Meet your library elves (aka your subject librarians) - Townhill Library

Time for our final post on this! We hope you’ve enjoyed finding out about our Christmas favourites. Remember, though, our most favourite thing is students who ask for help when the need it, whatever the time of year, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the library or our resources.

Today we’re turning our attention to Townhill Library, where you’ll find librarians Philippa Price and Erica Fothergill.

Philippa supports the education programmes at Townhill, including Educational Studies, PGCEs, Graduate Diplomas and Masters.

Favourite Christmas movie

Miracle on 34^th Street (the 1947 version, though Sir Richard Attenborough was perfect as Kris Kringle in the 1994 version!)

Favourite Christmas book

Philippa and her new pal in Townhill Library

Hmmm, tricky… Can I choose two? Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol are two of my Christmas stalwarts (and the Muppet movie adaptation of A Christmas Carol was a contender for my favourite Christmas movie!).

Favourite Christmas food

Chocolate!

Best thing about Christmas

Having a snooze in front of the TV on Christmas afternoon.
 

And  last but not least, Erica Fothergill can also be found at Townhill Library and supports students of Performing Arts and Psychology & Counselling.

Favourite Christmas movie
My choice for this year is The Snowman, which is based on the book by Raymond Briggs.  It is not a lengthy epic film (it is approximately of 30 minutes duration) but it is certainly viewing that I recommend if you are looking for a short animation with attractive artwork telling a warm, sensitive and seasonal story. 

Favourite Christmas book
Having chosen The Snowman as my choice of favourite film, it seems appropriate to select the book, The Snowman by Raymond Briggs, to accompany the film.

Favourite Christmas food
For me there is no single winner; a meal of turkey, vegetables and cranberry sauce is highly enjoyable, however, I have found that a nut roast with cranberry sauce is a good alternative.  For dessert, it is usually Christmas pudding but alternatives are welcome as I can’t think of a Christmassy dessert I don’t like. (I’m glad tapioca pudding is not a Christmas dish as I don’t like that!)

Best thing about Christmas
Christmas carols and thinking about the celebration of Christ’s birth helps make Christmas special and a way of helping to avoid overdoing the materialism of the Christmas shopping frenzy!

So there you go! Those are a few of our favourite things about Christmas. We’d love to hear what you love about the festive period, so please do let us know in the comments below, or via Facebook and Twitter. If we’ve inspired you with our choices, many of our favourite books are available to borrow on our shelves, so pop in and take a look!

Meet your library elves (aka your subject librarians) - Griffith Library, Dynevor

Library number three today - Griffith Library at Dynevor! The elf in residence there is Helen Beale, who would love to hear from you if you have any questions about the library or are struggling to find what you need. Helen should be easy to spot - she's likely to be found wearing a Christmas jumper of one sort or another as she's gone a bit mad for them this year! (As have we all - look out for library staff at all four UWTSD Swansea libraries sporting some festive pullovers on the 12th December!)



Helen in her Christmas jumper,
admiring the Griffith Library displays

Helen Beale is based in the Griffith Library and supports the programmes delivered by the Faculty of Art & Design at both Dynevor and Alex.

Favourite Christmas movie

Decisions, decisions … which to pick? I do have a soft spot for ‘Elf’ with Will Ferrell as it’s a family favourite and you know what they say, the family that laughs together stands a chance of getting through the festivities unscathed (well one lives in hope!). A few years ago the Taliesin put on a showing of a re-mastered ‘White Christmas’ with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. It was a real treat experiencing an old classic on the big screen, there was such a feel-good factor about it and yes I’m afraid to say we came out singing as well!  

Santa's little helper!

Favourite Christmas book

I’m with Emily on this one, it’s all about the children when it comes to Christmas books. My immediate reaction was to say ‘The Night Before Christmas’ as it brings back happy memories of reading to my three children when they were very young. We also have a beautifully illustrated copy of ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’, although I think I enjoyed this one more than the children.

Favourite Christmas food

Everything – as long as there are no nuts involved!

Best thing about Christmas

Having all my family under one roof for the holidays, eating, drinking and laughing together in front of the fire, with re-runs of Morecambe and Wise Christmas Specials on the TV. Although watching my daughter try and dress up our Jack Russell as Santa’s little helper, complete with a hat with a bell on it was a pretty close second!

Meet your library elves (aka your subject librarians) - Owen Library, Mount Pleasant

Here’s part two of our little series introducing you to your magical, mischievous, ever-so-helpful, elf-like subject librarians! Today we’re turning our attention to Mount Pleasant, where your resident librarian is Suzanne Taylor. Mount Pleasant students, please get in touch with Suzanne if you need any help in finding or accessing library resources.

