacking the poor thing to death. Nothing happened – no lollies came showering down – it was so soggy that there was no way it would ever crack. We were about to have a riot on our hands. Some bright spark found something with a hook attached to it and managed to tear the piñata apart. (How none of the kids ended up either smacked in the head or crushed on the ground is a mystery to this day). Lollies consumed, burgers eaten, pictures shown to proud parents and it was all over! There were no complaints, no evidence of food poisoning, and we all breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Looking back I think we must have all been mad! You couldn’t possibly do anything like this these days – and many would say this is a good thing – but there was a certain comaradery in the crazyness.

Children’s Librarians have always been at the forefront of change and innovation at Christchurch City Libraries, with some ideas more sensible than others! It was, and still is a hugely challenging and rewarding job, and I think we are so lucky to have had, and continue to have such dedicated and innovative people working in our organisation.

Memories of the Old and New Library

Margaret Moran remembers

Reading Bindy Barclay’s memories reminded me of my first years at the old Canterbury Public Library, before Bindy, who I do not know. On my return from 2 years in England, in September 1969, I applied for a library assistant position but after an interview with Deputy City Librarian, Michael Wooliscroft, ( no CVs or tests in those days) I was offered the newly created “Orders Librarian” position, having qualified with an NZLA Certificate before going to England and being “over qualified” for the library assistant position. I was based in the cataloguing room with the “quirky team” and fairly terrified of Head Cataloguer Barbara Collie at first, although we became close friends eventually. Bindy Barclay’s description of Barabra Collie is perfect but I also remember the smart trouser suits, polo neck jerseys and scarves, in Autumn colours. The cataloguing room was quite a noisy place with lots of conversation across the room between cataloguers on one side and processors on the other, quite unlike the one at a former workplace of mine ( Surrey County Library) where it was like a morgue and non-cataloguers were afraid to enter. There was also music playing, very often, in Brian Gilberthorpe’s corner and I developed my knowledge and love of classical music, particularly opera, during my four years in that room. We were not aware of the effects of passive smoking then and there was always a haze of smoke in the room.

The position of Orders Librarian was the first step to an organised system of buying books for Canterbury Public Library, long before Acquisitions etc. evolved to the present Content team. As far as I remember various library staff selected books to buy, in their subject areas, and these orders were distibuted to a number of book shops by Edward Jackson, a reference librarian in the first floor nonfiction section. He showed me what to do, initially, and took me to the various bookshops, most of which no longer exist or have changed their names e.g. Whitcoulls was Whitcombe & Tombs. One of the people selecting books was Anne Just ( referred to by Bindy as Miss Ust), head of Circulation. Her name was pronounced Ust and she died recently – she was a tall, attractive lady and quiet but authoritative, with the air of a school teacher.

Tea breaks were taken in the staff room, above the bindery, in the former Librarian’s house, reached by us through narrow passages and via the stack, just off the cataloguing room.

One library secretary at the time, and still a friend of mine, was Eleanor Foxton and she had a desk outside John Stringleman’s room – no Administration team back then.

After some time as Orders Librarian I became a cataloguer, joining the elite few, and found it a most enjoyable, satisfying type of job, with a fun group of colleagues. I can remember a few parties, after work, boating on the Avon every summer and I still regularly see Rona Brunt who was a processor, then a typist of the catalogue cards. One of my favourite jobs was filing the catalogue cards at the end of each month, as a team. I must have been quite good at that as I was eventually allowed to check other people’s filing!

After about 4 years I left to have my first daughter – no maternity leave in those days – but after 5 years absence, and another daughter, I returned to work part-time in Circulation which was an entirlely different experience. To begin with, I acquired the job of 6 hours, working Wednesday and Friday nights from 6-9pm by speaking to Barbara Collie who then asked Alison Edgar ( Circulation Librarian) if there were any vacancies!  So, in February 1979 I was once more employed by Canterbury Public Library. The issue system then was some kind of punch card system which I cannot recall much about but I remember a room full of machinery. I do remember issuing music, mostly records but some tapes which were kept in the stack, at the membership desk and borrowers had a separate card for this. I also remember having the responsibility, sometimes, of handing out pay packets to school shelvers, one of whom was Helen Mann, long time employee of this library.

Then came the move to the new library during which I was involved as an “unpacker” for a day with a team of people, the only one I can remember being Adrian Birkbeck who was a Reference Librarian on the first floor.

The layout of the library has changed numerous times since then. At first, the issues desk was opposite where it is now, the newspaper room was behind that and membership and enquiries desks nearby. The workroom was where CAD is now, plus offices for Cathy Thompson and Chris Baxter when they were in charge of Circ. Smoking was allowed in the workroom, the borrowing limit was 50 items and renewals were permitted. The Enquiries desk was in the middle of the foyer and we dealt with interloans, Cinch enquiries and printouts. One off-desk task I used to enjoy was laminating borrower cards with a little machine in the workroom.

