'The Librarians'
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A gap in transmission folks, with some techno problems last week. So already we are past Ep4 and Christine’s re-accreditation (sans Gallipoli apparently). I think this episode absolutely reinforces the underlying position of the writers from day 1. If we think back (and you won’t remember this but it’s my job) when the first series was announced, Robyn and Wayne both said that while they loved libraries, the series was about the people, not the library. The bits of ‘business’ that come along with the story - the return chute, the fish in the newspaper and all the rest, owe their parts to stories heard and sights seen (yep, that fish in the newspaper thing in the last series really did happen) and imagination (note: many a true word spoken in jest on that front). Last week’s episode was, in a way, a coming of age of the series as a whole. It really doesn’t matter where these people are with their crazy, mixed up lives. So we library folk get two for the price of one - some ‘library moments’ a lot of us have related to, and some ‘relationship moments’. (BTW, which of the latter you relate to is a matter between you and yours, not for this blog. Our rules, OK?)

 So, a quick dash on to episode 5. All I can say, having read the synopsis on your behalf, is that it’s a gas… And I am waiting to hear what Ky decides to do about that bathroom renovation.

 And now, a teaser. Next week, on 9 September, the final episode goes to air. Trust me, it’s an episode you won’t want to miss. For a lot of Victorian librarians, this one will be .. well.. personal. Enuff said.

Wednesday sure rolls around fast.. tonight’s ep is all about the official opening of the swish new Middleton Interactive Learning Centre. Finally we get to find out what the culture pod is all about (although possibly not from Frances).

Here’s a question for you: would Frances, that self-proclaimed arbiter of all things library, ever be persuaded to join ALIA? Well, if anyone can do it, Sue Hutley can.

http://gallery.me.com/waynehope/100228
(Username: gristmill Password: Librarians)

Ah, the crank calls  in Ep2 this week took me back to my baby librarian days. In my very first job, my direct line was one digit off the Federal Police drugs dob-in line. It made life interesting for the young thing I once was…

Now where were we? OK, so this week the show has taken a turn that rivals Bold & Beautiful in complexity it would seem. The Middleton Interactive staff are frankly looking like some of the typically pressured parents I’ve met and Frances’ paper bag gets more relevant every day. (I’m still relating strongly to the IT issue by the way, given we’re in transfer mode at work at the moment and for a while this morning I thought we’d have to buy in some pigeons and vellum to get anything done.)

And then there’s Vince. Mr Colosimo as library association (my lack of caps) ‘big wig’? I dunno, does it work for you?

Hi all, ready for week 2? There were a few launch parties last week for the return of the series. Congratulations to all who gathered in the name of librarians and comedy tv. We’d love to hear about it (that’s a hint, by the way).

After the last series we heard a lot of stories about what turns up in return chutes in our libraries. (Got a story to tell? Share it here.) Tonight’s episode features something I haven’t seen before. Thank goodness. Given that Wayne and Robyn included  that scene of the woman wrapping up her fish in the library newspapers in Series 1 after actually seeing it happen in their local library, I am just a little concerned about how the idea about tonight’s ‘donation’ to the return chute came to them… dare we ask?

Happy viewing everyone!

Hello world! As I’m the nominated editor (see note below) for this blog, I’m going (I hope) start the ball rolling. I made it home just in time on Wednesday night for Episode 1, grabbed a nutritionally questionable feed from the fridge, shoved the dogs over so I could actually fit on the couch, and tuned in, glad to see the show begin with a few flashbacks to remind me of where we were up to in this bunch of tangled lives.

I was having flashbacks of my own from being on set with the crew and cast and our own Sue Hutley back in February. (It’s fascinating watching tv being made. If you ever get the chance, do it - but wear sneakers so you don’t annoy the sound guy - and so you can still walk the next day. Standing around is THE occupation de jour on a film set..).

But I digress. Here’s what I learned this week: library relocations, even in the wonderful world of tv, are messy and inevitably result in the IT going horribly wrong before it goes right. Having a library card is the ultimate statement of citizenship (”I have a membership card, therefore I am?”). And always open your mail, there might be good stuff in there. One day.

The Culture Pod, that mysterious centrepiece of the new Middleton Interactive Learning Centre, has not been revealed, yet. But you know, that’s not what Sue and I wanted to pinch off the set if we’d had the chance. If you can guess which bit of the library we wanted to take home I won’t give you a prize but I will give you my respect. Here’s a clue, it’s on a wall.

 Now, all you folk in Libraryland, talk to me! Talk to each other!

(Note: who’s me? I’m Lee Welch, I am a librarian-turned-lots-of-things-turned-consultant and through Porter Novelli Adelaide, provide strategic corporate communications support to ALIA. Which means I get asked to do things like this from time to time.)

This week’s episode got me thinking about librarians and food - which will come as no surprise to those that know me, since it’s hardly the first time I’ve been caught thinking about this topic - I am fondly proud of a sector that can boast such fabulous foodies as Stephanie Alexander and Gay Bilson (she of the edible tablecloth made of tripe for a gastronomy symposium)  and Stephanie Alexander (who else but a school librarian could conceive of the indispensable Cook’s Companion?) as one-time practitioners.  Then there was the Vatican librarian back in 1500-something who was responsible for the first cookbook to be printed simultaneously in three different languages.. is this the thread of history that has led to the tradition of ALIA members gathering in Italian restaurants? The ritual of gathering to share stories isn’t so different from the ritual of gathering to share food. Both would seem to be about sharing companionship and knowledge … hmmm.  Sate, anyone?

While we wait to see what really happens in the show, we’ve found out that you will be able to download episodes once they have aired on tv, just in case you want to extend your viewing time. Episodes will be available via the official website for the show at

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/librarians/# . Check out the site for screensavers, more info on the cast and a couple of cute interactive tricks. 

Here is a synopsis of the plot (on the second page of this pdf - first page is a bonus poster of the cast).