Suzanne Taylor our librarian at Owen Library and supports the Faculty of Architecture, Computing and Engineering at Mount Pleasant.

Suzanne's dog, looking forward to Christmas!

Favourite Christmas movie

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ as it shows the positive impact one person can have upon so many lives or ‘The Holiday’ because I would love to spend Christmas in Kate Winslet’s  country cottage.

Favourite Christmas book

It would probably have to be A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Favourite Christmas food

A roast turkey or chicken dinner with all the trimmings, minus the sprouts.

One of the best things about Christmas

There’s something very special about driving to see family early on a frosty Christmas morning when the roads are empty. Also walking my dog on a beach on Boxing Day and seeing him chase the ball along the tide’s edge.

The fabulous book tree at Owen Library

Meet your library elves (aka your subject librarians) - Swansea Business Library

Ok, so we don’t spend much time skipping round with bells on our clothes, and we don’t have pointy ears, but your subject librarian can be just as useful as Santa’s little helpers at this time of year. Knowledge is the best gift, right? So, if you’re struggling to find journal articles for your dissertation, or looking for a book to help you to get a grip on your exam revision, pop into your home library and have a chat with your subject librarian. You can also reach us by phone or email, and we won’t be checking if you’ve been naughty or nice!

Over the next few days, we’ll be introducing you to the librarians based at each campus so you know who to ask for if you would like some help. Since we’re feeling quite festive, we’ll be sharing some of our favourite things about Christmas. We’re going to start with the librarians at Swansea Business Campus.

Sam, feeling festive

Sam Scoulding is the librarian for Tourism, Hospitality & Sport, Public Services and Health, and is based at Swansea Business Library.

Favourite Christmas movie

It’s a Wonderful Life – I’m a big James Stewart fan and this 1946 American classic film never fails to get me in the Christmas spirit! I love the setting (Bedford Falls) and the brilliant guardian angel (Clarence)…and I always find it particularly amusing that one of the central characters (Mary) would have been doomed to a life as a ‘spinster librarian’ had she never met her husband!

Favourite Christmas book

The Night Before Christmas – ok, so it’s a poem really, but still my favourite read during the festive season! Published anonymously in 1823 (Clement Clarke Moore finally acknowledged authorship in 1837) it was largely responsible for many of the ideas and images still associated with Santa Claus today. I particularly love the illustrations (by Christian Birmingham) in my own copy of this book!

Favourite Christmas food

Well, I hate Christmas pudding…and I’m not a massive fan of mince pies or Christmas cake either (!!) but I do love Stollen which is a traditional German Christmas cake. I love anything containing marzipan and there’s lots of it in this cake!

Best thing about Christmas

Once all the madness of the Christmas shopping is over, just closing the door on Christmas Eve and enjoying the peace and quiet, usually with a little drinky in one hand and some chocs in the other!

 

Emily Hywel shares responsibility with Alison Evans for supporting the Business programmes here at Swansea, and is also based at Swansea Business Library.

Favourite Christmas movie 



Library elf Emily

A child’s Christmases in Wales, comedy set across the 80’s with Ruth Jones and Paul Kaye, and narrated by Michael Sheen. This is adapted from the Dylan Thomas “A child’s Christmas in Wales” (which I haven’t read) and is a really brilliant film, it also reminds me of growing up in the 70s and 80s. 

Also can I have The Snowman and the Snowdog, this is the sequel to The Snowman and I must have watched it a million times over the last couple of years cause the kids love it.  Lovely music too.

Favourite Christmas book 

I have to say I can’t really think of any grown up xmas books, except the Christmas Carol, so my favourite xmas book has to be Stickman by Julia Donaldson again read a million times over the last few years!

Favourite Christmas food 

Roast potatoes, roast parsnips, roast carrots and any other roast veg and peas, and some gravy or sauce that goes with fish or nut roast.

Best thing about Christmas 
Opening presents with the kids in the morning and walking down to the beach later (with torches last year cause we left it so late) – still a novelty to go to the beach xmas day coming from Sheffield!

If we have xmas songs too they would have to be Slade - Merry Xmas everyone, Wizzard – I wish it could be Xmas everyday, and Maria Carey – All I want for Xmas is you.

Alison Evans is based at Swansea Business Library and supports the Business programmes at UWTSD Swansea together with Emily Hywel.

