The path could have gone else where ?

Studying and a round cycle trip of 20 miles to and from work was becoming a problem and my prepubescent child was needing ‘mum’ a bit more.  As the degree was progressing well, I was in a position to apply for non-academic posts at Reading University ,a short walk away from my home.  Soon I was offered a job in the Library in the University. After graduating I was promoted to work in Special Collections http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/special-collections/about/  The role was unique as a library assistant, while it was not an academic post,  I found myself working with a range of professionals; cataloguers, archivists, museum curators, book binders, conservators and a range of social media opportunities. Supporting the academic staff and researchers the work was vital and mundane, heavy and dusty.  I undertook training mostly in house but some at Library school in London. I worked with rare books, archival materials and books relating to the publishing of books, such as book design, typography, book jackets, book binding, graphic design, illustration etc.

While working with rare books I was able to use my  Greek and Latin knowledge; during this time a colleague suggested that I learned Sanskrit so I attended SOAS weekly at a night class for 4 years and also ‘played’ with Classical Tibetan and I became a volunteer cataloguer at the Institute of Asian Studies in Malaga … for 6 years I went to Spain 4  times a year to work with the materials in the library;  books and manuscripts connected with Buddhism as it went from India to Tibet and the culture surrounding it.   A tiny team that supported scholars from Canterbury University and students from all over the world interested in the promotion of Buddhism. I was here I learned about ‘communication and the use of Social Media and blogging.

So now the drip drip and the tiny reminders of the lovely things of life …