Category Archives: Uncategorized

Switching to a new library world

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Frank Norman

Between leaving school and going to university I spent a year working as a library assistant in a public library service; not a branch library but the headquarters of the service. The Library HQ had a large reserve stock, supplementing … Continue reading →

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Preprints in the news

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Frank Norman

I think Fiona Fox’s recent question about preprints and their impact on science news reporting deserves more consideration. She calls for more discussion of the issue and of possible solutions. Preprints – good I’ve invested quite a bit of time … Continue reading →

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Why open access makes sense

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Frank Norman

My colleagues in the Communications are looking pleased and exhausted today.  The Francis Crick Institute’s new website launched this morning. It’s had a complete overhaul of style, structure and content.  I’ve not been closely involved but I know enough to … Continue reading →

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The meaning of sixty

Posted on July 16, 2017 by Frank Norman

I recently celebrated my sixtieth birthday. I had a very nice birthday party in a local pub with several friends and family members. Having plied them with food and drink I thought I’d earned the right to give a short … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Digital skills – how do we …

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Frank Norman

The concept of digital skills is a bit slippery.  The term has changed its meaning as the digital universe has expanded. Jisc is currently doing some work in this area, led by Caroline Ingram. I attended an interesting workshop recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Information skills, Research data, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

ReCon 2016 – my favourite small conference

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Frank Norman

ReCon has become my favourite small conference about publishing and research. It’s held each June in Edinburgh. I attended it in 2015 and really enjoyed it. There were stimulating presentations on non-trivial topics, and plenty of interesting conversations over coffee and lunch. … Continue reading →

Posted in Information skills, Journal publishing, Research data, Research tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Metavation

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Frank Norman

I first came to work at NIMR Mill Hill back in the blessed innocent times of 1989. After a few months my boss sent me on a course about ‘Motivation’. The course was organised by Aslib, and was held at … Continue reading →

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Marking the occasion

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Frank Norman

Yesterday was my first anniversary. See this and this for more details of what the anniversary was. A first anniversary is a special day – and hopefully the first of many more to come. But, though it marks a whole … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

The building takes shape

Posted on July 9, 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 →

Posted in Crick, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

An 80th annivirusary

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Frank Norman

For most of us, appearances on TV are still unusual enough to generate some excitement.  Even just a slight chance of a televisual encounter can get the pulse racing. Last December I became briefly excited on hearing that the BBC were … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Uncategorized | 2 Comments