Favourite Christmas movie

Miracle on 34^th Street – the original 1947 one.  I love this so much, I’ve never managed to get around to seeing the Richard Attenborough version …

Favourite Christmas book

A Visit from St Nicholas (‘Twas the Night Before Christmas) written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822.  When I was little, I loved reciting the reindeers’ names. When I read it to my own boys, I still do – although we have to sneak in Rudolph!

Image Courtesy of: Feelart / Free Digital Photos

Favourite Christmas food

White chocolate and Baileys cheesecake – yum.

Best thing about Christmas

Feeling cosy with family – watching our favourite programmes together, wearing silly hats or just chatting.

Nothing says ‘Christmas’ like a lovesick penguin…

Have you been enjoying all the Christmas ads on the TV as much as we have? We’re particularly fond of Monty the Penguin and the little boy who gives him the best Christmas gift of a new friend! Always happy for an excuse to share our top 5s, and inspired by Monty, here are our favourite books about penguins!

 

1.       Lost and Found, by Oliver Jeffers

The animated adaptation of this appeared on our screens a few Christmases ago, so although it’s not especially Christmassy, it does feel quite seasonal! It’s a lovely story about a little boy’s attempts to help a penguin find his way home and the friendship that grows between them. One to warm the cockles of your heart!

2.      Penguin, by Polly Dunbar

Another one about a boy and his penguin! (There’s a bit of a theme here.) Ben is desperate to get a reaction from his new penguin, but the penguin doesn’t seem to want to say or do anything, until Ben gets eaten by a lion, that is. Brilliant! This is another really heart-warming one.

3.      The Emperor’s Egg, by Martin Jenkins

No little boys here! This tells the story of the life-cycle of the Emperor penguin, but this is far more than an information book. Jenkins makes the story of the male emperor penguin’s vigil on the ice an engaging one. A good one for dad’s everywhere!

4.      Cuddly Dudley, by Jez Alborough

Dudley’s brothers and sisters love cuddling him so much that they just can’t leave him alone! He sets off to find some peace and quiet, but soon realises that being cuddly isn’t so bad after all. Another lovely tale of penguins and friendship.

5.      Potes Pengwin, by Gerald Rose

Not quite such a friendly story, this one! Some scientists working in the Antarctic decide they’d like to try penguin stew. How will our monochrome heroes get themselves out of that pickle? You’ll have to borrow the book to find out!

 

Avast, land lubbers! It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arrr!

There really is a day for everything! This might be one of our favourites, though. International Talk Like a Pirate Day was established by a group of friends (or should we say shipmates?) in 1995 and since then has become something of a worldwide phenomenon. You can find out all about it, and get some ideas of how to join in, on the official website. Here at UWTSD Swansea libraries, we think it’s a perfect excuse to share our favourite pirate books with you!

Class Three All at Sea, Julia Jarman

Definitely the best story about pirates there’s ever been! In this rhyming picture book, class three’s school trip out to sea with Captain Keith takes a turn for the worse when they’re captured by pirates. Good thing there’s a friendly octopus around to help!

Pirates ‘n’ pistols, Chris Mould

This is a beautiful collection of pirate stories, old and new. It was nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for children’s illustration in 2013, and it’s easy to see why – the pictures are so full of life and colour.

Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome

OK, so the pirates in this book are actually two young girls, Nancy and Peggy Beckett, but this is still a rollicking good read and a classic from the golden age of children’s literature.

The Gardening Pirates / Môr-Ladron yr Ardd, Chris Glynn and Ruth Morgan

Times are hard on the bad ship Ych-y-Fi, but Cabin Girl Gwen has some seed which will make the pirate crew shipshape in no time! This lovely story is available in Welsh and in English.

Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

The ultimate pirate story! Long John Silver, Jim Hawkins, Captain Flint (the parrot)… Need we say more? The Muppet film version is great, but no substitute for Stevenson’s original.

Peter Pan, J. M. Barrie

We had to include this one! Captain Hook is surely one of the most fearsome fictional pirates. His only fears are the sight of his own blood and the clock-swallowing crocodile who once took a bite of his arm and has pursued him ever since. Tick tock…

Peter Pan in Scarlet, Geraldine McCaughrean

The sequel to Barrie’s classic, endorsed by the Special Trustees of Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital who own the copyright, this book sees Wendy and the Lost Boys (now the Old Boys!) return to Neverland to follow Captain Hook’s treasure map. A must for anyone who wants to know what happened when they all grew up!

Captain Pugwash books, John Ryan

Better known by our more mature students as a TV series, we have a number of Captain Pugwash books in Townhill Library which are well worth a look.