My hours increased to 7 per week when the evening roster became 5.30 -9 and then 14 when I worked from 1-9 every Wednesday and Friday. I also did relieving in varoius parts of Central, Sciences & Humanities, information desk, on the first floor, Serials, KPool – Suburban Services – Outreach, also the old New Brighton Library (building stiil exists) and former Shirley and Papanui libraries, now replaced. There have been so many changes to the building and the organisation of teams that it is too much to detail here. The main change affecting me was Circ splitting into two teams, CAD and Customer Welcome and although, at the time I was sad not to be doing sorting, taking trollies out and dealing with returns and reserves anymore, on the whole it has worked well. All the changes have made for a very interesting and varied working life which I still enjoy.

A Dedicated Library User Remembers

Simon Atkinson, frequent visitor to many of our branches, shares his memories of staff and services.

I have been living in Christchurch since the beginning of 1992. I remember Sue Colyer working on the bottom floor, dealing with the music desk in 1992 or 1993.  That was way back when Vicky Buck was Mayor of Christchurch.  It is great to have Sue back in Central again (after being at Lincoln University Library) .  She still does a wonderful job.

I can remember a visit to Christchurch in August 1988 and asking about listening to some music by English composer Wilfred Josephs on the listening post.  I was told by (I believe) Jill Richardson, there is NO listening post in the library.  She is still with the library mainly on the first floor. I remember the records on the bottom floor in the music area underneath the escalator along with music tapes and CDs in which the covers were stored in plastic slicks and the cases were behind the counter. Tim Jones was a very good music librarian at that time, he is now at the art gallery library as far as I know.
He was replaced by Jenny Snadden. She was also a very good music librarian. Now she is in Nelson in retired mode.

It is great to have Philip Tew still with us and looking after the music collection. and it is great for people to still borrow records but only from store.

Other librarians of the past I can think of are Phyllis Thin, Suzanne Sutherland, Karin Sollitt, Suzanne Tunnicliffe.

There was a librarian with brown hair called Kate, (I cannot think of her other name, she is still around but doing another job instead)

A very important librarian was the late Kate Ogier who was a very good librarian who will be sadly missed, She was a great asset in that she introduced me to bits of house music like Tosca, William Orbit and others of similar kind.

I remember the old Fendalton Library, Papanui Library, Spreydon Library. There was a librarian called Jenny who has worked there at Spreydon.

I remember the Data Research Associates catalogue that was very good for it’s time. and the time when Christchurch was one of the first libraries to go online. Credits to the many librarian pass and present  for doing this.

There were the days when LRS was in the 3rd floor and cataloguing was also done there. Now Library Resources Services is now on Colombo Street in Sydenham.

I remember the days when you would phone 3796 914 for the Library and 3796 921 for renewals and that each library would have its own number to ring. that was the days before the fingertip library came onto the scene and before the council chose to have a phone number of 941 8999 for the council and the library has one number of 941 7923. and that the Christchurch city council has a number range of 941 5000 to 941 8999. And that all council numbers can be connected to one another. It show how much telephone and computer technology has changed for the better in the last 15 years.
The great thing about this is one person can do all the work by the touch of buttons on their phones and computers.
The not so good side is the lost of personal service from your local branch library by phone directly.
The past phrase was “more then you think” to be replaced by the current one called “think library”

So here is some memories to share with you all.

Thanks Simon

More Memories

Some recollections from Sue Colyer, Information Librarian at Christchurch City Libraries

My memories of CCL go back far beyond the time when I first joined the staff.  As a child I was a regular user of the library – Lucy Fitch Perkins  twins series, Ruby Fergusson’s pony books, Willard Price, Volcano Adventure remains a favourite,  the Billabong books  and later using my mother’s card to read from those areas of the library that I did not exactly qualify for on the grounds that I was choosing books for my mother.  Nobody questioned this as I recall although not entirely untrue it certainly was on some occasions.   I remember discussing John Steinbeck very seriously with a boy from another school.  An exotic encounter to me  as this was an author I had barely heard of my own school being more inclined to Jane Austen, Dickens and Thomas Hardy with a touch of Katherine Mansfield.  

 Later at university the public library reference area was indispensable for last-minute essay writing when all the relevant books had vanished form the university library.  Plus ça change?
I was a constant reader and CP was not my only library – for some of the Enid Blyton’s that the public library did not stock I patronised two commercial circulating libraries – The Merrivale Book Club on the corner of Aikman’s Road and Papanui Road, a building now occupied by the House of Travel, and another on the corner of Holmwood rd and Rossall Street.   But the public library was the main one and I have only happy memories as a borrower.

