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Making a difference
Thu 29 Mar 2012
If you have a few minutes today, please read this short article about Stephen Haff. I found it both inspiring and humbling.
As Peter Carey says, he 'really is a great man': www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/mar/23/stephen-haff-my-hero-peter-carey?newsfeed=true.
Enjoy the sunshine!
All good wishes
Tracey
World Book Day
Wed 29 Feb 2012
It's World Book Day tomorrow!
There are eight new and exclusive titles available for children of all ages. How to Train Your Dragon and Big Day Out are likely to be at the top of my children's list. I'm hoping there'll be some copies left by the time we hit the shops with our vouchers! For more information, see www.worldbookday.com.
It's great to have a day like this to celebrate the importance of books and reading for children. As well as the obvious benefits of reading, for me the feel of a book is also important: the colours, texture, turning the pages. And there's nothing like curling up with my family and listening to one of the children reading. They are really special, calm (and quiet!) moments to savour.
There's also World Book Night (WBN) to look forward to in April: something for the grown ups (see www.worldbooknight.org)! It was a lovely surprise to receive one of the WBN chosen books last year - and to pass it on. I am lucky enough to know one of the 'givers' this year, so am hoping to 'receive' and 'give' again!
I know that many of us pass on books that we have read and enjoyed to others, but it can only be a positive thing to have a more formal celebration of books in this way, particularly at a time when libraries are having such a hard time.
Happy World Book Day, and long live books!
Best wishes
Tracey
National Libraries Day
Thu 2 Feb 2012
It's National Libraries Day on Saturday: see http://nationallibrariesday.org.uk/. It's a shame that at a time when many libraries (almost 600) are in danger of closing, it hasn't received more publicity in the mainstream media.
As those of you who read my blogs regularly will know, I feel very passionate about libraries and about books. One of the most special (and quiet!) times I have with my children is at the end of the day when we snuggle up and read. Any stresses and strains are suspended in that short time when we're lost in whatever book we're reading together. Bliss!
A recent article in The Guardian highlighted that four million children in the UK don't own a book, as many as one in six adults have trouble reading, and illiteracy is thought to cost our economy up to £81bn a year (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/feb/01/dan-jarvis-library-closures for the full article). These kinds of statistics do make you wonder why the powers that be keep devolving responsibility for library closures. On the face of it, libraries might appear to be low priority, but their neglect will surely have a huge impact on society and communities in the decades to come.
It's not all doom and gloom for libraries at the moment though. On 23 January, a new library opened in Hackney, apparently one of the biggest in the UK, and another 'super library' has opened at Canada Water: http://londonist.com/2012/01/new-libraries-for-dalston-and-deptford.php?showpage=2#gallery-1.
Does this mean that libraries are set to get 'bigger and better'? Are 'super libraries' (as supermarkets before them) the 'way forward'? I feel positively about any new libraries being built, but are we missing the point of what a library should be in a community? Or is change of this kind inevitable - and ultimately a good thing?
Happy National Libraries Day for Saturday!
All good wishes,
Tracey
Award and reward
Fri 13 Jan 2012
Wow - what an exciting few days it has been for Passion for Publishing!
The main focus of my week has been BETT - an annual exhibition, in London, which showcases technology in education.
It was a great honour to be invited by Rising Stars to the BETT Awards dinner, and the Park Lane Hilton was an amazing venue. As you may know from earlier blogs, I was there to see if Switched on ICT (KS2) had won an award in the Innovation in ICT category. It was disappointing for us not to win, but there's always next year! You can see who won in each category and photos from the evening at www.bettawards.com/home.
I had a great day at the BETT exhibition yesterday. One of the highlights for me was talking to teachers about Switched on ICT - how useful they are finding the KS2 product, how they are looking forward to working with the KS1 material (KS1 was launched yesterday at BETT), and how it is making a real difference to children.
A group of Year 4 to Year 6 children from a local school talked about projects they had completed using Switched on ICT, and why they enjoyed using it. I don't often get to see the 'benefits' of the products/books that I work on. For those of us who had worked closely on the project, listening to them was a lovely moment. There is nothing like seeing that all the hard work behind the scenes does make a difference.
Much as I love London and its energy, I'm looking forward to a slightly quieter weekend to recover from all the excitement!
With all good wishes,
Tracey
A year to remember
Tue 13 Dec 2011
It's been a busy and exciting few months for Passion for Publishing, professionally and personally.
I've worked with fantastic clients on educational products that I am passionate about. One of these products (Switched on ICT) has been shortlisted for a BETT award (Innovation in ICT category) and I'm honoured and excited to have been invited to the awards dinner in January: see www.bettawards.com/328625.
I have made some lovely friends through The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (www.sfep.org.uk/) and been involved in a couple of interesting voluntary working groups with them this year. The Society of Young Publishers has recently set up a Northern and Midlands group (www.thesyp.org.uk/). It's really positive to see publishing 'up North' getting some exposure.
On a personal level, completing a marathon (and an off-road one!) was my biggest challenge of the year. Apart from the physical training, it tested me mentally in much the same way as my work can - the need to have a 'can do' attitude, stamina, determination - and passion! On a rainy, cold, windy day in Kielder, Northumberland, the moment of realisation that I was actually going to make it across the finish line is one I will never forget. I never got to the stage of feeling I was going to 'give up' and not finish, but on those days when deadlines seem impossible, or a new work project feels intimidating, I remember that '18-mile feeling' and know that somehow I'll get through it!
Here's to a happy and healthy 2012 - and remembering all those who will be missing loved ones this Christmas.
With all good wishes
Tracey