Author Archives: Frank Norman

About Frank Norman

I am a retired librarian. I spent 40 years working in biomedical research libraries.

Book prizes

Posted on 8 October 2013 by Frank Norman

Book prize season is upon us. Prizes can be controversial things and there is often a dollop of subjectivity in the decision-making, but book prize shortlists can be useful for the lazy person (like me) as they offer a suggested … Continue reading →

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MRC publishing – 100 years on

Posted on 7 August 2013 by Frank Norman

It may have escaped your notice that this year is the 100th anniversary of the Medical Research Council, and there has been a cornucopia of celebratory activities to mark the occasion.  One aspect that has not been much remarked on … Continue reading →

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My six-monthsary

Posted on 6 August 2013 by Frank Norman

Anniversaries are all the rage these days, from the centenary of the MRC and the 80th anniversary of the flu virus, to the bicentenary and centenaries of Wagner, Britten, Lutoslawski and the Rite of Spring. But anniversaries are so slooooow to come around. … Continue reading →

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Envious admiration

Posted on 1 August 2013 by Frank Norman

There is a fine line between jealousy and envy. I had thought of them as pretty much the same thing until reading Stan Carey’s blog post on the subject. I think that admiration is also quite close; it is the nicer, … Continue reading →

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Library Day in the Life 2013 – Friday

Posted on 29 July 2013 by Frank Norman

My last daily report (for Friday 26 July, but written on the following Monday). See previous reports for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I didn’t have time to do my daily blog report on Thursday night so I came in early and posted it … Continue reading →

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Library Day in the Life 2013 – Thursday (Wikipedia edit-a-thon)

Posted on 26 July 2013 by Frank Norman

My latest daily report. See previous reports for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Today’s the day it’s all happening. Fingers crossed.

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Library Day in the Life 2013 – Wednesday

Posted on 24 July 2013 by Frank Norman

Here is my third Day in the Life post this week (see Tuesday’s post, and Monday’s post for some background). I came in first thing to find a few emails from my boss in my inbox.  One was a reply to my request for … Continue reading →

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Library Day in the Life 2013 – Tuesday

Posted on 23 July 2013 by Frank Norman

Here goes with my second Day in the Life post this week (see Monday’s post for some background). I had planned to get in super-early this morning, but a disturbed night thanks to the thunderstorms put paid to that. I arrived … Continue reading →

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Library Day in the Life 2013 – Monday

Posted on 22 July 2013 by Frank Norman

Sadly the Library Day in the Life project has ended. It provided a chance twice a year for librarians round the world to explain what they did each working day for a week.  I took part twice, in 2011 and … Continue reading →

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The building takes shape

Posted on 9 July 2013 by Frank Norman

My Institute will vanish in a couple of years’ time and will be reborn as part of a brand-new Institute: the Crick. One of the advantages of working in an Institute that is going through these difficult times is the chance … Continue reading →

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