I nearly joined the staff in 1972 after returning from overseas when Michael Wooliscroft offered me  a job as children’s librarian, but in fact it was to be another 10 years before  I eventually became a staff member. LIANZA provided plenty of contacts between the libraries as it still does, and I vividly remember the annual Christmas parties particularly enlivened by the late Barbara Collie. 
The library has always been lucky in its leadership – John Stringleman was the first of the two City Librarians I worked with and I remember him saying that his job was to represent the library at the council as much as to be the visible in the library itself.  At that point I began to appreciate the complexities of managing a library with the various loyalties, interactions and relationships that are required.  The unforgettable Dorothea Brown (there is a lovely photo of her on the flickr pages) succeeded him and her energy and ability to enthuse us steered the library through some extremely difficult times. I left just before Sue Sutherland formally took over but appreciated as a borrower the continued expansion of the network and services. I could name dozens of others but the list would go on too long: some have since died, some retired some, have moved to other jobs and some are still here, but all were totally professional and great to work with, which is probably what drew me back in my declining years.

More images!

We are regularly adding photos to our flickr pages.  We hope the images remind you of things, and make you smile. Some of our memories are a little foggy, and we really need help to identify people, places and dates. Do comment if you recognise people or places.

One of my favourite sets on flickr is the Bookmark covers. Bookmark was published monthly from June 1987 to March 2002 by Canterbury Public Library.  Bookmark was a showcase for new titles added to the library collection, book reviews and library events.  I love looking through the covers, as they give a really great picture of developments in the library world over the period. For instance the launch of the mobile library in 1990 and the arrival of the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) in 1989.

As publishing trends reflect the world around us, the Bookmark covers tell us a lot about society of the times. For instance recall The Unfortunate Experiment or the Of Course You Canterbury promotion.

Memories of the Old Library

Former Christchurch City Libraries staff member  Bindy Barclay recalls the old Central Library

The photos posted  have brought back some great memories of the old “CP” library.  Certainly, trying to install ‘modern’ library management systems into its brick structure  – elegant front stage and rabbit warren of outhouses – must have been a challenge. But something of the continuity with great library traditions was  lost in the move across the river.

My relationship with the old building began before I ever worked there.  In lunch breaks from my school holiday’s job at Ballantynes I would escape  the Christmas frenzy to read poetry.  For me, nothing in the new library has ever replaced the stillness and aesthetics of the reading room upstairs,  sitting  in the windsor chairs at the big wooden reading tables across which were scattered the newspapers of the world.

In 1979 Michael Wooliscroft gave me a job – literally overnight.  I was on my way to ask for one at the art gallery and stopped in at the library on the way – entering tentatively through the back door in Hereford Street.  As a junior in the Circulation department  my job involved spending all morning at the paper bench.  Newspapers arrived daily from NZ and around the globe in huge canvas sacks. After they were unrolled, stapled and punched ( and my hands were black and sore) they were lugged around the reading rooms and tied, with black shoe laces onto boards – presumably made by Lewis.  Old papers were removed and lugged back.  The smock seriously came into its own for that job!

The paper bench was beside the cataloguing room.  I was fairly terrified of the cataloguers yet was also in awe of Barbara Collie. She would sail out of the smoked glass doors, cardigan elegantly draped around her shoulders ( cigarette in hand? ) … somehow I have partially morphed her in my memory with Bette Davis!  Later, when I had graduated to being allowed to cancel in the accessions register, I would work quietly while this quirky team joked and parried each other.  Barbara Collie modeling a red strapless bra that she was to wear out for an evening event , Brian Gilberthorpe making dry comments on all things… It was a very different world from the Circulation department.  As was the Children’s library, through the door and another world again.

My favourite job was doing the flowers, delivered (weekly I think) by the botanic gardens staff, and worked into huge arrangements in  a sink near the bindery. This  gave me a glimpse into the wonderful world of Don Hampshire and his team of craftspeople.  The flower arrangements, in brass vases, sat on top of the card catalogues around the building … and maybe some on the fiction shelves? I remember the dark recesses of the stacks, (such treasure troves), the computer tapes scrolling  under the returns desk, the endless queues when the thunking issues machines failed and we had to write all the magnetic codes by hand?  The wonderfully restrained  Miss Ust gently growling at us for talking during shelf tidying times.. and was it Dorothy who was always laughing -finding names of authors that related to their books ” Perfect lawns” by I. C. Green… I still play that game and think of her!

As a new librarian, I love hearing Bindy’s memories.  And of course we want to hear more.  Do you remember the people Bindy is talking about?  Can you recall the move from the old library to the new? If so, please comment here or contact library150@ccc.govt.nz to share your memories.

