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Summer in the Library

Ohhh, it's all gone quiet on the news front, hasn't it? Normally, summer is a much quieter time around the office anyway, as less information's coming in. The Scottish and Westminster Parliaments are in recess, courts are in summer vacation period, and the "Silly Season" begins in the newspapers. Currently, the Silly Season stories are being replaced by the Olympic Frenzy stories, which are almost as mind-numbing.in content, and as irrelevant to my usual work as the daft stories about things like a cartoon-style hamster pursuit.*

This leads to a slight lessening in the volume of routine work coming in...but unfortunately, that doesn't mean we get to slack off, sit twiddling our thumbs, or race the Library study chairs around the office. Oh no: now's the time when all those, pushed-to-the-bottom-of-the-To-Do-list,  "when I get some more time" projects start to get all the attention!

Need to revise and update in-house training materials?
Summer!
Need to plan and reallocate stuff for the new trainee intake?
Summer!
Need to check or draft any internal policies?
Summer!
Need to create a new training exercise from scratch?
Summer!
Need to weed your shelves of outdated materials?
Summer!
Need to check the online databases, and ensure all the user information is current and accurate?
Summer!
Need to make sure all your admin materials are sorted out?
Summer!
Need to catalogue that pile of conference papers that have mysteriously appeared on your desk?
Summer!
Need to get stuff sent off for binding, when it's least likely to be asked for?
Summer!

Relaxing summer holidays? Not around here!

*No: I really, really am not the slightest bit interested in Olympic sports. I really don't care at all. Apparently, this concept just does not compute for some people, and they think I just "need to find the right sport" to suddenly become interested in the whole thing. I don't. I've watched nothing of the Olympics but the opening ceremony. Yes: that was utterly insane and fabulous, but that's more than enough Olympics for me.

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