William Dampier: Buccaneer Explorer, Gerald Norris

A bit of real-life swashbuckling here! Dampier led the expedition which saw Alexander Selkirk, the inspiration for Robinson Crusoe, marooned on an island in the Pacific. He circumnavigated the globe three times, but his reputation was tainted with accusations of drunkenness and brutality. The Folio edition on our shelves brings together tales of his adventures.

Pirate the Seal, Brenda Jobling

A bit of a cheat this one as Pirate, as the title suggests is a seal, not a buccaneer! However, this is too beautiful a book to leave off the list on a technicality. It follows the friendship that develops between a lonely boy and his animal playmate. Just lovely!

Raawwwwr! It’s Global Tiger Day

Image courtesy of criminalatt / Free Digital Photos 

Global Tiger Day is held every year on the 29^th July with the aim of raising awareness and support for tiger conservation. We’re fans of cats big and small here at UWTSD Swansea libraries, so in honour of the humble moggy’s formidable cousin, here are our top five books about tigers. They’re grrrreat! (See what we did there?)

 

1.       The Tiger Who Came to Tea, by Judith Kerr – surely the best book about a tiger that’s ever been! If you’re not familiar with the story (and if you’re not we recommend you give yourself a treat and take a look as soon as you can), it revolves around Sophie and her unexpected and very hungry houseguest. A real treat!

2.      Life of Pi, by Yann Martel – recently made into a successful film, this captivating tale sees a tiger, an orang-utan, a zebra, a hyena and a teenage boy (Pi) adrift together in a lifeboat out at sea. It probably isn’t giving too much away to say that they do not make for a band of happy shipmates! Don’t worry about the plausibility, just let yourself get carried away on Pi’s journey.

3.      The House at Pooh Corner, by A. A. Milne – Who could forget Tigger, the bounciest, most exuberant tiger of all? He’s so much a part of the gang with Pooh Bear, Piglet, Eeyore and the rest that it’s hard to believe he didn’t appear in the first book, Winnie-the-Pooh, at all! He arrives in the forest and has breakfast in this follow up and soon makes his presence felt. He can be a little overbearing at times, but that’s the wonderful thing about Tiggers!

4.      Augustus and his Smile, by Catherine Rayner – Augustus the tiger has lost his smile and he’s quite sad about it, so after a “HUGE tigery stretch”, off he goes to find it. A gorgeous picture book that reminds us that happiness is there for the taking if we just go and look for it. Fabulous!

5.      Tiger Tiger, by Melvin Burgess – Yorkshire is the unlikely setting of this book, where we find Lila the Spirit-Tiger transforming herself into a young girl in order to wreak revenge on those involved in a massacre at Malham Tiger Park. Another one where you’ll need to suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself in the story! Well worth it.

 

More Desert Island Books...!

Image courtesy of: arztsamui / Free Digital Photos

 

 

This week's thoughts on Desert Island Books come from Library Assistant Anna Colclough...with additional contributions from her sister Becky who works in the publishing industry!

 

 

If you were stranded on a desert island which 4 books would you like to have with you and why?

1.      My Naughty Little Sister Collection – I just love the way Dorothy Edward writes, and Shirley Hughes’ Illustrations invoke such happy memories from my childhood.

 

2.      The Bone People by Keri Hulme - My all-time favourite book!

 

3.      Life of Pi by Yann Martel - A novel I could read again and again.

 

4.      A diary, with pencil attached and including photos of loved ones?? Can I get away with that? If not, then A survival Guide for life by Bear Grylls. Very useful and very nice pictures!

 

If you could bring one of the characters to life, for company, who would you choose and why?

I would like PI as a companion; he is a wonderful story teller and has plenty of survival techniques!

 

You can have one luxury item on the island with you…what would it be?

A four poster bed with weather proof covering and drapes OR a boat!

 

You are rescued and can only take one book back with you…which one would you pick?

My Naughty Little Sister.

 

For my own interest I also asked my sister Becky, who is a freelance graphic designer and works for Penguin/Random House, Bloomsbury and other publishers, the desert island questions and this was her reply:

 

“This is like choosing between metaphorical children… seriously! Depends what mood you’re in when you're deserted!

 

Off the cuff, 5 seconds to think of answers… 

 

1. The Harry Potter series (this counts as one book), Pride and Prejudice, The Complete Works of Shakespeare (it's long and you couldn't get bored of it), The Book Thief.
2. From the books? Mr Darcy of course. He can hunt!
3. Chocolate
4. Harry Potter series.