Pete the Shirley Library Cat

In March 1995 the libraries’ Bookmark magazine introduced Pete the Shirley Library cat.

Due to the development of a mall at Shirley, the area around the Shirley Library resembles a bombsite. More than 10 houses have been remove to make way for car parks and a barren wasteland has been created. Out of this turmoil came a small orphaned feline who was in much need of a home and some TLC. He very quickly adopted the library as his home the staff as his family. His name is Pete.

Pete recorded his own story (with a bit of useful book recommendation thrown in)

I’ve really landed on my feet becoming the Library cat – life couldn’t be better. When I first arrived they sent me away for a small operation which I wasn’t too happy about and on my return I found a book called First aid for the cat and this helped in my recovery

At first the staff couldn’t decide what breed of cat I was; I could have told them but being experts they preferred to check me out in a book called All about cats. They found out that I’m a Russian Blue (this noble ancestry comes from my mother’s side) Enough from me for now; please feel free to come and search me out at the library; I just love visitors, especially those bearing edible gifts.

Peter appeared in the February 1998 Bookmark in a story about the Shirley Library fire. Pete “former Staff member” had found a new home with assistant Community Librarian Barbara Reed.

Library Cats

In our quest to find great stories and images for our 150th website, we have come across some wonderful photos of George the Cat, who made the old Central library his home. It has started us thinking about other library cats over the years. Do you have stories or photos of library cats?

Please share them with us, either by commenting here or emailing library150@ccc.govt.nz

Library Travels With My Father

Julianne Pask, Children’s and Young Adult Learning Advisor, Christchurch City Libraries shares her memories of visiting the library.

The first time I remember going to “the big library in town” I had trouble deciding between “The Illustrated History of Fashion through the Ages” and “Das Kapital,” (in translation of course). I wasn’t sure if I was going to be a fashion designer or a revolutionary. The fashion book was Reference Only and Marx proved too difficult after a few paragraphs – so I ended up taking home a Trixie Belden mystery.  She was all the rage in the 70’s; but doesn’t seem to have stood the test of time very well.

And I haven’t become either of those lofty ideals. But of course it doesn’t matter. What mattered at the time was the excitement of the “big library.” It was very dark and lit with only the softest of lamps. It seemed so large and antiquated that it could house the secrets of the ages. All the furniture was hand crafted from solid wood and probably resides in only the best of antique dealers’ shops today.  And it was such a contrast from the Woolston Community library we usually frequented. That was just a little room at the front of the building. Like all adults who return to childhood haunts, I’ve returned there since and wondered how such an ordinary room could have seemed so charming once upon a time.

But of course the charm was not the room, but the books. Compared to the glossy computer generated graphic art of today, the books of yesteryear are dull cousins, but again it was not the packaging, but the content, that mattered.

Julianne Pask with her father

To remember the library is to conjure memories of my father. It was he who most enthusiastically encouraged my library habit. Not that my mother was discouraging, she loved books too, but reading was Dad’s most passionate endeavour.  He was born into the London Blitz. Like many inner city children, he and his brother were removed to the country for their safety. And like many other evacuees he found it to be a mixed blessing. When he decided, at 15 years old, he wanted to emigrate – alone – to a NZ high country station, the social worker assigned to his case remarked in her report that all his pocket money was spent on books. This habit continued once he was safely ensconced in the back blocks of Waiau and was fortunately passed onto me.

Despite his own lack of education – due to the disruption of the war – he read as much as any university student. The longest of labouring days still ended with a book and retirement found him working as President of the same Woolston Community library that we visited so frequently in my childhood.

At nearly 50, I have a literature degree, I have worked as a teacher of literature and now I am a learning advisor for the library. Just before my father died I asked him to write in my favourite fairy tale book. He’d given it to me, but never dedicated it. He wrote: To Julianne, Love from Dad.

He was a man of few words. Lucky for me he shared the words of others so readily. A gift for a lifetime.

It’s true that the sins of the fathers are visited down the generations; but the passions are also.

Many Happy Returns

Christchurch City Libraries celebrates 150 years in 2009.  This anniversary presents an opportunity to reflect on our special place in the community – then, now and into the future.  We have created this blog as a way of giving all Christchurch City Libraries staff and ex-staff a place to share their memories and experiences. We want to encourage everyone to contribute their library story, and also take this opportunity to think about how Christchurch City Libraries connects with, reflects and shapes the community.

Former staff members can receive information about the activities planned for the 150th anniversary by sending your name, email address and the years you were associated with the library to: library150@ccc.govt.nz.

Please feel free to comment or contribute.

To make a contribution to this blog, simply email your text to library150@ccc.govt.nz for posting on your behalf.